SBCSS News and Press Releases

Burbank School Holds Closing Ceremony For Reading Buddies Program

2009-06-05

SAN BERNARDINO - Burbank School in the San Bernardino City Unified School District will hold a closing ceremony for its Reading Buddies volunteers on June 8 at 2:30 p.m.

Principal Dorothy Fenster and other school officials will lead the closing ceremonies to acknowledge the volunteers' efforts throughout the year with a special presentation by their adopted classrooms.

The Reading Buddies literacy program, which is active in eight districts in the county, allows business professionals and community members to adopt a class and read to its students once a month. Burbank's program is a collaborative effort by San Bernardino City Unified, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, State Compensation Insurance Fund and the County Schools office.

"The Reading Buddies Program has enjoyed successful outcomes for the last few years at our site," Fenster said. "We look forward to having the volunteers return year after year to participate in this worthy program. The students look forward to having someone come in and read and help develop a strong bond with their reading buddy."

Community support for the program is important, said Dave Gumpertz of SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union.

"The foundation of a good education is the ability to read. It is vital we develop good reading skills in all our students so that they are able to achieve academically and become life-long learners," he said.

Burbank School is located at 198 West Mill St. in San Bernardino. For more information about the program or to volunteer to be a reader next year, contact Dolores Peters at (909) 388-6324 or Linda Miranda at (909) 476-2214.