HES principal seeks assistance in new reading program

Holton Elementary School is launching a new reading program, and volunteers are needed to help listen to or read to students, as well as build healthy relationships with the children, according to HES Principal Randy Fox.

Fox and Karla Tanking, district reading specialist, were the featured speakers at the Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce luncheon last Thursday at The Courtyard. 

“Studies have shown that by the age of four, a kid who is raised in a middle to upper-class home has been exposed to 30 million more words than a kid raised in a family in poverty. That is huge,” Fox said.

Fox said that HES is a Title 1 school and, therefore, receives additional assistance because 42 to 43 percent of the families in the district are living in poverty.

“Getting a kid to read is the greatest thing we can do to help them get out of poverty,” he said. “It is the number one thing other than loving them. Teaching them how to read is the greatest thing we can do.”

Volunteers are needed for 25 minutes once a week to listen to, or read to, elementary students. Fox said the ideal times are 7:45 a.m. to 8:10 a.m. or 2:35 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“Those times that are easiest, but if that doesn’t work for you or your business, we will take you when you can, and we will figure something out. Because if you’re willing to work with our kids, we’ll figure it out. Volunteers are priceless,” he said.

Fox was at the Chamber luncheon seeking partnerships with business owners who are willing to send some of their employees to the school to work with children, but any individual can volunteer for the program.

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