Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public Schools Sept/Oct 2015 | Page 15

Marshville Elementary teachers aim to keep reading skills high

Statistics show that it’s vitally important
She said besides getting students to read over
that children continue to read over the summer
the summer, there are also benefits for the
months.
teachers.
“Children tend to lose reading levels over the
“It gets the teachers interacting with the
summer if they don’t practice the skills they’ve
kids,” she said. “We’re putting ourselves out
learned in the classroom over the year,” said
there, getting to know the parents and the other
Marshville Elementary Principal Julia Rackley.
students who aren’t in our own classrooms.
To help students maintain their reading skills,
We’re a variety of teachers from different grade
and not lose ground, Marshville Elementary
levels and we get to see kids from different
School teachers are once again taking the library
grade levels. It really is great to create that
to the students via an activity bus.
relationship with students of all different ages.”
“In the past we have had summer programs
Helen Calderon-Gongora, 6, a kindergarten
at the school site and they weren’t very well
student, said she enjoys books about Dora and
attended,” Rackley said. “We’ve just found we
Barbie.
reach so many more kids and families by going
“My favorite story is Dora,” Helen said. “I
into their neighborhoods and taking the books to
read books at my house. I read every day. My
them.”
mom tells me to.”
Two days a week, this mobile library leaves
Rackley said even though most of the
the school at 9 a.m., travels to about a half
students probably have books at home, checking
dozen neighborhoods, and continues checking
out new books is tons of fun.
out books until about 1 p.m. This is the third
When all