Books Bound for Marshall County Students
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MOUNDSVILLE -- Young students across Marshall County got a surprise in the mailbox last week, the first in a series which will continue into August.
Through the Kids Read Now program, provided through a company of the same name, students in grades K-5 will receive six books in the mail, addressed to them, specific to their grade's reading level. Director of Student Services Karen Klamut said the books come with a parent guide, a mobile app, and a guide to each book to follow along with.
Klamut said the district has been sending books home with pre-K students for years, but that the Kids Read Now program arose far more recently, with the decision to partner with the company coming in December.
"We've always sent books home with pre-K students, normally those go home and come back," Klamut said. "Because of COVID, we didn't do that this year. We sent all of the books for every month home. ... With some of the money we received through the CARES (Act), we used that to purchase this program to put books in students' homes, so that they don't have to bring them back to school or anything. They're strictly just for home.
"The company sets them up so they're mailed directory to the students," Klamut continued. "They get a box addressed to the student. Everybody likes to get mail. Hopefully they'll all be very excited when they go home and have mail waiting for them."
The cost for the program was absorbed by the school district, with none of the cost being passed along to families.
Klamut said the district had already purchased the program through the summer months as well, for a total of 14 books between late January and the return to school in fall. Talks to establish the program began in December, and shipments began being sent out early last week, with the first books arriving Wednesday.