Castlio Elementary School conducts various family nights or get-togethers to experience school in different ways. The Wellness Fair guided students and family members to engage in active games and to learn from teachers and local health providers about resources in the community. At Tech Fest, there were over 40 student-led presentations to demonstrate for parents the various technologies and web-based resources they use each day at school.
St. Charles, MO
Front Row: Toby Joslin, Suzanne Steele, Nancy Seifert, Tracy Armstrong, Robyn Heimburger, Ann Bender, Tonya Longmore, Robin Foster
Wellness Fair
Castlio Elementary School has a goal to make all students and parents feel welcome and part of the school community. Throughout the year, the ATP and teachers conduct various family nights or get-togethers to experience school in different ways. The Wellness Fair guided students and family members to engage in active games and to learn from teachers and local health providers about resources in the community. For example, the focus on exercise and activities included health tips and ways to remain active every day and in the summer. Information was shared about the Boys and Girls Club summer programs, Junior Achievement, service dogs, soccer programs, school lunch nutrition, healthy eyes, sugar content in cereals, self-defense, stress relief, and posture. In one culminating activity, students, parents, teachers, and community members played a giant game of Ultimate Frisbee.
Community organizations volunteers to present information to parents. The ATP and teachers volunteered to set up table-booths for activities and resources. The wide range of offerings helped parents and students learn about local options for health and wellness all year round.
Tech Fest
At Tech Fest, students were the center of attention. There were over 40 student-led presentations to demonstrate for parents the various technologies and web-based resources they use each day at school. Community organizations also presented information on technology topics, such as internet safety, Twitter, and the pros and cons of various devices. Local businesses donated give-aways for families in attendance, including tote bags, pads, pens, water bottles, and power-chargers for devices.
Students benefited from their roles as leaders of Tech Fest, which showcased their “how to” speech skills and completed projects. To help students prepare, the librarian, district technician, and 21st-Century learning assistant worked with them to plan and practice their presentations. The students followed a common format: introduction; demonstration; discussion of the advantages of using the technology; different projects and assignments the technology can help with; and questions from the audience. In addition to helping many family and community groups learn more about the school, Tech Fest helped build students’ skills and pride in their work with new technologies.
Tech Fest and Wellness Fair (combined description) is featured in the 2015 edition of Promising Partnership Practices.
