Mast Way School’s hallways are buzzing with a unique kind of activity: student postal workers sorting and delivering mail across the school. In the classrooms, children are writing letters, addressing them, and gluing stamps.  Wee Deliver, the imaginative mail delivery program brought to Mast Way by Speech Pathologist Amy Leone, brings purposeful writing, communication skills, and real-world responsibility into every classroom.

The Wee Deliver program was originally developed by the U.S. Postal service in 1990 and has been adopted by many schools across the country.  Letter writing provides meaningful and functional reasons to get kids writing, causing Wee Deliver to grow into a schoolwide tradition. Every room in the school building chooses an address and places a mailbox outside its door. Students who want to join the Wee Deliver Staff complete applications and participate in job interviews for roles such as Postmaster, Carrier, Handler, and Sorter. The application and interview process teaches important skills like composing formal text, preparing for conversations, and presenting oneself professionally.  Emily, a 4th grade student, loves her position of Sorter, saying, “Sorting the mail is the best part.  It is neat to see how many people are writing to each other”.

Wee Deliver Sorters sorting the mail.

Student artwork decorates the program in a very literal way: stamps are designed by young artists and used on letters that travel through the system. Stamp designs are rotated seasonally and reflect school themes. Classes learn how to write and properly address letters and craft messages that matter. Then Mast Way’s dedicated student mail personnel take over, picking up, sorting, and hand-delivering the letters to classroom mailboxes.

Wee Deliver weaves many learning goals into one fun and authentic experience. Students write with purpose, composing real letters that reach real recipients. Avery, a 4th grade Sorter with the Wee Deliver program, likes “seeing how people can communicate without using technology.” Students practice communication and language development through formal and informal writing conventions. The program builds social skills and responsibility as students apply for jobs, interview, and work as a team. It also encourages art and creativity through stamp and address design, while teaching organizational skills and logistics as students sort mail and manage delivery routes.

Teachers report that Wee Deliver increases motivation to write and improves students’ attention to letter conventions. For many children, the chance to see their writing read and appreciated by peers is powerful and memorable.

Wee Deliver is a perfect example of how one  staff member’s desire for more meaningful classroom writing and connection can grow into a whole-school learning experience. Thanks to Amy Leone’s vision and Mast Way’s enthusiastic students and staff, Wee Deliver continues to foster literacy, creativity, and community one stamped envelope at a time.