QCSD event sets up ELD families for success
Nurse Melissa Kelly, left, and world language teacher Bethany Fuller help a parent during the September 15 ELD Resource Night in the Quakertown Community School District.
English Language Development teacher Alaina Wert organized the event and several teachers helped with the planning and volunteered their time to support the district’s ELD families.
“It was really exciting to see everyone take part to create an event that I hope will become an annual one,” said Kim Finnerty, an assistant principal at Quakertown Community High School and a volunteer at the event. “Our families extended their thanks and the smiles all around revealed their appreciation.”
The 90-minute event took place at the Sixth Grade Center.
While students were supplied with materials for crafts and activities, parents were helped with filling out required school forms, shown how to access online registration and free and reduced lunch applications, sign up for adult English classes and find local health organizations that offer reduced fees. Organizations such as Bucks County Head Start and LifeSpan Pre-K Counts were also on hand to inform families.
“The evening was truly a dream turned reality,” Ms. Wert said. “All those smiles and sincere thank yous made it the best.”
She thanked and praised the efforts of ELD teachers, in addition to Nurse Melissa Kelly and Pam Fothergill, the district’s systems administrator, for helping to make the “event perfect.”
ELD teacher Kelly Shaak described the night as “amazing. Alaina’s energy and inspiration to serve is infectious so everyone involved left feeling proud, moved, connected, excited! A much-needed evening it was! A nice twist on a Back to School Night for our EL community.”
On Twitter, ELD teacher Elizabeth Coyle posted: “What a successful night of resources for our #QCSDELD families! Very proud of our extended team – teachers, admin staff, volunteers, community orgs. Many families set up for a great school year!”
Said Principal Mattias van’t Hoenderdaal, “I really appreciate everyone putting in volunteer hours to ensure that our families are set up for success. Thank you.”