RCSD Students Level Up Literacy and Learning Through Read & Play Day

For the first time, the Rochester City School District partnered with Healthi Kids to combine World Read Aloud Day and Global School Play Day into a single districtwide celebration: Level Up! Read & Play Day. This initiative provided PreK-12 students with opportunities to strengthen literacy skills through hands-on, student-centered play.

"Level Up Read and Play Day elevates student voice by squarely centering literacy in student learning and activity, honoring how they learn best,” said Dr. Eric Jay Rosser, Superintendent of Schools. “Through reading, storytelling, and purposeful play, students are not just making choices; they are expressing ideas and engaging with learning in ways that are meaningful to them. This approach strengthens literacy while fostering confidence and a lifelong connection to learning.”

Throughout the District, students participated in literacy-focused activities, including dramatic reading stations and storytelling corners. Special guest readers included Adam Bello, Monroe County Executive; James Gilbert, News 8 Meteorologist; Stacey Pensgen, News 10NBC Meteorologist; Jesus Paesch, Language Access Compliance Coordinator for Monroe County; members of local law enforcement; and many others who joined Dr. Rosser to share their favorite stories with students. You can view a student-led livestream of these interviews here. The "play" component allowed students to take the lead through STEM experiment stations inspired by science books, sports-themed read-alouds in PE classes, and extended recess periods designed to spark collaboration.

“Play is how children learn best, "said Mike Bulger, Director of Whole-Child Health Advocacy at Healthi Kids. "It's their natural way of making sense of the world. Stories are how humans have always understood the world around them, and when we combine play with reading aloud, we are not just teaching literacy skills, we are raising a new generation of readers who see books as joyful, life-changing experiences.”

At Iris J. Banister School No. 33, these activities highlighted the daily joy of storytelling.

“One of the initiatives we have in our building is that kids have books in their hands every day and they have an opportunity to read those books,” said Lisa Garrow, Principal of School No. 33. “In conjunction with World Read Aloud Day, we are also celebrating World Play Day, which is an opportunity for our students to explore movement and learn through play.”

By combining these two global movements, RCSD continues its commitment to creating engaging environments where students build social, emotional, and academic skills that last a lifetime.