(Alexandria, LA) – The Rapides Parish School District is rolling out a unique way to help improve literacy rates amongst students within Rapides Parish.
On Tuesday, August 2, 2022, Rapides Parish Superintendent Jeff Powell and the Rapides Parish School Board held a press conference revealing a new addition to their literacy initiative, “Reading Revival Camps.” This initial phase of the initiative entails transforming three school buses into mobile literacy labs. These units will travel across Rapides Parish to generate excitement and interest in reading. The labs will be equipped with resources to help parents foster their children’s love of reading. Communities with low literacy rates, high population densities, and that lack a public library within safe walking distance will be the first to experience the mobile literacy labs.
“Literacy is one of the strongest predictors of quality of life for humanity,” said Superintendent Jeff Powell. “While we surpass the state on the most rece3nt data available by 5 percentage points, only 43% of the children in Rapides Parish are reading on grade level by the end of 3rd grade as measured by scoring Mastery or above on the 3rd grade LEAP Assessment. This means that 57% of the students leaving 3rd grade are not prepared for success. This is a workforce issue. This is a health care issue. This is a safety issue. This is a community issue. The best way to combat all of these concerns is by pulling together to increase the literacy rate in our community.”
The Reading Revival Camp initiative will kick off with the following events:
- The mobile literacy labs will make appearances at school open house events.
- The Mobile literacy labs will be made available for community “Stuff the Bus” campaigns.
- A Reading Revival Tour will take the buses across the parish announcing when and where the buses will be located for Reading Revival Camps
- Reading Revival Camps will begin in the fall where literacy buses will spend a week at a time at a set location and provide literacy activities for families. Parents will receive resources to help their children. Children will get to select a book to take home with them, at no cost to them.
As part of the “Reading Revival Camps” that will occur in communities across the parish, RPSB is empowering its teachers to educate families on free reading apps that can be downloaded to tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices. High School students from the Educator’s Rising Clubs will also provide engaging literacy activities at the camps and at other events throughout the school year.
The Rapides Parish School System is committed to ensuring that all students can read. By engaging families within their own communities and providing necessary resources, families can support their children in developing literacy skills and help ensure their successful futures.
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