Shelley Hanson RINGING BELLS – Carrie Leib, at left, director of the children’s library at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling, instructs students from Bethlehem Elementary School to ring hand bells during an Engaging Families WV workshop on Wednesday.

WHEELING – Children jumped, hopped, marched, tried to speak as quiet as they could and then say “hello” as loud as they could all during an Engaging Families West Virginia workshop in Wheeling.

The event was held Wednesday at the Ohio County Public Library and co-hosted by the West Virginia Department of Education and Ohio County Schools.

Carrie Leib, director of the children’s library at the Ohio County Public Library, led the children in a variety of songs paired with movement. Michele Blatt, superintendent of the West Virginia Department of Education, read the children a book, “Giraffes Can’t Dance.”

Engaging Families WV is one of the state’s online initiatives to improve early childhood literacy.

“It’s really just a social media platform where we share things that you can do with children at home to help them read and to recognize letters and numbers,” Blatt said. “It’s something to get kids engaged before they come to school.”

Families can visit “Engaging Families WV” on Facebook. She said families can also share ideas as well.

“The sooner we can engage our students and families in learning, then it just gives them a head start for when they come to preschool and kindergarten,” Blatt said. “Everybody wants their child to succeed, but sometimes you don’t know the best way … This just shows everyday things that you are doing that don’t take anything extra to engage your child to start learning.”

During the workshop, Leib conducted one of her music and movement classes with the children, including students from Bethlehem Elementary School.

“I always try to do our activities timed for age range and also the right amount of movement for age range,” she said. “We did lots of opposites – that really keeps kids engaged at that age level – and movement. Controlled movement is how they learn.”

Leib said she was grateful for the extra support the children and families are receiving via Engaging Families WV.

An Adena, Ohio, native, Leib has been working as the children’s library director for 1 1/2 years.

“The library is for everyone. Everyone is welcomed here; all kinds of kids and families. It’s a really wonderful place to see our community blossom,” Lieb said.