Joy, creativity, and connections were in full bloom across Weakley County Schools during the week of April 7th – 11th as our youngest learners and their educators and families celebrated the Week of the Young Child. Across the district, our Pre-K classrooms celebrated this nationally recognized week with laughter, hands-on activities, and the excitement of discovery.
Each day of the week focused on a different theme that connects learning with everyday experiences. Days like Tasty Tuesday and Family Friday highlighted the many ways that learning can occur during play, creativity, and time spent together.
Kicking off the week was Tasty Tuesday, a day dedicated to using food and cooking to introduce important skills, like math, science, and life skills through hands on experiences in the kitchen.
At Martin Primary, Amber Tate’s class discovered that sharing is caring as they prepared and enjoyed snacks together. From measuring to mixing to cleaning up, students practiced teamwork and kindness in every step.
Meanwhile at Dresden Elementary, Marla Rook’s class dove into some delicious science by making homemade ice cream. The look of awe on each student’s face while watching their ingredients turn into cold, creamy ice cream after shaking up their bags was priceless!
Wednesday was all about the power of working together with Work Together Wednesday. Our students discovered that when we work together, we can achieve great things and have fun while doing it.
At Martin Primary School, Taylor Zantop’s class created a colorful classroom rainbow using found objects, then showed pride and responsibility by working together to clean it all up.
Over at Sharon School, Beth Mathews and Jennifer Lamb’s students played group games that turned laughter into learning while encouraging everyone to work together.
On Artsy Thursday, we got creative! Students let their imaginations run wild while painting, sculpting, and crafting – all while building fine motor skills and self-confidence.
At Gleason School, Tara Hughes’ class read Nature is an Artist, created a class rainbow collage, and enjoyed time to paint, sculpt with play-doh, and build using recycled materials—a day full of color and creativity!
At Greenfield School, Julie Arnold’s class enjoyed a lesson about sculpting with clay, learning to make their own clay turtles and then using their imaginations to create their own clay creations.
We wrapped up a fun-filled week of learning with Family Friday, a day dedicated to celebrating the love, support, and importance of families, the very first teachers in every child’s life.
Across the district, our Pre-K students welcomed their families to join in on the fun, proudly showing off their schools, classrooms, and friends. From popsicles on the lawn to pizza parties, chalk art, games, and story times, this day was filled with the laughter of families enjoying time together.
“Week of the Young Child is a powerful reminder that learning in the early years is about more than ABCs and 123s, it’s about curiosity, connection, and confidence,” said Karen Fowler, Pre-K Family Consultant for Weakley County Schools. “We’re helping our children build the foundation for a lifetime of learning, and that’s often through simple activities that we’re doing every day.”
Director of Schools Jeff Cupples also expressed his pride in the meaningful work happening during not only Week of the Young Child, but also in the Pre-K classrooms every day.
“Supporting early learning is truly an investment in our community’s tomorrow,” said Cupples. “The intentional, engaging programs in our Pre-K classrooms are laying a solid foundation for the academic, social, and emotional skills that will benefit them in every stage of their education.”
The Week of the Young Child reminds us that small moments with our little ones make a big difference. When we nurture young minds, hearts, and imaginations, we help shape a future filled with curiosity, confidence, and care. And our students, along with our community, will thrive because of it.
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