Students going to Blaney Elementary School can expect to use plenty of pencils.

“They are bombarded with reading and writing activities,” says Eleanor Porter, the school’s assistant principal.

Besides benefiting students, this special emphasis on writing paid off in an honor for the school this past year. Blaney was a winner of the state’s Exemplary Writing award.

Showing importance of language skills starts when kindergarten students first walk through the door, Porter said.

“Of course, most can’t read and write in kindergarten, but we have them draw pictures, and then they dictate to the teacher,” she said. “That’s the way we try to start them on language.”

From then on through third grade, teachers and administrators at Blaney don’t let up on writing.

A block of time is set aside for 90 minutes each school day for the language arts, Porter said. During that time, all teachers concentrate on reading, writing and spelling skills.

The school also has a battery of other activities to stimulate students and make writing and reading more fun:

Every spring Blaney has an author’s tea. A student is chosen to represent each class to present writings at a formal event where people dress up. Family and friends are invited.

The school “broadcasts” authors’ readings over its classroom network, using the format of a radio station.

Top readers compete in the accelerated reading program, in which students read designated advance-level books and take tests. On the basis of on a point system, the top achievers are invited to a sleep-over on a Friday night in May. “That’s something they really look forward to, and it’s a strong encouragement to read,” Porter said.

A simulated post office is set up so that students write letters. It’s an honor for students to be chosen for postmaster and other jobs. Students write and deliver their products daily.

A “language mall” is set up by speech pathologists to help slower students improve their writing and reading skills. Visuals and hands-on activities are incorporated to help bring to light the reading and writing skills.

What Blaney Elementary and other schools are doing is pushing the basic communications skills that many employers and higher education professionals say are missing from students leaving grade school.

Blaney might not be able to dictate what happens as these students move through grades four to 12, but it is doing its part through the third grade.

“We’ve found this has a made a difference for all the students,” Porter said.