School’s Award Is One for the Books

After his friends leave his house, 6-year-old Jeffrey Sande’s first urge isn’t to watch TV or play a video game.

“He has the tendency to pick up a good book,” said his mother, Penny Sande, adding that Jeffrey enjoys reading “toddler” books aloud to his 1-year-old brother, Jeremy. “He just thinks that’s normal--we haven’t told him otherwise.”

Students like Jeffrey are why Highlands Elementary School in the Saugus Union Elementary District won a $5,000 governor’s reading award, logging more than 4 million pages this year. That’s the second-highest total among Los Angeles County schools.

In Highlands’ 3-year-old reading program, students are encouraged to read at least 20 minutes after school. Their parents sign monthly calendars verifying the minutes read. Each month, the student in each classroom who has read the most receives a restaurant gift certificate.

So far this year, Highland students have read nearly 4 million minutes, said Marsha Gilpin, a first-grade teacher who coordinates the reading program. While impressive, it’s still a bit shy of the 5-million-minute goal teachers had set this year, she said.

Gilpin said she rewards students who read 500 minutes with small prizes, such as pencils, rulers and candy. She rewards students who tally 5,000 minutes with a pizza lunch at school.

“Numbers make them feel proud. We’re encouraging them to do something they know is good for them,” Gilpin said. “Little ones think 500 minutes is a lot of minutes. They feel real proud when they bring their calendars in.”

Many enjoy reading Pokemon books, “Frog and Toad” stories and Dr. Seuss, Gilpin said.

“This is based on research that shows the more children read, the wider their vocabulary develops, and they become more fluent readers,” said Principal Robert Moloznik.

Janet Elm, a first-grade teacher who started the reading program at Highlands, said teachers and administrators realized early on that parental support would be an important part of the program.

“It’s just taken off. It’s been exciting to watch children enjoy reading,” Elm said. “We’re definitely aware that reading is the key to all success in school. As with any skill, you need a lot of practice.”

The award money will be spent on the school’s 750 students with celebration assemblies, computer software and more library books, Moloznik said.