Cumming Elementary Stages Inclusive Holiday Reader's Theater, Students Shine

Cumming Elementary closed the week before the holidays with a festive and inclusive Reader's Theater presentation on December 18 titled "A Day in the Life of Santa Claus." Inspired by The Penguin Project, the production paired students with special needs and peer mentors in a classroom based performance that combined reading practice, teamwork, and creative arts. Educators Mrs. Lopez and Mrs. Kemptner organized the effort, guiding students through rehearsals, set and prop building, and onstage collaboration.

The show emphasized student agency. Cast members took part in designing and constructing sets and props, and rehearsal footage captured both technical preparation and the social learning that unfolded behind the scenes. Short "voices from the North Pole" interviews with cast members and educators, paired with multiple photos, gave families a close view of how the program operated and how students grew during the process.

Teachers framed the production as more than a seasonal event. Mrs. Lopez and Mrs. Kemptner described instructional benefits that included reinforced reading skills through script work, opportunities for peer led coaching, and exercises in leadership and empathy. The teamwork required to stage the production offered practical social practice that students carry into daily classroom life, contributing to classroom climate and student confidence.

For Forsyth County families the event mattered in immediate and broader ways. In the short term it provided a holiday celebration that welcomed children of varying abilities and created a shared community experience. In the longer term the production serves as a local example of inclusive education in practice, illustrating how arts programming can complement academic goals and social emotional development. The school invited families to celebrate student growth and community inclusion, and the behind the scenes material highlighted the investments of time and cooperation that made the production possible.

As districts nationwide weigh funding and program priorities, Cumming Elementary's Reader's Theater underscores a practical path for integrating arts, reading instruction, and inclusion at the elementary level. The event offered a measurable boost in student participation and morale, and it provided a model local educators can reference when planning future inclusive arts initiatives.