District promotes reading through parent/child program
Jenny Tracy, Shrewsbury Elementary reading specialist, reads a story to a toddler during the Parent/Child Reading Night.
Publications/public information coordinator,
Southern York County School District
Glen Rock, Pa – The Southern York County School District invited parents and their toddlers to an evening of shared reading as parents learned the importance of reading and how to read to their young children. A Parent/Child Reading Night was geared toward three and four year-olds along with their parents. The program, which was recently held at Shrewsbury Elementary School, is the start of an annual event.
“We talked about the importance of reading and writing, and how to read a book,” Shrewsbury Elementary School Principal, Jodie Sauers said. “Reading increases their vocabulary words.”
Through the event, Sauers said that the District promotes the love of reading and encourages parents to spend time reading to their children. As a result, the children become better readers. “National research shows that the earlier you read to a child, the better reader he or she becomes,” she said.
Sauers, along with Southern Elementary Principal, Donna Koval, and Friendship Elementary Principal, Beth Koontz, joined several of the schools’ reading specialists and other administrators to demonstrate how to read books to young children.
“Parents walked away with a wealth of understanding of how they can promote a love of reading at home,” Assistant Superintendent Sandra Lemmon said and added that the evening also introduced parents and their children to the School District.
About 15 families attended the event and Lemmon said she hopes the parents and their young children will attend each year. The three and four year-olds along with their parents were able to read together during the program. Each family received a gift bag that included a book.
“We emphasized how reading aloud increases vocabulary and print concepts,” Southern Elementary School Reading Specialist Kathy Emdad said. “We discussed the benefits of reading aloud and shared pointers on reading aloud.”
