| |
|
PTA News |
 |
| |
PTA launches "1000 Book Program"
 |
|
Tracy Meade, Kathy Dopp, Virginia Nyahay,
Pat Byer, Melissa Balk, and Bronwyn McAffrey inspect bags of
books as part of the "1000 Book Program." (missing from the
photo are Peg Voth and Sandy Barman |
Researchers repeatedly report that exposing
children to books at a young age makes children better readers.
But, what do you do if you do not have easy access to books?
The PTA and the Palatine Literary Society have
teamed together to help address that problem by creating the "1000
Books Program." The program is an ambitious effort to enable every
child in the Canajoharie School District to read 1000 books by the
time he or she enters kindergarten.
"Our goal is simple," explained Palatine Literary
Society president and Canajoharie 5th grade teacher Kathy Dopp. "By
making books available to the children of the community, we hope we
can improve the reading skills of our students."
Recognizing that not everyone can afford an
abundance of books nor do work schedules allow them to take
advantage of the resources at the Canajoharie Public Library, the
1000 Books Program tries to make it simple for parents and guardians
to borrow books.
"We are beginning by placing bags of books at our
local nursery schools and day care providers where people can sign them out. Once they
have read them to their children, they return them and borrow
others," explained Mrs. Dopp.
Currently, the group has assembled 18 canvas bags,
each containing 10 books. The age-appropriate books were selected
for children under five years old. According to Mrs. Dopp, this is
just the beginning.
“We want to expand the program, “she explained. “We
will add more book bags, but we need additional location in which to
place them.”
The effort has earned the praises of Canajoharie
East Hill Elementary Principal Virginia Nyahay. She believes that
the program will one day mean success in school for students who
might otherwise have struggled.
To find a book bag location, to borrow books, to
become a book bag location or for more information please contact
the East Hill Elementary School office at 673-6310.
|
