Stonewall’s youngest learners can get a jumpstart on education through a local library program.
The Stonewall library is gearing up to run its Ready for Kindergarten literacy program from March to June.
Branch librarian Joan Ransom said the South Interlake Regional Library’s mission statement is ‘Every day we enhance South Interlake communities through literacy by providing innovative, accessible and dynamic library services and programs” — and the Ready for Kindergarten fits perfectly within that goal.
“We are proud that this program helps us to live up to our mission,” she said.
“Our senior library clerk, Tara Glaspey, has developed this program with pre-school literacy and learning in mind.
The program focuses on concepts that include print awareness, phonological awareness, vocabulary and other pre-reading skills.
“The Stonewall branch is thrilled to again offer this four-month self-led program to families in our catchment,” Ransom said.
“We know that families can foster a love of literacy through reading and activities with their children — and we are so happy to be a part of that journey.”
Families who have participated in this program in past years have provided positive feedback, she added.
“They felt their children really improved their skills and had more confidence going into school,” she said.
“We help families work with their children on specific skills to increase their literacy and school readiness.”
The program consists of four take-home kits that include all the activities and equipment needed to work on the particular skill for the month. Also included each month is a stack of books for families to read together at home.
“We include items in each kit such as scissors, tri-sided pencils, playing cards and math cubes that children use to learn and practise each skill,” Ransom said.
“Handouts in the kits include worksheets and activities that each family works through at home together. To encourage family home reading, the book stacks include ‘decodable text’ books as well as traditional picture books. We are so fortunate to have received a grant through Interlake Early Childhood Development Coalition, which helped us purchase some of the supplies for the kits.”
To register, contact the Stonewall branch by email at stonewall@sirlibrary.com or by phone at 204-467-8415.
“There is no fee for this program but families must have a library card. Library memberships are free to anyone who lives in or pays taxes in the RM of Rosser, RM of Rockwood, Town of Stonewall and the Town of Teulon. If anyone lives outside of our catchment area, then a non-resident membership is available for an annual fee,” Ransom said.
“Families can stay up to date on the programs run at the library through our website and our socials — Instagram and Facebook.”
