Loudonville-Perrysville Schools, library partner to promote importance of reading

LOUDONVILLE — Third grade students’ hands shot in the air as they volunteered to read sections of a Scholastic magazine article about zoos in a room at the Loudonville Public Library. 

The students followed along, some with fingers to the page, as their peers read sections of the article. Adult volunteers — some with the library and others with the McMullen Parents Association — offered help with challenging words, like “conservation” and “ferret.” 

After they finished reading dueling views on whether zoos help or hurt conservation, Michelle D’amico, a parent volunteer, asked the students questions to aid their comprehension of the passage. 

Then, she handed out journals to each student. They were asked to offer an answer to the question of whether zoos were ethical. D’amico told them to provide evidence from the article they read in their answers. 

Payten Cutlip, a 9-year-old, said she thinks zoos help save endangered animals. Her classmate, Gloriana Finley, said she worried zoos might offer reasons for poachers to “kidnap” animals from their mothers. 

The hour of reading and writing came as part of an effort called the Reading and Writing Redbirds Club.

Literacy in focus

Started by the McMullen Parent Association with the Loudonville Public Library as a partner, the effort aims to promote literacy, according to Angela Layton. 

Layton, a literacy coach with Loudonville-Perrysville Schools, said the district has aimed to be proactive about increasing literacy thanks to state requirements. 

The state has pushed curriculums based in the science of reading in recent years. Gov. Mike DeWine also signed a set of laws strengthening dyslexia support for students in 2021.

McMullen Elementary met the state’s standards for early literacy in 2022-2023, according to its Ohio Report Card. But, its lowest measure in that area was improving K-3 literacy. It scored 28.6% in that area.

Layton said the district has worked on that since she came onboard two years ago. It started a Million Words Club to reward students excelling at reading. She also sad the district has been trying to raise more awareness among parents and community members about reading’s importance.

The Reading and Writing Redbirds Club, offered the first Wednesday of each month for an hour, brings kindergarten through third graders into the public library to practice reading and writing skills for an extra hour after school. 

Layton said the program falls in line with the district’s plan to engage the community in efforts to promote literacy. 

“It takes more than just family to raise a child,” Layton said. “We need to raise awareness and help students see the relevance of reading in the community and everywhere they go.” 

At its first meeting in February, over 60 children showed up to participate. Since the district partnered with the library for the program, it’s also open to any children in the area. Attending McMullen Elementary School isn’t a requirement to participate. 

The program is run by library employees and a large group of parent volunteers.

Relevance of reading

Finley, one of the third graders participating in the Reading and Writing Redbirds, said at first, she came just because her mom signed her up. 

Now, she said she reads daily with her grandma. Finley added she likes learning about animals. 

She said she thinks it important to be able to read well because she wants to be a banker. Without knowing how to read, Finley said she thinks job opportunities might not be as plentiful. 

Cutlip reads mostly chapter books at home. Still, Cutlip thinks it’s a good thing to practice those skills more at the library once a month. Plus, Cutlip said, it’s nice to have somewhere to go after school. 

“It’s fun to be here, and it’s helping me get better at writing and reading.” 

Cultip also recognized that knowing how to read goes beyond just using those skills for school. Reading can help interpret a map and directions, Cutlip said. 

Sunny Ritchey, another third grader, wants to be a teacher. She thinks reading will help in her future career.

Fostering a love of learning

Brie Haag, the Loudonville Public Library’s youth services lead, said the library supports any activity that will instill a love of reading, writing and learning.

But in her view, the Reading and Writing Redbirds Club has brought students into the library who wouldn’t typically come to it. Layton, the district’s literacy coach, agreed. 

Both Layton and Haag said bringing those students to the library offers opportunities to build a lifelong love of it — or at least, a better awareness of the library’s presence in the community. 

D’amico, the volunteer who helped with the third grade class, added that she’s watched students start sharing more after coming to Reading and Writing Redbirds. From the McMullen Parents Association perspective, D’amico said watching the idea come to life has been special. 

There’s more demand than the association thought there would be, D’amico said. In the future, the program may see changes to better accommodate that demand.

“It’s taught us a lot about interest and need level,” D’amico said.

With the success of Reading and Writing Redbirds, Haag said she hopes other districts can create similar partnerships with their local libraries. 

For D’amico, the biggest takeaway is that, as a parent, you need to encourage your students to read all they can. She’s grateful for the program, and that it’s encouraging students to read more. 

“It’s just motivation for kids to be passionate and fall in love with reading,” D’amico said.

This independent, local reporting provided by our Report for America Corps members is brought to you in part by the generous support of the Ashland County Community Foundation.