All District Reads

The All District Reads reading programs encourage reading aloud in the households and classrooms of all elementary-age students in participating communities, with special advantages for low-income students. Our programs provide children across an entire school district with two new books each year to take home for parents to read nightly over a period of several weeks. By exposing all children in a school to the same book at the same time, we encourage cross-age sharing about the story. By emphasizing families reading books aloud, our programs allow readers of all abilities to enjoy the same stories without any stigma. The goal is to add to a child’s reservoir of language every year. All District Reads programs are unique in that we offer them at absolutely no cost to schools. Furthermore, our programs support family literacy and create excitement about reading across the entire community.

All Suffolk Reads

Since the fall of 2022, reading has become the hot topic of conversation among elementary schools and families across Suffolk Public Schools. That marked when SPS launched the first All Suffolk Reads program in partnership with All District Reads.

For several weeks each fall and spring, elementary school families throughout Suffolk read and discuss one chapter of the same children’s book each night. Schools support the program with trivia contests, spirit activities, and special surprises. All families receive a free copy of the selected book, along with a free parent resource guide. The program aims to help children develop the reading habit by encouraging families to read together, ultimately boosting students’ reading scores.

All Suffolk Reads emphasizes community involvement. Both the Downtown Suffolk Rotary Club and North Suffolk Rotary Club, along with local businesses, have supported the program financially, provided volunteers to place labels in books, and helped distribute books in schools. Community members read aloud each chapter of the book, with the recordings being available to teachers and families alike.

Suffolk Superintendent Dr. John Gordon, III views All Suffolk Reads as a key component in supporting children’s reading development and love of books. “We think getting children to read for pleasure is the missing piece of the puzzle,” Gordon said.

For the first two years, All Suffolk Reads was largely funded through generous donations from businesses, philanthropists, and the two local Rotary clubs. This year, Suffolk Public Schools has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with All District Reads to provide the books through district funds. The agreement is renewable for four years. This fall’s All Suffolk Reads program kicks off on November 1. “This innovative program engages families with fun, literacy, and time together in the home,” concludes Dr. Gordon. And that has resulted in impressive gains in how frequently children read for enjoyment and how much they enjoy reading.

Books Read So Far

Cleo Edison Oliver, Playground Millionaire by Sundee T. Frazier (fall 2022)
EllRay Jakes Is Magic by Sally Warner (spring 2023)
Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson (fall 2023)
School Days According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney (spring 2024)

Program Results

Prior to the launch of the first book, a survey of parents found that 80% indicated that their children read for enjoyment on a daily or weekly basis. After the launch of the second book, that figure rose to an impressive 90%. Meanwhile, the percentage of families reporting that they read together daily rose from 50% to 55%. And the percentage of families saying that their child enjoys reading books for pleasure “a great deal” rose from 36% to 41%. All Suffolk Reads clearly is making a difference!

Testimonials