Meet our Literacy Coordinator…Jaci!

Jaci McKamey is new to serving in the role as Literacy Coordinator for the Playhouse but is not new to the team!  Jaci has been with GiGi’s Playhouse Wausau for over a year and worked in programs.  She brings an amazing background as a Speech Language Pathologist for the Wausau School District which makes her a great fit for the one-on-one literacy program!  Get to know a little more about Jaci and her WHY for literacy at the Playhouse…
Why have you shifted to the Literacy Coordinator?
I have recently made the shift from LMNOP program coordinator to Literacy coordinator because of my own passion for reading + learning. Nothing is more magical than when a child falls in love with books and learns to read. Children’s literature has rich vocabulary, life lessons, and magical stories and my wish is that all children love to read.
In my career as an early childhood speech language pathologist, I have witnessed so many children fall in love with reading. Many of my students look forward to our shared book reading time. They first learn to hold the book correctly, turn the pages one-by-one, point to pictures in the stories, and start to share stories about what they see in the pictures. Some quickly memorize their favorite books and are so very proud to “read” the story back to you. Books provide a place for kids to learn new things and let their imaginations grow.
I have also watched my two sons fall in love with reading. There is nothing better than when we all snuggle up to read a stack of books together.
What are you looking forward to, with the Literacy program at GiGi’s?
In my role as a literacy coordinator, I hope to watch this love of reading develop. Being able to read, opens up so many opportunities for children and adults. Learning to read increases the ability to complete independent tasks- like following a recipe or knowing which bus to take back home.
What made you become a speech pathologist?
I became a speech language pathologist because I love helping children. I was a sophomore in college and was struggling to decide what I wanted to do when I grew up. After much examination and academic counseling, I decided to job shadow a speech language pathologist. After that visit, I knew this is exactly what I wanted to do. I enjoy learning and growing with my students. Best of all, I love watching them fall in love with learning.
Stay tuned families and volunteers for more information, as we build our spring literacy calendar. You can mark your calendar with the dates February 14th through April 30th!

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1 Comment

  1. Lori Slagoski on November 10, 2021 at 7:53 am

    This is Wonderful! Good Job Jaci! Love your Enthusiasm and Positivity!

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