If you’ve ever been a High School Senior, you will or already have performed the task of attending some sort of board meeting for Economics and Part in Government. You are given a lot of options for this assignment and a lot of distinct opportunities to attend a multitude of meetings – although most students involved just cram in with everyone else at the last meeting possible.

This meeting happened to be an Alden School Board Meeting, and although many of the students wished to just get the assignment done (including me at first), Something interesting was brought up at the meeting – the Drop Everything And Read Program. This is a program that most kids in High School remember well, and is planning on being revamped in the near future. I got word from Melanie Monacelli, Alden Middle School’s Assistant Principal, to get a better handle on what was happening with this program.

“Reading is the foundation for all learning. You must be able to read (decode and comprehend) in order to understand Math, Science and Social Studies as well as technology, music and art.  It is a basic skill that so many of our students are deficient in and we need to emphasize the importance of its place in their lives every day.”

Mrs. Monacelli also mentioned that a multitude of ideas were brought up for a future committee to address and possibly carry out including a Reading Challenge, Guest Readers, D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read) time, and a book fair.

She also talked about how these types of programs also heavily impact the Character Education Program that is also looking to expand throughout the district.

“Character education is something we try to instill in every aspect of the school and the student’s day. Some of our stories will focus on our character traits of Respect, Responsibility and being Ready to learn ( the three Rs). This will be the pledge for our Character Ed Program.”

Many of our High School Students also remember these sorts of things fondly from Middle School like our local reporter Valerie Weisbeck.

“I remember buying ‘The Warriors’ book series and how much I enjoyed them… I loved the Nancy Drew mystery books too!”

An interest in reading from a young age is to be stressed more than in the past, and hopefully these sorts of programs will help to improve the way people learn in not only subjects like English, but in Science, Math, Technology, Music and Art, improving our student body all around. WACS News is closely following this story and will bring updates as they become available