Community Relations
For Immediate Release
October 7, 2011
Contact:
Cass Cannon
Community Relations Specialist
Charlottesville City Schools
434-245-2962
Cass Cannon@ccs.k12.va.us
Media Release
Book Buddies Program Celebrates 20 Years of Tutoring
More than 30 tutors, students, or staff members associated with the Book Buddies program turned out at last night’s School Board meeting to celebrate a 20-year milestone. The group, in turn, was recognized by the School Board for making a substantial difference for thousands of young readers.
Book Buddies is a yearlong reading intervention program developed by University of Virginia professor Marcia A. Invernizzi and other reading professors. The program pairs students with trained community volunteers, following specific lesson plans that are proven to build reading skills as well as a love for reading. All Book Buddies students learn to read and a very high percentage read on or above grade level by the end of first grade.
Book Buddies started as a pilot program at Greenbrier Elementary School in 1992 and has expanded to school divisions across the country. The special relationship that a tutor shares with his or her assigned student is not only effective but often long-lasting. Many tutors keep in touch with students long after they have moved beyond their Book Buddies years. City elementary schools currently have 65 tutors, made up of community volunteers and University of Virginia America Reads Work-Study students. Of the returning tutors, 38% are tutoring for their third year or more and 25% have been with the program for 8 years or more.
New volunteers are welcome. If you would like to be a BB volunteer or to find out more about the program, contact Jeanette Rosenberg, Charlottesville Book Buddies Coordinator at 245-2415 or Jeanette.Rosenberg@ccs.k12.va.us.
Book buddy tutors, teachers, staff and students.
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