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Class Notes: Eight Hamilton County schools to host Read to be Ready summer programs

Partnership Network advisory board member Wayne Brown, left, talks with fellow board members Dakasha Winton, left center, Valoria Armstrong, right, and Education Commissioner Candice McQueen, center right, while touring the Read to be Ready program at Orchard Knob Elementary School on June 18.
Partnership Network advisory board member Wayne Brown, left, talks with fellow board members Dakasha Winton, left center, Valoria Armstrong, right, and Education Commissioner Candice McQueen, center right, while touring the Read to be Ready program at Orchard Knob Elementary School on June 18. Partnership Network advisory board member Wayne Brown, left, talks with fellow board members Dakasha Winton, left center, Valoria Armstrong, right, and Education Commissioner Candice McQueen, center right, while touring the Read to be Ready program at Orchard Knob Elementary School on June 18.

By Staff Report 3 min read

Eight schools host reading programs

Earlier this month, the Tennessee Department of Education and Education Commissioner Candice McQueen announced the recipients of 2019 Read to be Ready summer program grants, which include eight Hamilton County schools.

Barger Academy of Fine Arts, Bess T. Shepherd Elementary, East Lake Elementary, East Ridge Elementary, Hardy Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, Lakeside Academy and Wolftever Creek Elementary all will host the month long literacy-focused summer camps for the fourth year of the statewide program.

“Reading and literacy is the very foundation of academic success for children and is a major focus for Hamilton County Schools in the Future 2023 Action Plan,” said Bryan Johnson, superintendent of Hamilton County Schools, in a statement. “These important summer opportunities help our youngest learners to love reading which will set them on a path to improved learning and success as they progress toward graduation.”

Read to be Ready is a coordinated campaign that was launched by Gov. Bill Haslam, first lady Crissy Haslam and McQueen in February 2016 with the goal to increase third-grade reading proficiency in Tennessee to 75 percent by 2025 through a variety of initiatives, according to a news release.