Paris, Tenn.–Paris Elementary and Leadership Henry County are partnering to make time in the school day to read aloud to students and they need volunteers to make it happen.
Paris Elementary Principal Dr. Chip Gray said, “Paris Elementary students are in a rigorous English Language Arts curriculum working on grammar, comprehension skills, and writing every day during their reading blocks, therefore it doesn’t leave lots of extra time to be read aloud to during the day. If you factor in that all the subjects have to be taught every in a school day, it leaves even less time to listen to their teachers read a good book aloud to them.”
That is where the Initiative –“Lunch and Learn”– reading to third grade students during their lunch, can help get some extra time in books for the struggling readers.
Gray said, “Statistics show that proficient third-grade readers were nearly five times more likely to graduate high school than their peers with below-basic-reading skills. Reading aloud to students help support all areas of literacy development, exposing students to new words and grammar, increasing students’ interest in reading and writing, and expanding skills like phonological awareness and fluency. These facts make it evident that we have to do all we can and use every second in the school day to make sure our 3rd grade students are ready to tackle their future endeavors.”
PES and Leadership Henry County are looking for volunteers from the community to read to small groups of students in their classrooms during their lunch time (10:55-11:30) starting in mid-February. If you are interested in being a volunteer reader to these wonderful students, please call Paris Elementary at 731-642-3675.
Photo: Pincipal Chip Gray has a good time reading a favorite Dr. Seuss’ book to his daughter, Laurel.