Liverpool high school promotes literacy

SSR is a familiar concept in elementary and junior high schools, and the high school SSR Committee is enthusiastic about adopting this practice. Sustained Silent Reading is a 10-minute period of uninterrupted reading, every day, where everyone in the building reads. This includes not only the students, but the staff and administration also. “Modeling reading is an important part of encouraging young people to read,” says teacher Anne Swim, who is heading up the initiative with a committee of several teachers.

The goals of the program are to improve reading comprehension, pace, vocabulary and “fix-up strategies.” Encouraging students to become life-long readers begins with incorporating reading time into their daily activities, and allowing them to read genres and topics of their own choosing.

High school Principal, Terry Doucette says, “SSR offers our students the time and opportunity to independently explore and practice their reading skills.”

The teachers are very excited about this new initiative, as improving literacy skills has positive ramifications in all content areas and course levels. This initiative supports the goals of the School Improvement Plan, which is entering its third year at LRHS. The committee is planning a launch of the program in Oct., and is currently collecting materials and establishing guidelines to ensure the success of the program.

School staff would welcome donations of reading materials to support the program. “Donations which reflect teen interest, are in good shape, and have appropriate language for a school setting would be most appreciated,” suggests Swim. Donations can be dropped off at the school during regular hours.