Press Release - September 2008
Summer Reading Safari 2008 Outcome Report

Background

The 2008 Summer Reading Safari Program was a six-week pilot program developed for us by Christie Ranslow, the reading skills specialist at Peter Boscow Elementary School in Hillsboro. It began on June 24th and ended July 31st, 2008. The program was offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays on site in the community room at Montebello Apartments. It was staffed by volunteer teachers from Peter Boscow Ada Costanza, Judy Cross,and Sandie Spotts, two resident teenage volunteers and Bienestar staff in addition to leader Christie Ranslow. Each session was divided into a primary and intermediate session with each session lasting an hour. The primary session was from 9:30-10:30 AM and was for students going into grades 1-3. The intermediate session was from 10:30-11:30 AM and was for students going into grades 4-6. Eleven primary students and thirteen intermediate students enrolled.

The curriculum revolved around improving reading skills and building a love for literature. Reading levels of each student were assessed pre and post. Three reading centers were constructed for the students to rotate through each class. There was a computer center, reading lab and literature circle. Students built their vocabulary and correct pronunciation in the computer center. The intermediate students also received software-guided reading instruction through the Scholastic Reading for Meaning Series. The younger students listened to books on tape in the reading lab, while students going into 3rd grade or higher practiced improving their reading grade levels with the Read Naturally Program. Time was also set aside for a literature circle each class where students participated in teacher guided readings and book projects. At the end of the program each child selected three books to take home. These books were donated by Christie Ranslow.

Outcome
 

Primary Students:
Seven of the eleven enrolled students participated in the program throughout its entire six week duration. The group was 71% female and 29% male. The group had an 83% attendance rate. Three students were entering the 1st or 2nd grade, and their reading levels were not assessed. The four remaining students’ reading levels were assessed by Christie Ranslow, and there was 100% improvement on their part. None of the four students entering the third grade were reading at a 3rd grade level. One student is now reading at the commensurate level. Two were assessed at a 1.5 reading grade level, one at 2.0 and another at 2.5. The two students who entered the program reading at a 1.5 grade level both improved a full grade level to 2.5 at six weeks end. The two other students both improved a half grade level to finish reading at a 2.5 and 3.0 reading level respectively.

Intermediate Students:
Ten of the thirteen enrolled students participated in the program throughout the entire six weeks. The group was 60% female and 40% male. The group had a 78% attendance rate. These ten students were also assessed by Christie Ranslow as part of the Read Naturally Program. Only 20% were reading at their commensurate grade level at the start. The other 80% were at least a half grade level below where they should have been reading, and two of those students were an astounding 3.5 grade levels lower than where they should have been reading. After 6 weeks however, 60% of the students were reading at or above their commensurate grade level. The group averaged over one full reading grade level improvement. Two students improved a full 2 grade levels in their reading abilities, and another improved 1.5 grade levels. 90% of all students improved at least a half grade.

We are so very grateful to Christie Ranslow and the teacher volunteers who made this program possible, and we hope to replicate it and expand it next summer.

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