Promote Literacy

GLASSBORO – Glassboro Mayor Leo McCabe has teamed up with Rowan University in a regional initiative to promote literacy among first graders.  McCabe is a lead participant in the second annual Mayor's Book Club, a program that challenges first graders to read at least eight books during a three-month period. McCabe will kick off the regional program which includes seven schools in three counties—with a visit to Glassboro's Dorothy L. Bullock School Library on Monday, January 30 at 9:00 a.m. During his visit, McCabe will read Night of the Veggie Monster by George McClements to the first grade students before delivering his challenge: each student who reads at least eight books this spring will win a free book. Additionally, school districts where children read at least 1,000 books will receive $1,000 to purchase books for first-graders.        

"Our goal is to get books into the hands of our youngest readers," said Mayor McCabe. "We are proud to have the support of Rowan University in getting kids excited about reading, which is critical to their future success in school and beyond.""Everything our children do academically begins with their ability to read and comprehend, so we are squarely focused on improving student literacy in the classroom. Community-based initiatives like the Mayor's Book Club enhances these efforts by making reading fun and incorporating it into children's lives outside the classroom," said Bullock School Principal Joseph DePalma. According to DePalma, Glassboro's efforts to enhance student performance includes a small-group learning initiative centered on literacy and mathematics, which was implemented last year for Kindergarten students at the J. Harvey Rodgers School with astounding results.

In September of 2010, just 4 % of the student population was reading at a Kindergarten level. By May, 2011, 69% of the cohort was reading at a Kindergarten level or beyond, with a quarter of those children reading at levels expected at the end of the second marking period in first grade.  Performance improvement was for all students, including ESL (English as a Second Language) students and at-risk students."This cohort makes up this year's first grade at Bullock, and we are working to keep that performance momentum going," said DePalma. "Our teachers continue the monthly student assessments that started in Kindergarten to ensure that progress in both literacy and math continues."DePalma added that teachers participate in ongoing professional development and are working with Rowan University to make the most of the initiative.  Individual student progress will continue to be monitored over the next 10 years. The Mayor's Book Club is made possible in part by a $5,000 donation by South Jersey Industries. Other funders include Verizon NJ and PSE & G. The Dorothy L. Bullock School is home to Glassboro's 500 first through third grade students. The school is located at 370 East New Street in Glassboro.