Superintendent's Message: Importance of Reading It Forward

As we prepare for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Winter breaks, it is important to keep in mind that the school year will be halfway over once students return in January. For teachers, students and parents, as well as guidance counselors and administrators, this means that final FCAT exercises will be in full swing and juniors and seniors will be wrapping up SAT and ACT exams and narrowing down their college acceptance letters and admission applications.

As we head into the Winter break, I’d like to challenge everyone who comes in contact with a student –from parents and grandparents to pastors and business leaders– to encourage them to read and support Read it Forward Jax! We can help spread the word about this unique reading initiative by asking, “What are you reading?”

Board members and I recently held a Read it Forward Jax! community conversation at Chick-fil-A to facilitate conversations about the importance of reading and discussed ways the community could help students improve literacy skills.

It is my heartfelt desire to see our students value reading beyond the classroom. This can be accomplished by having books handy when traveling to visit relatives, running errands, sitting in a waiting room, or when waiting for a favorite holiday dessert to come out of the oven.

Research shows that when students read at or above grade level, it has a positive impact on their overall academic performance. We want our students be recognized among the best and brightest in the state as well as the nation, but it will take an entire community effort to accomplish this goal.