“Here is how books work: Everything the words say, the person reading the book, has to say.”
Willard Elementary Principal Buz Hollingsworth grimaced as he turned the page, knowing that The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak was a risky choice to read aloud to a group of students and parents.
But he and lots of other educators put themselves on display after the school day on Thursday, Oct. 15 to share their love of reading.
"It's bringing families and the community together," said Kelli Jones, Willard's dean of students. "Just to build the community around the importance of reading for everybody."
Willard's annual Family Reading Night included a range of read-alouds by staff, as well as student volunteers from North Central High School. The school also hosted a Scholastic Book Fair, free books for families to take home, and other activities.
Jones estimates as many as 200 attended last year's event. Many bring siblings and extended family members, including older students who previously attended Willard.
It was an especially exciting day for literacy at Willard, as students had also had a visit from Eastern Washington University (EWU) Men’s Basketball players and coaches that day.
Players like Alton Hamilton IV visited 25 SPS elementary schools in October to kick-off this year’s “Read Like an Eagle” challenge. The Eagles hosted a slam dunk contest during an assembly before reading their favorite childhood books in classrooms and answering questions from students.
Alton, who plays forward, is a senior and studying English with aspirations of becoming a teacher. “I might work here one day!” he noted with a grin.
Over the next six weeks, students who meet Read Like an Eagle goals by reading 50 to 100 minutes a week at home will receive a home ticket to an upcoming EWU Basketball Game.
Across Spokane Public Schools, early literacy is a big focus, with a goal of having at least 90% of students reading proficiently by the start of fourth grade. Around 77% now meet that benchmark, a number that’s been rising since 2019. On average, SPS students in grades K–5 demonstrate more than a year's worth of reading growth annually.
Research shows that reading proficiency by third grade is a strong predictor of long-term academic success, including graduating from high school. Students spend their first few years of school learning to read, then increasingly rely on these skills to progress in other subjects.
Jones says Reading Night is just one of many examples of Willard families getting involved in their children’s education.
"Anytime we have any family event here, our families show up," she said. “Even now, at dinnertime, they still show up."
Willard Family Reading Night by Spokane Schools