Chee Dodge Elementary hosts Christmas Around the World family night
Chee Dodge Elementary held its second quarter Family Academic Night, Christmas Around the World, on December 1, offering 90 minutes of learning activities for students and their families. The event reinforced classroom learning, boosted family engagement, and underscored the role schools play in community connection and equity across McKinley County.
On December 1, Chee Dodge Elementary in Gallup hosted its second quarter Family Academic Night, themed Christmas Around the World, running from 5 00 to 6 30 PM. Families and students attended a series of fun filled learning activities designed to link home and school learning while exploring holiday traditions from multiple cultures. The evening emphasized hands on engagement for multiple age groups and provided a shared space for parents and children to participate in classroom style activities outside school hours.
The event is part of Gallup McKinley County Schools efforts to build family partnerships and support student learning beyond the school day. Family Academic Nights give teachers a chance to demonstrate classroom strategies, allow parents to practice activities they can use at home, and create informal opportunities for families to meet school staff. For many households in McKinley County, such events help bridge gaps in access to extracurricular enrichment and create low cost learning opportunities during the academic year.
Beyond immediate educational benefits, in person gatherings like this have community health and social value. They foster social connection for children and adults, which supports mental well being, and they create visible avenues for schools to communicate resources and supports. At the same time the timing and format of evening events can highlight longstanding equity issues, including work schedules, transportation, and caregiving responsibilities that limit participation for some families. Ensuring broad access to these programs requires attention to those barriers as well as clear communication about future events.
Chee Dodge Elementary staged this Family Academic Night as one of the district quarter events aimed at strengthening ties between classrooms and households. As schools continue to balance academic goals with community needs, these family centered evenings remain a practical way to build trust, celebrate cultural diversity, and support student success across McKinley County.
