Hamilton County Schools Celebrates International Literacy Day
September 9, 2025 – Hamilton County Schools is celebrating International Literacy Day by highlighting programs that bring the joy of reading to students and families. From the HCS Book Bus to community partnerships, and storybook trails, schools are creating new ways to build strong readers.
The HCS Book Bus
The bright blue HCS Book Bus has become a favorite sight across the county. Inside, shelves are filled with free books that students can choose and keep, helping them build their own collection at home. The bus travels to schools, community events, and summer reach sites so every child can have access to books.
The Bus also offers resources and tips on how to support literacy at home.
The HCS Book Bus continues to bring free books, excitement, and a love for reading straight to students. Over the summer, the bus visited Summer Reach program sites across Hamilton County.
“It was so rewarding to see kids light up when they found a book that felt just right,” said HCS team member Shemica Damron. “Some didn’t want to leave the bus without reading the first few pages right there.”
At each stop, staff from HCS teamed up with the Read 20 program from the Soddy Daisy Community Library which turns each visit into something special. Students engaged with read-alouds—singing along to Pete the Cat and even acting out parts of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt—before heading outside to explore the bus’s shelves of free books
Read Across America
During Read Across America Week, schools welcomed community leaders, volunteers, and guest readers to share their favorite stories.
“As we get older, we sometimes forget about the joy of reading and how special it is. It’s exciting to read books and have a story be created in your head,” said Diana Mammen of Bess T. Shepherd Elementary. Former Ooltewah Elementary (now Loftis Middle) Principal Bethanie Reynolds shared, “This is a great community day for us. We prioritize the importance of reading with the community. Our kids have been super excited.”
The celebration brought classrooms together across the district and reminded students that reading is something to enjoy not only at school but throughout their lives.
Community Partnerships
Hamilton County Schools is proud to work with community partners to strengthen literacy across the region. In particular, Chattanooga 2.0 has launched an inspiring initiative called Family Reads, which bridges learning from school into the home.
Family Reads gives each student at participating elementary schools a new book every quarter. Every book comes with an at-home activity sheet created by HCS literacy experts to help parents and caregivers ask questions and spark conversations that deepen vocabulary and understanding.
This innovative approach is part of Chattanooga 2.0’s larger Literacy Action Plan, aiming to build literacy at home, in school, and throughout the community.
At Soddy Elementary, where the program launched, the impact has been impressive: 81% of parents reported having more meaningful conversations about learning, and 92% said their children showed increased enthusiasm for reading. Based on these early successes, Family Reads is continuing to expand as the program grows.
Storybook Trails
Another creative approach to literacy is through storybook trails. At Red Bank and Rivermont Elementary, families can walk a path lined with pages from a storybook. Each stop along the way encourages children to read together while enjoying the outdoors.
“Our students are reading on a daily basis in class,” said Principal Elizabeth Snyder of Red Bank Elementary. “But this is something fun for them to do with their families. It shows them that reading is not just a school activity but something to enjoy in life.”
The trails have quickly become a favorite place for students and families, giving them a chance to combine reading with movement and fresh air.
We look forward to seeing more pop up at schools across the district.
International Literacy Day is a reminder of the power of reading and the importance of giving every child access to books. Our commitment is that every student will improve in their learning each school year. A way that we ensure this is building connections and opportunities for students and families to learn together. With programs like the HCS Book Bus, partnerships with groups like Chattanooga 2.0, and storybook trails at schools, Hamilton County Schools ensures every student learns, every community is served, and students discover the joy of reading.
