Terilee Ducelur (right) from Kittanning helps her 3-year-old son, Kyle, so he can take the hot dog from Salvation Army Lt. Amber Imhoff. Kyle’s older brother, Tyler, 6, is waiting his turn behind his mom.
With the start of summer vacation from school just weeks away, West Hills Primary School held an outdoor event to stimulate summer reading.
The event was centered around approximately 100 students that are in a unique reading program at in the school called “Title I”.
West Hills Primary Principal Paula Berry confirmed that approximately 25% of the students showed up last night with their families and siblings, which Berry felt was an excellent turnout.
“We are a targeted Title I program, which means to get funds from the federal government for our students, we target the students we work with, based on their data. Because we take federal funds for the program, we have to go to parents to get parent input on how we run our programs. Then the Title I teachers contacted the library to bring in the community.”
Dianna Berski enjoys an activity with her 7-year-old, Liam, during last night’s event.
Since the Armstrong School District does not offer a summer reading program within the schools, teachers and volunteers create an alternative program during the summer months. Last night’s event at the East Franklin Township Heritage Park Pavilion brought together various groups within the community, according to Paul Tracey, who runs the Title I program for grades 2 and 3 at West Hills.
“We invited the libraries, the Salvation Army, and those people who run summer reading programs. We want the families to meet these people, and we want them to be able to talk about their programs to the families so they can attend.”
Jamie Transue, Title I Reading Specialist for 1st and 3rd grade, said the mission last night was also to bring awareness to students and families of the summer resources available to them and talk to parents.
“We wanted to have it outside. We wanted them to bring their beach towels and be able to lay out and read. We are giving them a bag of books when they left to be able to chill out and read. We have had other events this year inside the library, but this is just something different.”
Amy Tommasini, a Title I Reading Specialist for Kindergarten and 1st grade, said she is concerned about the summer slump in reading among her students.
Kittanning Librarian sits on the grass with other students to read to them a book. It’s after school, but the learning continues, and it is fun!
“Research shows that if students aren’t continuing to read over the summer, they are going to slide back. When they come back into school, it’s kinda like starting all over again.”
Tracey said that in addition to hot dogs, chips, and a beverage supplied by the Salvation Army last night, the students are getting much more.
“They are getting books, pamphlets and things they can work on at home, plus making the connection with the community. Plus there are prizes. Businesses in the community donated a lot of gift certificates to promote reading for these kids this summer. So it is not just what is here, it’s also the bigger community out there saying its important and we want to provide incentives for these kids to read.”
Reading specialists played games with the students and families sat together under the pavilion with reading activities. Librarians sat on the ground in age-appropriate groups in the warm sun and read stories to the children. Students were engaged in learning in a relaxed atmosphere.
For more information on summer reading programs contact your local library.
Is this one of the programs that Betsy Devos and the Trump Administration want to end? Sad!