Health

Resources for Parents and Neighborhood Literacy Activists

By Lee Ross / WI Staff Writer Reach Out and Read

At Reach Out and Read believes all families should have the tools and information they need to make reading aloud a daily routine. They help integrate reading into pediatric practices, advise families about the importance of reading with their children, and share books that serve as a catalyst for healthy childhood development. Their program books reflect the widest possible representation of the children and families they serve, with stories that are relevant and engaging, accurately reflect and affirm a diverse range of identities, cultures, and histories, and contain illustrations that are colorful and recognizable to young children. https://reachoutandread.org/

Everybody Wins DC

Since 1995, EWDC has used books and reading to help children develop the foundational skills needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond. We build social-emotional skills, support literacy fluency, and foster a love of reading and learning. We change children’s lives for the better. But it isn’t just the children who benefit from reading. By creating connections through reading, we help whole communities thrive. When everybody reads, everybody wins. Today, EWDC offers students, schools, and community partners three distinct reading-based programs designed to fill critical support gaps for children so that they can have a fair and equitable shot at success. https://everybodywinsdc.org/

Reading Partners

Reading Partners has been part of the educational landscape in Washington, DC since 2010, when we first began placing community volunteers in Title I elementary schools to support students in mastering essential reading skills. Our one-on-one tutoring model empowers young readers to succeed in reading and in life through the engagement of community volunteers who provide individualized, personal attention to each student in our program. Facing a school year of uncertainty due to COVID-19 in 2020-21, Reading Partners collaborated with teachers and school leaders to meet students’ learning needs, including creating an innovative online tutoring program that can be used to support students when in-person tutoring is not an option. https://readingpartners.org/

Reading is Fundamental

Reading Is Fundamental is committed to a literate America by inspiring a passion for reading among all children, providing quality content to make an impact and engaging communities in the solution to give every child the fundamentals for success. RIF the nation’s largest children’s literacy non-profit, and believes every child deserves an opportunity to own books, learn how to read, and obtain the fundamental building blocks to achieve their highest potential. Literacy opens doors and enables every child the chance to live their own journey. https://www.rif.org/

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Students Across the Country are Heading Back to School, Getting Students Safely Back in School, is a Major Focus for Parents.

By Dr. Elizabeth Primas

School systems across the country are looking to provide a balanced in-person learning experience for all students. COVID-19 prevented many students from participating in direct teacher instructions, peer-topeer learning, and interaction. Data indicates that learning loss due to COVID has had a greater negative impact on people of color, low-income students, English Language Learners (ELL), and students with disabilities.

In preparation for students returning to in-person learning, Federal funding provided states revenue to improve classroom environments. Specific improvement options included improved HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), and/or classroom filters. Schools have taken a close look at room organization to maximize space to allow for safe distancing for students and staff. However, the guidelines for safe distance between individuals has been removed.

Parents are preparing their children to ensure a safe return to in-person learning. The usual list of school supplies: paper, pencils, crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc., has been expanded to include tissues, hand sanitizers, wipes, and properly fitted masks. On August 11, 2022, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dropped some recommendations. CDC removed the recommendation to keep students in cohorts. They changed recommendations regarding screen testing to focus on high-risk activities, such as in-door sports that requires close contacts between students breathing hard, like contact sports, band, and choir. CDC removed the recommendation to quarantine unless symptomatic, and recommended that individuals should wear a mask. Students will no longer be required to Test to Stay. Schools will provide directions on when to wear masks, All students that feel more comfortable continuing to wear a mask, should be protected and allowed to wear masks. Students that live in a highrisk home (elderly parents, immunocompromised family members, or family members that cannot be vaccinated, like babies or pregnant mothers) should wear a mask to prevent transmitting of the virus to family members.

In addition to COVID-19 and its variants, parents must be concerned about the recent reappearance of Polio, a disease eradicated in the US since 1994. Many parents have opted not to take recommended vaccines, including that for polio. The CDC maintains the Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. for most school districts, students need a back to school physical, which includes a review and update of general vaccinations based on age. Some waivers are allowed on an individual bases. The recent identification of polio further shows the importance of receiving and maintaining up-todate immunizations.

Getting children ready for school goes beyond immunizations, and school supplies. Helping students prepare to learn includes ensuring that they get enough sleep (8-10 hours). That they have a healthy diet, which includes fresh fruits and vegetables, proteins, and carbohydrates, while limiting sugar, salt, and junk food, like sodas, chips, cookies, and candy.

Finally, the focus of school is learning. Education begins at home. Parents need to provide a well-lit, quiet area for students to study and do homework. Research indicates that having a home library with between 40 – 80 books, vastly improved success in both reading and math. Students between birth and 8 years old should be exposed to picture books, rhyming books, number books, nursery rhymes and fairy tales. Beyond having books in the home, parents need to read to their children daily for 15-20 minutes. for students 3rd grade and up, home libraries should have a variety of books covering topics in all content areas. Children will be more engaged in books that are interested in, even if they are above their reading levels. Many public libraries have programs that will provide free books monthly for children birth to 5 years old. In addition to free books through the public library, children birth to 5 years old, are also eligible to receive free books from the Dolly Parton Book Program. For students not el-

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It’s not too late to go to college this fall! The DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) will provide up to $10,000 a year to help cover tuition at participating colleges and universities.

To be eligible for DCTAG, you must be 26 or younger, a DC resident with a high school diploma or GED, and meet a few other requirements.

Click on dconeapp.dc.gov, upload a few documents, then submit! Apply by August 19, 2022. igible for free books, a public library card, allows students to check out books for free. Each city or state offers free library cards. However, New York Public Library has made their on-line collection available to anyone, regardless of where they live.

Be prepared, enjoy your school year! https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7133e1.htm World Health Organization (WHO) Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning | CDC https://openlibrary.org https://imaginationlibrary.com Get a Free Library Card Today! | The New York Public Library (nypl.org)

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