The Poughkeepsie Reading Challenge begins tomorrow!
Students across the district, from pre-K to high school seniors, will be encouraged to read 20 minutes each day, with a shared goal of reaching one million cumulative minutes read by the end of June.
Friday, schools received their Poughkeepsie Reading Challenge banners, which will be proudly displayed in all buildings to let all students, families and visitors know of the importance of this initiative.
From February until the end of the school year, students will track their reading through the myON digital library app, available in ClassLink. Through myON, students have on-demand access to more than 7,000 digital books that can be matched to each individual student’s interests and grade and reading levels. For the youngest learners, the app can read stories out loud with each word highlighted as it’s read for students to follow along. Students will be given dedicated class time to encourage taking part in the initiative.
Research shows students who read that much daily are exposed to 1.8 million words per year, dramatically improving their vocabulary, comprehension and overall academic success. In contrast, students who read less than 5 minutes a day are exposed to fewer than 300,000 words per year. Just a small daily commitment can make a big difference in achievement and lifelong learning.
Wednesday will mark another exciting step in the Poughkeepsie Reading Challenge rollout – the first “Poughkeepsie Reads Wednesday.” On these days, community members, district leaders and Board of Education members will visit schools to read with students and model the importance and joy of reading.
Read more about the challenge, including how awards and prizes will work for the most accomplished readers, at poughkeepsieschools.org/ReadingChallenge