At College Park Elementary, literacy isn’t confined to textbooks and timed readings — it’s seen as a superpower that can change lives. Teachers, students, and families work together to build stronger readers and lifelong learners who discover joy and connection through words.

That shared vision was on full display at the school’s Family Literacy Night on September 9, 2025. Students and families filled the Multipurpose Room for a series of superhero-themed literacy stations. Students were given a passport to guide them through hands-on activities that led to creating new superheroes, from crafting superhero masks and bookmarks to using Thinking Maps to describe attributes of their new heroes to writing and drawing the adventures of their creations. There were also games designed to increase literacy skills, including an alphabet- and word-based dice game, themed Mad Libs, and an opportunity to decipher a secret message using code words. With each completed activity, students earned a stamp in their passport; students with completed passports ventured to the classroom where the school’s brand-new book vending machine waited. With each golden token, the machine lit up as students selected a new book to take home.

“Events like this are designed to do more than celebrate reading. They give parents a chance to see the strategies we use in class and how they can support their child’s learning at home. When the school and families work together, students thrive,” said College Park Principal Alice Formaneck.

That partnership between school and home is a cornerstone of College Park’s literacy efforts. Parents were encouraged not just to watch, but to participate by reading directions aloud, helping with spelling, and cheering on their child as they worked through a challenge. Each station was designed to spark collaboration, reinforcing the message that reading is most powerful when it is shared.

Instructions were offered in both English and Spanish, and families were encouraged to complete activities in the language they use at home. “Language should never be a barrier to joy or learning,” said reading support teacher Hayley Martin. 

Parents also had opportunities to speak directly with reading specialists, who shared strategies and answered questions about student progress. Bringing the excitement of reading home is key to College Park’s goals. With that in mind, the school’s Parent Teacher Association raised the funds to purchase a book vending machine. Students earn gold tokens to use in the machine through events such as Family Literacy Night and by reaching classroom reading goals. “With the focus on building reading skills at College Park, we want to encourage students’ progress. The book vending machine helps put books in kids’ hands that they can take home,” said College Park PTA President Lauren Mahlmeister.

At Family Literacy Night, families were also encouraged to select books from a table by the exit. “We want the kids to carry the momentum from tonight home with them,” Martin said.

With programs such as Heggerty, Thinking Maps, and targeted reading supports in the classroom, and with family-focused experiences such as Literacy Night, College Park is weaving a consistent, connected approach to growing strong readers.