It seems like once the Fourth of July is over, summer winds down fast. In just a few weeks, school bells will be ringing and children will be going back to school.
But, it’s really not too late to visit the local library and take part in some of their programs and get in some summer reads.
The summer program at the library has been well attended.
This year’s reading program theme is “Libraries Rock,” and weekly programs have encouraged children of all ages to make reading a part of their summer. In addition to the summer reading program, the library has several other children’s programs. A program for school-age children meets on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. and a program for preschoolers is held each Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.
The program will run from now through August 1 and will culminate with a celebration on July 24 with games, food and much more.
Each Tuesday and Wednesday through the Summer Reading Program has featured special activities, crafts, games, and guests. There are programs for preschool age, children, and teens.
The library partnered with the Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Department for a unique Art In The Park event this year which was held Tuesday at Edwards Island Park.
The Touch A Truck event that has proved a popular part of the Summer Reading Program will be back again this year, but the location has changed from the parking lot at the library to the Elizabethton Twins Stadium on Sunday, July 22, from 5 to 7 p.m. to allow for more space.
Fueled by reading lists and special programs, summer reading has changed lives and succeeded in being an essential bridge between one school year and the next, especially for disadvantaged kids. Every Tuesday, kids have an opportunity to be a part of a reading program that exposes them to adventure, new characters and authors, and friends.
Summer learning is a must. It reframes the library as a place to experience and learn, expanding offerings to get kids engaged, with its hands-on approach.
Summertime is especially critical for students to polish their reading skills. It is estimated that the average summer learning loss for American students in math and reading amounts to one month per year. Unfortunately, the problem disproportionately affects lower-income students.
Lower-income students can lose two months of reading skills while upper-income students who have ready access to books and enriching summer vacations can experience gains according to the National Summer Learning Association, a nonprofit devoted to closing the achievement gap.
Losses from summer after summer of watching television and playing video games are accumulative, and by middle school, years of vacation couch-sitting can leave low-income students behind their peers. Summer-learning shortfalls can cascade and ultimately affect a child’s ability to earn a high school diploma and continue on to college.
Summer learning loss is a problem schools must confront every August. The first four to six weeks after the start of a new school year is often spent reteaching students skills they learned in the previous grade but forgot over the summer.
Summer is a good time to help the very youngest kids hold onto basic literary skills. Teens can curl up with a book without fear of having to write a report about it.
The importance of strong literacy skills cannot be overstated. The ability to read is a requisite to mastering other core subjects, including math.
The Elizabethton-Carter County Public Library Summer Reading Program is a good way to avoid the summer slide when it comes to reading and learning. The library offers an early literacy program for children from birth to pre-kindergarten and a children’s program for older kids. Library staff can also provide a summer reading list for your children.
We encourage kids to keep cracking the books over the next couple of weeks, to make the summer a reading adventure. Parents can inquire at the local library for local programs and activities as well as reading lists.
Students need time off to recharge in the summer months, but they should have an opportunity to learn new information and engage in critical thinking.
We invest so much in our students during the school year. As parents and a community, we can’t afford to neglect summer as a time of learning.