DPS workshops helping parents, caregivers create readers today, leaders tomorrow

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — “Today a reader. Tomorrow a leader.”

That’s the real message Dayton Public Schools is trying to get across to parents and caregivers through a series of reading literacy workshops, the second of which was held Thursday night at the Northwest Branch Dayton Metro Library on Philadelphia Drive.

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The workshops are focused on improving literacy skills for students in kindergarten through grade 6.

The district’s struggles in the area of reading skills has been well documented, according to state report card data tracked by education officials. One of the data points the state looks at is the literacy skill level for students in kindergarten through grade 3. The state minimum standard is three of five stars.

DPS scores the past two years have been one of five stars.

Pizza and prizes awarded Thursday night were just the lure to get parents and caregivers to attend the workshop.

“What we want to do is actually enable our families and parents to support their children at home,” Angela Worley, DPS coordinator of student activities, parent engagement and outreach, told News Center 7′s Brandon Lewis.

Worley helped coordinate the workshop series.

“What I would like our community to know is that Dayton Public Schools, we absolutely want to partner with the community, we cannot do it without the families and the community support,” she said.

Using rhymes to sounding out words were just two of the tools the district hopes parents such as Dayton resident Maria Van Dyne can use at home.

“This is a great opportunity,” she said. “You have a lot of people, like I said, [who] are not aware of what is there for them. I utilize all my resources, so I’m like if we got it, I’m gonna use it.”

Kimberly Johnson, of Fairborn, brought her two grandchildren out of a concern that forces such as the pandemic have had a serious negative affect on them.

“The pandemic . . . they lost a whole year and I see it. So it’s just trying to help make up that year,” she said.

She said she wishes more parents would take advantage of the workshops and any other help being offered to help children sharpen their reading literacy skills. She checks in with the teachers of her grandson and granddaughter every week.

“I’m not in denial. . . I recognize that my grandchildren need help,” she said.

Worley said the district welcomes students from all grade levels to participate in the workshops. There will be four more sessions this school year, with the next one scheduled for January.

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