With the school year behind them and the long summer ahead, City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña has a message for kids and families: Read, read, read.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With the school year behind them and the long summer ahead, City Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina has a message for kids and families: Read, read, read.
"Catching up on my reading list is one of my favorite summer pastimes - make it yours and your child's, too," she said in an end-of-year letter to families.
"Setting aside even 20 minutes a day for reading can preserve and build your child's language skills. Visit your local library to get age-appropriate books and reading tips and encourage independent reading.
"Research shows that students who don't keep their brains and bodies active during the summer risk the summer slide: when they lose many of the key concepts from the school year, and fall behind their classmates in subjects like math and reading," she said.
The chancellor also announced a free book giveaway program for families of 4-year-olds enrolled in pre-K programs across the city.
The package includes five age-appropriate books and related activities.
The books were selected based on their ability to support students' and families' transition from pre-K to Kindergarten, as well as to prevent summer loss of the critical learning and foundation that students gained from pre-K.
The activities also offer guidance for families on reading to their children and encouraging summer learning through books.
The city has budgeted around $1.4 million for the program - around $20 dollars per package.
"We know that children learn about 1,000 to 5,000 new words during pre-K," Farina said. "To ensure that our youngest learners maintain and build on that process during the summer before kindergarten, we are providing resources to families to nourish and encourage their children's reading skills."
The five books included in the pack are "ABC I Like Me!", "Count!", "How Do Dinosaurs Go to School", "The Shape of Things" and "White Rabbit's Color Book."
Kids can also sign up for the New York Public Library's Summer Reading Challenge 2015. This year's challenge celebrates heroes from popular fantasy, and graphic novels and book series. Local librarians are also available to make reading suggestions. Visit the library website to learn more.