Winchester Star Article
I joined Literacy Volunteers Winchester Area this summer as Winchester’s Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR) Campaign Coordinator. As I’ve immersed myself in the national and local CGLR data, met with representatives from the local coalition, and chatted with parents and teachers about the challenges our city’s children face, I’m convinced: Winchester needs this campaign.
But I don’t just see the need as an outside observer. Most of all, I see the need for the campaign as a mother of three children aged three to eight. My twin eight-year-olds are now entering third grade, the critical juncture for literacy skills. Statistics show reading proficiency in third grade is the most important predictor of high school graduation and career success. Children who are reading on grade level by the end of third grade can shift from learning to read to reading to learn as they continue in their education.
This year’s third graders entered kindergarten during the COVID-19 pandemic. I experienced first-hand the struggles of supporting my children through virtual school while working from home and caring for a six-month-old infant. Schools’ efforts during this time are nothing short of heroic, but there is no doubt the pandemic impacted children’s learning experience.
https://cb12aeb19d8895814c7a61c10247ae60.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html That’s why the second quarter 2023 third-grade SOL benchmark results for the city of Winchester are worth celebrating — 54% of students are on grade-level, which is back to pre-COVID numbers. We’ve also seen a dramatic decrease in chronic absenteeism rates since the start of the Campaign — from 30% in October 2021 to 17.75% in the second quarter of 2023.
The overarching vision of Winchester’s CGLR is to increase the percentage of third graders reading at or above the proficient level to at least 75% in the next 10 years. To achieve this, the campaign is focusing on three areas of growth: school readiness, chronic absenteeism, and summer and afterschool learning opportunities.
Schools can’t achieve this alone — it takes a community dedicated to removing barriers and creating opportunities for our youth as well as engaged and equipped parents. Over thirty organizations have pledged their support, and campaign partners have launched a variety of resources for parents, including Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL), Ready Rosie, and Ready4K.
My three-year-old squeals with delight when he receives a new book in the mail each month through DPIL. With Ready Rosie, I receive weekly two-minute videos demonstrating an easy, quick activity I can do with my children. I also receive three text messages per week through Ready4K, a program developed to provide busy parents on-the-go facts and tips they can incorporate into their daily routines.
The collaboration between schools, parents, businesses, foundations, nonprofits, and civic leaders makes Winchester’s Campaign for Grade-Level Reading goal a very realistic possibility. As a community member, working professional, and parent, I invite you to join the campaign and serve as partners in our children’s success. For more information about CGLR, visit www.lvwa.org/cglr.
Allie Mondell is a resident of Winchester.
