Beebe School District is fortunate to have many community partners who work alongside our teachers and staff to improve the educational experience of students. One such partnership is with Beebe’s Goff Public Library. Over the past several years, representatives from the library have been visiting once per month to read to students.
1st Grade teacher Jodi Zeigler shared, “We love when the library comes to visit and promotes reading. It invites the students to get involved in the programs the library offers. The library is able to tell the students all the fun things planned each month and encourages them to participate. For example, they are starting a STEAM program for the students. They hand out stickers and bookmarks each visit. Not only do they share books but they sing songs and provide active movement. The library also shares information about library cards and how to register so the students can check out books and other resources. This is a great way to involve the community and for students and parents to get actively involved in reading and the latest technology! It is one important way that we feel promotes a good reading habit!”
Ms. Lisa Boatman, Goff Public Library’s Children’s Librarian and Outreach Provider explained that she and Ms. Amber Duncan visit all White County schools to promote the library and its programs. At Beebe, they visit our Daycare, Head Start, Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade students approximately once per month to read books, sing songs, and even have puppet performances on occasion. Just as Beebe teachers and students are thankful for the partnership, Ms. Boatman expressed how thankful they at the library are for the collaboration and the welcoming culture of Beebe Schools. “We love that it helps us build relationships with the students, and it helps them realize that there is another library in town,” she shared.
Kindergarten teacher Jessica Stigler has also witnessed positive effects from the library’s visits. One advantage she has seen is that students and teachers are exposed to new read-alouds and authors through the program. “Many times, Ms. Lisa reads a book that I've never heard of, and it becomes my new favorite!” she shared. Another positive is that students often go home and ask their parents to take them to the library after being exposed to all of the great things it has to offer.
Beebe School District and Goff Public Library are proud to work together toward building a love of reading in all of our students. The positive impact of these visits will be seen for many years to come.