CHANNING, TEXAS -- Getting kids to read during the summer can be a daunting task for a parent.
But one school district says it has the formula to do that. It's Channing Independent School District, and it has a summer reading program that has a built-in reward.
It's this week's Region 16 Spotlight Education report.
School districts across Region 16 encourage summer reading to help students avoid any "summer slide". They say when students are not reading, they're losing the knowledge they gained during the school year. In fact, teachers spend the first two months of a new school year reviewing, just to get kids up to speed.
"It is know that children can digress three to six months over the summer, losing what they have learned throughout the year," said Sarah Harbert, Fourth Grade Teacher.
That's one reason Channing ISD put together its summer program.
"Students need to read 1,000 minutes over the summer. Which I know you're thinking, that sounds like, wow, 1,000 minutes. But when you break it down it's, you know, if they read 15 to 20 minutes a day and even then if you skip a day or two here and there its still adds up pretty quickly," said Mollie Dahl, Second Grade Teacher.
As they read, the student and parents log their time, and come August third, if they've reached their goals, they get to go on a trip to Wonderland Park. That was made possibly by some generous donors. And thanks to technology, summer vacations shouldn't hamper their efforts.
"With iPads, iPods, and your laptop home computers you can take them with you anywhere you go, if you're going on vacation or something you can travel with them and do it in the hotel room," said Dahl.
Channing also has a program called, "Popsicles in the Park". On July 26th, students are invited to the park to read, and of course, enjoy some popsicles.
