COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 166

October 10, 2003

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Read Aloud to a Child Week, October 19-25, 2003

In recognition of Virginia Read Aloud to a Child Week, the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Library of Virginia and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, encourages all parents, teachers, and caregivers to join them in celebrating Read Aloud to a Child Week beginning October 19-25, 2003. The General Assembly has designated the last full week in October as a time to emphasize and encourage the value of reading aloud to children.

The ability to read is the foundation of literacy and is the single most important activity for building knowledge for personal success; therefore, persons in school divisions in the commonwealth are urged to set aside time to read aloud to a child. It is my hope that reading aloud to a child will provide a reading role model, and that it will help motivate all children to develop a passion for reading, a love for books, and an appreciation for lifelong learning.

The Read Aloud Virginia website can be accessed at http://www.readaloudva.org. On this website you can find copies of the following documents pertaining to Read Aloud to a Child Week: bookmark, pledge form, certificate, and several read aloud brochures. Bookmarks, pledge forms, and certificates of achievement are also available at public libraries.

Further information may be obtained from Barbara F. Jones (bjones@mail.vak12ed.edu), specialist, reading and English, office of elementary instructional services, at (804) 786-1997.

JLD/BFJ/vdg