UPDATED: School District and Public Library Collaborate to Keep Students Reading

Editor's note: The presentation given by Dr. Mark Porto, superintendent of schools, is now available online on the school district's website.

This article has been updated as an earlier version did not include information regarding two separate book groups for teens.

Parents and members of the school community gathered at the Thursday evening to learn about the collaboration between the school district and the borough’s library that is designed to encourage students to keep up with reading during the summer months.

Dr. Mark Porto, superintendent of schools, explained that kids’ reading skills have been known to weaken, something some educators have called “summer slippage,” due to not reading regularly which can easily happen over the summer months. When students return to school in September it can take time for them to get back on track. 

Summer reading can prevent this, he told the audience, and the schools, along with the district’s three school media specialists, have been working with the borough library, coming together as a community to encourage reading in youngsters and even adults.

Porto invited the media specialists who head the libraries at the three district schools to the forum to speak on behalf of the program and reading in the district. Joan Weir, media specialist at Euclid School reflected on the success of the , which is not a grade, but a determined comfortable reading level for which the student can select reading choices.

“I have never seen so many children with a book in their hands,” she commented adding that the children have really been encouraged by the program.

Kathy DiGuglielmo of Lincoln School echoed Weir on the success of the SRI program saying that she has seen students waiting for her to open the media center in the mornings anxious to get another book. She has found it very gratifying that her own love for reading has been transferred to the students.

Donna Mikulka, media specialist at the middle school/high school library, said she is proud to see kids lining up to read the sports section of the newspaper in the morning rather than looking to text a friend. It’s great to see them opening up the newspaper, she stated.

Porto pointed out the importance of non-fiction reading stating that this is the type of reading everyone will do more in his or her lifetime for work or just for day-to-day activities.

He advised parents of three tips to avoid “summer slippage”

-       Have students log their reading hours

-       Have them develop a list of books they would want to read

-       Exercise story telling by having them discuss a book, or come up with an alternative ending or review a character. This type of activity encourages a different thinking skill than asking a student “tell me what happens in the book.”

The library has put together a series of book groups, events and activities for young kids and for teens that are designed to be fun and interactive to keep kids reading over the summer months.

Also the middle school and the high school administrators have put together required reading assignments for students to complete this summer which will be discussed during the first two weeks of the new school year.

The middle school students are required to read one novel, one non-fiction article and one editorial piece. The high school students are required to read one novel – each grade will be given its own required novel to read – and an article on a suggested topic related to the book that is required for that class group.

Mimi Hui, library director and Marie Joyce, children’s librarian, of the public library, went over the many programs they are offering this summer for the students.

The teen summer reading program with the theme “You Are Here” includes two book discussion groups for teens. On Tuesdays  from 7 to 8:30 p.m. the "Speak Out" book discussion group will be held for grades 10 to 12.

On Thursdays, the "Talk It Up" book discussion group will meet from 3 to 4:30 p.m. for grades 7 to 9.  Kids will read and discuss a new book every week.

On Fridays there will be a writing workshop for teens from 3 to 4:30 p.m.  Chosen written works will be made into a book at the end of the summer for the library.

Also for the teens, a genealogy workshop will be offered on Mondays from 3 to 4 p.m. where kids can use the library tools to find out the history of their family and how they got to Hasbrouck Heights. Wednesday is game day from 7 to 8:45 p.m.

For the younger children Marie Joyce has developed a program that will encourage them to read for about one-and-a-half hours per week. The children will be given a chart with about 50 spots on them which will be marked up with stickers for each 15 minutes of reading they do. The students have to complete 10 spots per week for five weeks. Prizes are awarded each week for filling 10 spots.

They can also get a raffle ticket for each book they check out at the circulation desk which will be raffled off later for some grand prizes.

Various story time events are also on the list for the summer as well as related events such as “Battle of the Books.” Joyce explained that children will be asked to read as many books from the ‘battle list’ as they can. They will then join in for a quiz show type battle where they can complete in teams for prizes.

Porto also pointed out how important it is for kids to see their parents reading so in addition to reading to them,  parents should really consider reading with them by opening a book that interests them as well.

The library offers an Adult Book Bingo open to anyone over 18 years old. Game cards will be available at the library’s circulation desk.