Hosting the bake sale!

By: Shannon McCormack

Summer Literacy is a program sponsored by the  Scarborough Council. Students are engaged in a  positive, inclusive and educational environment where they go on daily adventures both in the classroom and in the community.

We have visited various places in the community including:   Parks, the library, the movie theatre, the bowling alley, the local recreation centre pool, various restaurants and a play at The Fringe Festival.

These experiences have allowed the students to learn more about their community. The outings also allow for key life skills to be developed such as riding the TTC, using money in everyday situations, reading street signs and navigating our way through the city. One of our goals is that all the individuals in this program feel comfortable and a part of their community, while maintaining their independence and contributing to society.

Nicole, a student at Summer Literacy shared that: “Summer Literacy helped me prepare for college and improved my overall confidence”.

In addition to exploring the community, students are learning and practicing major skills in the classroom. The Summer Literacy curriculum is planned in  accordance to the students’ wants and needs. This way, the content is relatable to the students and their everyday lives. Having fun is a big part of Summer  Literacy and this year as our final project, students performed The Lion King Musical!

There is a strong focus on math in our program. We have been working on various day-to-day situations in which we use our math skills and concepts. The emphasis this year has been on Canadian currency. We focused on identifying coins and bills, knowing their value, counting money and making correct change. Students had the opportunity to use their skills in the community in three local restaurants. During our annual Bake Sale fundraiser, students rotated on cash duties to practice their skills. It was a great success!

Summer Literacy recently had two very special visitors. Officer Gibson and Officer Alexander from 43 Division. They came to deliver an interactive presentation on bullying—specifically addressing cyber-bullying. The program was also fortunate enough to receive a furry visitor and her handler. Honey is a sweet therapy dog from St. John Ambulance who volunteered to play with us to release stress and put smiles on our faces.

The Summer Literacy Program is sponsored by the Scarborough Regional Council. We want to thank the leads, Ellen Armstrong and Alison Thomas, for all their support. We hope to see you there next year! For information please call Felicita Zanatta at 647-729-1635 or fzanatta@cltoronto.ca

Honey, the therapeutic dog from St. John Ambulance making new friends with some of the participants.

Click here to read the full newsletter in PDF:  Newsletter_2017_October