Roanoke City Public Schools to host Early Literacy Academy Kickoff Event

Roanoke, Virginia – To help Roanoke students’ reading development, RCPS organized an early literacy academy that offered family resources.

It is imperative to introduce literacy skills at an early age in every grade level, according to Superintendent Dr. Verletta White.

“We want to start early with our students to build in those foundational skills when it comes to phonics, phonemic, awareness, comprehension, fluency, all of those good skills, foundational skills that will carry students for the rest of their lives. All of that starts early,” said White.

According to White, parents will begin to notice a learning gap in other academic areas when core skills are not taught at a young age.

“Let’s think about it. The LSAT is a literacy assessment, you have to understand the question before you can even get to the algorithm, right when you get to solve the problem, “ explained White. “Everything harkens back to being able to read well, to write well, to speak well, to communicate well, all of that starts early.”

According to Rachel Floyd, the Roanoke City Public Schools’ Supervisor of Reading Improvement, even small actions like reading aloud to your children can help build a foundation for literacy.

“We want our families to know what we’re doing at school and what they can do at home to support exactly what we’re doing at school. So things like reading with your child, talking with your child for that oral language development. Those are critical things that they can do at home that support that literacy Foundation,” said Floyd.

September will see another Early Literature Academy session.