Sure, Southwest Baltimore Charter School's Family Literacy Night earlier this spring was true to its title. It was at night, and students’ families were included in the event. There were fun, literacy-based activities, as well as books to take home.
But the annual event at the Kindergarten through 8th-grade school across from Carroll Park in the Pigtown neighborhood was more. It helped build and solidify relationships between teachers and parents, supporting families as they support their children, and celebrating the joy of the school community—“creating connections and trust, and bringing joy to literacy,” as the school’s literacy specialist, Keturah Nilsson, puts it.
“Our goal for the evening was to get students and families invested in literacy and to share the power and efficacy of literacy with parents… to connect what happens at school to what’s possible at home.”
Events like this are part of City Schools’ Science of Reading initiative, emphasizing foundational skills such as fluency, phonemic awareness, comprehension, and the research-based practice of repetition. During professional development, staff like Ms. Nilsson are immersed in experiences designed to mirror their students' encounters. Teachers and literacy coaches were given challenging texts, from technical descriptions to Old English poems, to simulate how to decode unfamiliar language. Through guided instruction in reading techniques and repeated practice, they could see firsthand how fluency develops and how to use these strategies during school instruction and after-school events.
This focus on literacy carried into the evening’s primary theme: storytelling. “The power of stories to inspire us to be stronger, more courageous, and happier people,” explained Rhys Cox, the school’s Community School Site Specialist. “Being able to comprehend what you're reading and internalize information is an important aspect of education. It touches nearly every part of life. Every way a student practices autonomy and independence relies on their literacy skills.”
Literacy Night began with a lively performance of dance, drumming, and storytelling by Baltimore teaching artist Kofi Dennis. Students left the program excited and inspired—and Literacy Night planners were ready to capitalize on that energy! Grade-appropriate stations aligned with what students are learning in their classrooms were set up around the school’s cafeteria. With guidance from teachers and support from their families, students created their own books, including journals, stories, and descriptive narratives.
At the end of the evening, students selected books to take home, and families received “fluency home packets” of games and activities to use at home to develop literacy skills.
Keturah Nilsson, Southwest Charter’s Literacy Specialist, stated, “We wanted to bring the joy of literacy and give students the freedom to make their own, personal books. It’s important for us to build a practice and partnership with families, to motivate students and families to carry this experience forward. This creates a really important connection and trust for student success.”
Rys Cox further explains the impact of those connections. “When a family understands what’s happening in the classroom, they can extend learning beyond the school day. And when families feel comfortable in the school, they can better advocate for their child so the student has everything they need to succeed."
Ms. Nilsson provided an example. “One student's mother first came to the school during one of our Family Engagement Nights. (The school also hosts regular STEM Nights.) She didn’t know much about the school, but through this experience, she talked to teachers about how she could get involved. Her connection to the school blossomed, to the benefit of her daughter.”
Another student's mother, Ms. Diamond, reiterated the success of Literacy Night. “It’s a different way to encourage kids to learn. They have fun while learning. By attending events like this, you gain insight into what your students need to achieve more and grow. This school teaches children to be leaders and to have empathy and autonomy.”