On February 8, Charnock Road will mark a milestone in their collaboration with The Wonder of Reading, a local nonprofit literacy organization, by proudly opening their newly renovated library. This elementary school library will be the 198th that The Wonder of Reading has opened in the greater Los Angeles area.
The Wonder of Reading’s purpose is to inspire in children the love of reading by implementing their unique 3R Program—Renovate, Restock, and Read at public elementary schools. By the end of 2008, The Wonder of Reading will have expanded and renovated 203 school libraries, worked with the schools to restock the libraries with more than $2.1 million worth of new books, trained 5,500 volunteers to read one-on-one with students in the new libraries, and reached more than 340,000 children and their families.
Founded in 1994, The Wonder of Reading develops a long-term partnership with the schools, providing them with the resources necessary to transform their library into a vibrant center of learning. Volunteer reading partners dedicate one hour every week to reading one-on-one with struggling students, and many volunteers return year after year building a strong mentor relationship with their students. Teachers observe improvement in their students’ reading fluency and comprehension, as well as positive changes in students’ attitudes towards reading. By implementing the 3R program in 16 schools each year, more than 10,000 of Los Angeles’s most needy students now have the opportunity to experience the wonder of reading in an inviting environment.
Although the Wonder of Reading Foundation finances the basic construction of the new library, recipient schools are required to raise additional funds to complete the library with new furniture and books. Major Charnock supporters include school board member Marguerite LaMotte, who provided a significant grant of school improvement funds, and local community groups, such as the Palms Neighborhood Council, Westside Village Civic Association and the Charnock PTA, who made generous gifts to restock the library’s book collection. In addition, local community members, faculty members, parents and students have all pitched in to make the dream of the new school library come true. At one successful fundraiser, families purchased decorative tiles to adorn the new library’s outside wall. Using their favorite books as an inspiration, the children happily decorated and painted over 150 tiles. Hanging beside the entrance, the decorated tiles will greet visitors as they enter the new library.
Charnock’s Wonder of Reading library project has also inspired a range of new and exciting literacy programs. The library leadership committee’s plans include expanding library hours, initiating a before school story hour, hosting a lunch-time book club, providing homework help in the afternoons, and sponsoring literacy training programs for parents and volunteers. “We want the library to serve the entire Charnock community, becoming a center for literacy for families and children,” said Jason Buchalter, literacy specialist and library committee co-chair.
According to Farryl Weitzman, Charnock’s principal, “The response to the new library has been overwhelming. Teachers are busy planning literacy programs for the library, students are rehearsing presentations for the grand opening celebration, and community members are making donations and volunteering to read with struggling students. The Wonder of Reading project has strengthened my faith in the power of the teachers, parents, and community members to bring about positive changes in neighborhood schools. What we thought was an impossible dream two years ago has now become a reality.”
For more information on the Charnock Road Library Project or to become a Charnock volunteer reader, please contact Jennifer Stamatio, School Volunteer Coordinator, at (310) 838-6110 or jac9302@lausd.net
Library Grand Opening Event is scheduled for Friday, February 8, 2008, 9:45 am – 11:00 a.m.
Charnock Road Elementary School
Farryl Weitzman - Principal
11133 Charnock Road
Los Angeles, CA 90034
Tel: 310.838.6110
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