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A well received program sponsored by The Family Reading Partnership of Cortland County is the “Welcome to School” program. It is the goal of the Family Reading Partnership to get books into the hands of children so that they will learn to enjoy books and so that parents will learn how important it is to read to their children.
When a children are born, they receive books through the “Books At Birth” program.
Later, when they attend “Well Baby” visits at a participating doctor’s office they receive additional books at 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 2 years, 3 years, and 4 years as a part of the “Books To Grow On” project.
To strengthen this even more the “Welcome To School” program was initiated. Through the support of the Family Reading Partnership, schools are able to purchase a book for each incoming kindergarten student at a very reasonable price.
By using grant money and donations, the Family Reading Partnership has been able to pay a portion of the book’s cost which is what makes it affordable to school districts.
The classrooms also have a big book of the same title that they can share with the students in their class. This allows all the children to have a common knowledge of at least one book and for those who have been in the “Books to Grow On” program six more books in common with other children in the class. The Family Reading Partnership is a partner in the Cortland Area Communities That Care Coalition. Homer Elementary Principal Ruth King is the chair of the "Welcome To School Book Project" of FRP.
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