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Early reading proficiency is the single most important factor in the long-term success of students and is the preeminent goal of the Vista Unified School District (VUSD). The project targets are all elementary schools in VUSD (covering both Vista and parts of Oceanside). While average SES levels differ across schools in VUSD, every elementary school has a significant population of students who are English Language Learners and/or come from low SES families. First grade students will be the beneficiaries of this program as ultimate recipients of a book of their own after a classroom reading session conducted by members of the Rotary Club of Vista. This program was offered for many years by the Tri-City Rotary Club (formerly named the Vista Hi-Noon Rotary Club), which merged with the Rotary Club of Vista effective July 1, 2020. The program was conducted in 2021-22 by the merged Rotary Club of Vista (P-3907) and will be done by the merged club in the future.
Developing interest and competence in reading must start at an early age and VUSD enrolls an unusually high proportion of English as a Second Language students as well as students from families living below the poverty level. This necessitates intensive reading intervention programs at early grade levels. This grant allows our club to support these intervention efforts through classroom reading and individual student ownership of books. The grant, taking advantage of discounted availability of books, enables us to serve a minimum of 1,500 first grade students. Our program involves local Rotarians reading and distributing books to all students in VUSD first grade classrooms. For many of these students, it is either the first book they have owned themselves or one of the few books in their home. Target dates for reading and distribution of books are September 2022 through December 2022. For the past two years, because of COVID protocols and precautions in the district, we have been unable to do in-person reading in classrooms. Instead, club members made video recordings of the reading sessions (coordinated by the Vista Teachers Association), which were shared with students by video, followed by teachers presenting the books to students. While this has been necessary, it is not ideal, and we look forward to returning in person to classrooms this fall. As in past years, any funds left over after purchase of the first grade reading books will be used to buy books for school libraries in low SES schools in VUSD.
We have offered this program for the past several years and because of the success of our previous efforts, the teachers and administrators in VUSD are totally committed to supporting us to ensure project success VUSD administrators and the President and Secretary of the Vista Teachers' Association are active members of our club and participate in project implementation. Because of COVID we were not able to read in person for the past two years. We are confident that in-person reading sessions will be possible this fall, and we eagerly anticipate returning to class with the students. Attached are pictures of the "virtual" reading sessions from the past two years, as well as some pictures of in-person sessions from previous years. The pictures tell the story better than any written narrative can.
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