Although it’s only been the second meeting, Becky Schuhmacher, a Title I coordinator at Glenville Elementary School, said the family reading program is a hit with both the parents and the children.

Friday, November 19, 1999

Although it’s only been the second meeting, Becky Schuhmacher, a Title I coordinator at Glenville Elementary School, said the family reading program is a hit with both the parents and the children.

Sponsored by the Parent Teacher Connection, the monthly meeting has students, kindergarten through sixth grade, spend an evening reading with their parents.

They start out with dinner before heading over to the library where children and parents take turns reading to each other.

It’s a program that was recommended to run with the Accelerated Reader. It was designed and suggested by another school that also has the Accelerated Reader program.

The Accelerated Reader program starts at the second-grade level and has children take short quizzes after reading a book from a list of thousands of titles. The quizzes encourage children to read, plus can help teachers spot reading disabilities.

Although Accelerated Reader started last year, Schuhmacher said the district wanted to get accustomed to that program before adding supplemental ones.

&uot;I’m sure most parents are reading with their children at home, but this is kind of a special night,&uot; Schuhmacher said.

Participants agree.

&uot;It’s a night for the two of us,&uot; said Debbie Struck, who attends the reading program with her daughter Kammi. &uot;We can get away and have time to explore the library and pick books.&uot;

And that’s one of the things Kammi likes best, picking out books to read to her mother.

But it’s not Kammi’s favorite part. &uot;Eating, that’s my favorite part,&uot; Kammi, 8, said.

The meal is popular with the parents too. It allows parents to a night where someone else does the cooking.

If the child participates in the Accelerated Reader program, that child can take the computer test after completing a designated book that evening.

Speakers are also a part of the evening. This month, Bev Jackson from the Historical Society told the children stories. Next month, the guests will be Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too.