DeSoto ISD Celebrates Literacy and Family Connections with “Reading is Grand” for Grandparents Day
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The DeSoto Independent School District’s West Middle School (WMS) and Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School (CMMS) libraries are proud recipients of the national “Reading is Grand” grant, sponsored by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA). As part of this program, the BCALA will fund the Grandparents Day celebrations events on Monday, September 8, 2025, at WMS, and on Friday, September 12, 2025, at CMMS, highlighting the essential role grandparents play in students’ lives while promoting literacy and family engagement, research and oral history and archiving.
The “Reading is Grand” initiative is a family literacy-focused program that emphasizes intergenerational connections and uplifts stories reflecting the richness of African American culture. Through this national grant, WMS and CMMS will host two special events designed to inspire a love of reading and celebrate the contributions of grandparents to children’s growth and learning.
Event 1: West Middle School:
- Date: Monday, September 8, 2025
- Time: Morning Assembly (8:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)
- Location: West Middle School Library, 800 N. Westmoreland Rd., DeSoto, TX 75115
Event 2: Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School:
- Date: Friday, September 12, 2025
- Time: Student Lunch Service (10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.)
- Location: Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School Gym, 1500 Majestic Meadow Drive; Glenn Heights, TX 75154
“This celebration is more than just a reading event—it is a recognition of the incredible influence grandparents have in nurturing literacy and lifelong learning,” said Dr. Diane Gill, DeSoto ISD librarian and project coordinator. “We are honored to partner with BCALA and provide an experience that connects students, families, and grandparents through stories, culture, and shared learning.”
The ultimate goal of the program is to foster a love of reading among children, families, and the broader community, while celebrating the vital intergenerational relationships that support students’ academic and personal growth.
The event will feature a special keynote speaker, Laurene Ragsdale, author of the book Our Past, Our Way. She is noted for her passion for ancestry and genealogy research and her mission to educate and inspire others to honor their past and preserve their legacy for future generations. Students and their families will also have access to library, literacy and research vendors during the presentation.
The event is the beginning of a recently launched partnership between the district’s library system and that of the City of DeSoto’s Public Libraries. This set of events has already received national recognition, with WMS and CMMS highlighted on the BCALA website for their outstanding family literacy initiatives. Families, students, and community members are encouraged to participate in this meaningful celebration.
For more information about the sponsors and the “Reading is Grand” program, visit: https://www.bcala.org/bcala-awards-2025-reading-is-grand
Outside of these two events DeSoto ISD’s Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy will also host its annual Grandparent’s Day event at the campus during which grandparents and parents will enjoy a special lunch with their scholars.
Grandparents’ Day was signed into legislation as an official holiday in 1979. It is a national holiday celebrated in the United States on the first Sunday after Labor Day in September to honor grandparents, recognize their important role in families and communities, and acknowledge the love, wisdom, and support they offer to their grandchildren and society encouraging intergenerational bonds among families.
Please note all visitors to a district campus must be on a student’s approved contact list and must follow these procedures and expectations.
- Arrive early to allocate time to adhere to the district’s security procedures
- Enter and check in at the main entrance of the campus.
- Present an approved government-issued form of identification prior to entering the building
- Undergo a routine screening through the district’s RAPTOR system.
For more information about parent and family engagement opportunities in DeSoto ISD, contact your child’s campus or the district’s Parent and Family Engagement Specialist Kendal Harden at [email protected].