The Ithaca City School District’s Early Childhood Program offers a play-based curriculum that fosters creativity and curiosity while laying a foundation for developing skills, nurturing strengths and talents, building confidence, and creating a sense of belonging for every child and family, and our summer program is no exception to this work!
Storytelling is a foundational part of the Early Childhood Program, and our educators recognize that reading stories is one of the many ways we can support a child’s social, cognitive, and literacy development.
The 2023 Songs and Stories summer program gave our ICSD preschool students the opportunity to listen to diverse stories, engage in extension activities, sing songs, watch performances, and share their identities and family stories.
Summer educators incorporated a variety of children’s books throughout their day to foster inclusive learning environments for all. Three of the many read-alouds used this summer included: My Voice is a Trumpet by Jimmie Allen, Be Who You Are! by Todd Parr, and Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora.
Each picture book was aligned with a special activity or guest every Friday. Be Who You Are was connected to a performance by LilySilly Puppet Theater. Our students learned about self-acceptance and had fun listening, singing, laughing, and interacting with the stories from the puppet show.
Early childhood educator Jessica Custer-Bindel shared the story Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora. Jessica taught the children games and cooking skills, and then they all prepared a wonderful and delicious community meal together.
Musicians Cal Walker and John Simon also came for a summer performance, and just like in the story My Voice is a Trumpet, they modeled through music/song the importance of using your voice to express yourself and uplift those around you.
The Songs and Stories summer program showcased powerful tools to help our preschoolers see themselves, express themselves, grow their imaginations, and learn about the world around them.
During the school year, the ICSD has 12 pre-K classrooms across seven buildings, serving roughly 150 children every year. Each multidisciplinary classroom team includes teachers, aides, service providers, mental health professionals, and family partners who all work together to meet the needs of our young students.
In the ICSD, we are committed to reversing the legacy of racism and establishing communities built on love and joy. Our Early Childhood summer program provided a unique opportunity for our learners to engage with stories that provided meaningful, interdisciplinary learning that allowed for connection through identity, skills, intellect, criticality, and, most importantly, joy.
For more information on the Early Childhood Program, visit the district webpage.
