ADR Reading Program

Reading Program

How the All District Reads Program Works

The All District Reads (ADR) Family Literacy at Home Program transforms an entire school
system into one community of readers. Every elementary family reads aloud the same
children’s novel at the same pace, creating a shared reading experience that connects students,
families, teachers, and the community. Each day for three weeks in the fall and spring,
everyone is literally “on the same page.”

Getting Started

The journey begins when either a local Rotary club or a school division contacts All District
Reads at info@alldistrictreads.org.

A single point person is then identified to coordinate communication between ADR and the
local community throughout the implementation process.

• If a Rotary club initiates the program, ADR provides the club with videos, presentations,
  and resources to introduce the program to its local school division.
• If a school division initiates the program, ADR encourages the division to partner with a
  local Rotary club to help build community support and student engagement

Becoming an ADR Member

Either the Rotary club or the school division purchases an annual ADR membership for $2,500.

Membership includes:

• Two complete Family Literacy Program book guides each year (fall and spring).
• Access to ADR resources, training, and implementation support.
• Ongoing consultation to ensure a successful program.

Choosing the Book

ADR offers a collection of carefully selected children’s novels or chapter books with complete implementation
guides. The school division selects the title that best fits its students.

Each elementary school purchases enough books so that every elementary student or every
family has a copy to take home and read together.

Building the Leadership Team

A local implementation committee is formed to guide the program at the central office of the
school division. This team typically includes:

• The program point person
• An elementary principal
• A family engagement specialist
• A PTA representative
• A representative from the local Rotary club

 Together, they coordinate the reading schedule, promote family participation, and celebrate
student success. All the elementary schools kick off the program on the same day and follow
the same schedule chapter by chapter. When the children come to school the next day, the
principal announces a trivia question for the chapter. They listen to the previous evening. All
children submit an answer to the trivia question with their name on one side and their answer
on the other. At the end of the day, the principal or designee calls out a winner from
kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade. They come to the
office and choose a prize from the Rotary box at each school this last for approximately three
weeks chapter by chapter.

Creating a Lasting Literacy Culture

The program is offered twice each year—once in the fall and once in the spring.
Over time, families develop a new tradition: reading quality children’s literature together at
home. As this routine becomes part of family life, reading moves beyond the classroom and
becomes a shared community experience.
All District Reads doesn’t simply encourage children to read—it helps entire communities fall in
love with reading together.

Foundation of the Program

• Adult reads a book aloud at home to children each night for several weeks
• If needed, a family can listen to a recording of the reading section together
• Discussion is encouraged
• Commitment is about 20 minutes each night
• Two books per year for every student in Kindergarten through 5th grade

ADR provides:

• Book Packets (reading schedule, trivia questions, activities)
• Training
• Support and resources
• Fundraising

The program follows the model of three other successful programs: 1 Book in Northumberland County executed by Gary Anderson, Hampton Reads One Book spearheaded by Dr. Kelli Cedo (former Language Arts Curriculum lead for Hampton City Schools and current Senior Director of Early Learning and Title I for Norfolk Public Schools) and All Bentonville Reads promoted by Mike Poore (Superintendent of Little Rock School District).

All District Reads programs are unique in that for the first two years, they are offered at absolutely no cost to schools.  Furthermore, our programs support family literacy and create excitement about reading across the entire community.

Intended Benefits:

• Improve reading test scores
• Restore family dynamic
• Inspire excitement, creativity, and imagination
• Build self confidence
• Provide valuable exercise in listening and engaging
• Build a love of books

The Suffolk Story: How One Rotary Club Helped Light a Literacy Fire

Four years ago, Gary Anderson stood before the Downtown Suffolk Rotary Club and talked about a family literacy program where every elementary student in a school division receives the same children’s novel. This program is home-based because each night, parents read aloud the same chapter of the same book. Across the entire school division, thousands of children and families are literally on the same page.

The idea is simple, but the impact can be profound. It creates momentum. It creates conversations. Most importantly, it helps create a home environment where reading becomes something families do together.

For many children the typical home environment can be dominated by entertainment: video games, movies, phones, and screens. This program introduces something different:

A parent and child sitting together:
– A book
– A chapter
– A shared story

And the next night, they cannot wait to find out what happens in the next chapter.

After Gary’s presentation to the Downtown Suffolk Rotary Club, I went up to Gary and said that I liked the idea and will promote it in our Downton Suffolk Rotary Club. After the meeting we sat down together and began talking about what it would take to make it happen. I told Gary, “I’m in!” I said I would work to raise the money necessary to purchase books for the students. But before I would start working on the program, I wanted a commitment from the school division that Suffolk Public Schools would fully support the program.

Dr. John Gordon, Superintendent of Suffolk Public Schools, signed an agreement stating that the school division would participate by completing two children’s novels each year–one in the fall and one in the spring–provided the local Rotary Club raised the funds to purchase the books.

And that’s exactly what happened. For the first two years, our Downtown Suffolk Rotary Club and its supporters raised the money necessary to place books in the hands of all Suffolk’s elementary students.

After two years, Dr. Gordon saw the value of the program and Suffolk Public Schools found room in its own budget to purchase the books for the next two years. A community partnership had become part of the culture of the school division,

Today, thousands of Suffolk children and their families have participated. The program has introduced eight children’s novels into homes throughout the community.

According to Dr. Gordon, the impact reaches beyond simply improving reading skills. “One of the most important pieces of this is reading for pleasure,” he explained. “We have phonics and reading scores, and now the kids are doing more. We’ve seen tremendous change for the positive in our community. Reading is crossing over into all subjects. To me, that was the missing piece of the puzzle.”

That is the power of family literacy.

It is not another curriculum.

It does not require another test.

It doesn’t not place another burden on the teachers, yet many teachers work reading and talking out the story in their classroom experience.

And in Suffolk, it all started because one Rotary Club listened to an idea and said, “We are in.”

Sometimes changing a community does not begin with a new policy, a new mandate, or a new million-dollar initiative. Sometimes it begins with a conversation at a Rotary meeting and a superintendent willing to say “yes.” And thousands of families opening the same book together.

Please join us with your participation.

George Birdsong
Downtown Suffolk Rotary Club
September, 2026