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Vallecitos begins reading programs

Chloe Shaver

Writer Intern

Vallecitos Elementary school has reintroduced the Everyone a Reader program, which was put on hold in March 2020 due to virtual learning and Covid concerns. The program supports students who need support in reading and reading comprehension. Additionally, the district is working with FootSteps2Brilliance to increase access to reading for all Rainbow children through their app.

Currently, the Everyone a Reader program has partnered eight volunteers with five first grade students, all of whom are learning English as a second language. These students are chosen by their teachers to participate in the program, where a volunteer will sit and read with them for half an hour, all the while asking questions, making comments, and helping the student better understand the content they're reading. Volunteers expose their students to one new book a week, while reviewing and rereading one or two more they've read in class with their student.

Anyone over 18 is welcome to volunteer. Current volunteers are Rainbow community members, including Vallecitos alumni. Training is only an hour and a half, and the time commitment is about an hour and a half per week to read with students. Christine Kara, the Reading Specialist at Vallecitos Elementary School, as well as volunteer coordinator for Everyone a Reader, said, "The students really enjoy that one on one time with an adult and many of our adult volunteers have actually thanked us for letting them read with our students!"

The FootSteps2Brilliance app is free for all Rainbow students. The app gives access to books, allowing students to read wherever and whenever – even if they don't attend Vallecitos. The app is targeted to children from birth to third grade, and all parents are encouraged to use the app to read with their children daily.

Anyone interested in volunteering can email [email protected] or call the school at 760-728-7092 for more information or with any further questions.

 

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