Reading and writing: they’re essential skills but some kids fall behind in them.

However, for 64 Grade 2 students from Red Deer Public Schools, there’s Reading College, a free month-long program built to help them catch up.

They have been selected to enroll by teachers because their literacy skills are below grade-level.

Through July, they attend full-day sessions in reading, writing and “word studies,” the latter which focuses on phonics and sight words. Class is held at Red Deer College

“School is not fun when you’re struggling. We’re trying to just build those skills and confidence so when they go to Grade 3, they can be an independent student,” said Elvy Goring, Reading College’s program coordinator.

Goring said they try to make lessons fun, with some activities planned by a summer camp coordinator.

The program accepts students who are about to enter Grade 3 for a reason. Goring said learning outcomes at that age are an indicator of whether a student will finish high school.

Goring is a retired teacher herself. She said student performance is measured in a one-on-one sitting between teacher and student. The student reads and the teacher assesses his or her reading level. This is done in June and also in the fall to see what progress has been made.

Now in its sixth year, students who enrolled during the inaugural Reading College will enter Grade 8 this fall, and the data is there to see what impact the program has made in the long-run.

“We are able to track, we can go into the system and we are in the process of pulling up the scores of the kids that were in previous Reading Colleges to see where they are now,” Goring said.

Teacher Cassidy McHugh helps Jordyn Mayan with her writing at the Reading College on July 13.

Reading College is a program run by the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools, supported by several sponsors including the Central Alberta Optimist Clubs, Chapman Literacy Foundation Endowment Fund, Red Deer College and the Red Deer Rebels.

Their support is much-appreciated by executive Bruce Buruma, who said it costs about $1,500 per student to operate the program, with expenses like bussing students, meals, all provided at no charge to parents.

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Reading College is staffed by six teaching graduates from Red Deer College’s middle years program. For them, it’s a chance to get some early work experience.

“Many of the teachers that graduate from there will go into the elementary system,” said Paulette Hanna, RDC’s vice-president, academic.

“It’s not just at the middle school level. It gives them the opportunity to start their career, working with students that are having some struggle with reading.”