Research shows that the most fundamental factor to academic success is an access to books and reading as much as possible.
When school was closed last Friday, the biggest obstacle for the elementary campus was the ability to send our kids home with a bagful of books to read during this unprecedented closure.
We talked about ways to open the library this week, but the risks were too great to chance it. The district library felt the same way as well.
We decided to think outside the box. We think we were able to locate every Little Free Library in the district and we made a point to re-stock each of those libraries with a variety of titles that include early readers through chapter books for our K-5 students.
In addition, we found a few areas that did not have one of these libraries nearby, so we went ahead and created a few makeshift free libraries at Eleanor's Pantry on Drew St, The Wolf Lake Mobile Home Park, and the Prospect Manor Mobile Home Park on South Lagrave St.
We ask that you not only take advantage of these resources, but spread the word as well.
The concept is simple: Take a book, Give a book if you can, and READ daily for at least 20 minutes. My challenge to the kids is 45 minutes daily and nothing less.
We need to work together to build an uncompromised focus on reading for each and every one of our kids!