KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — The battle to promote literacy in Kalamazoo continues one family at a time, and, on Monday night, Kalamazoo Public Schools board members got an update from the front lines.
The literacy program is an outgrowth of The Kalamazoo Promise and its aim is to promote literacy in schools by encouraging reading at home. They’re trying to do that by making sure parents and grandparents are able to help their young students with their homework and stand as an example, particularly men.
“We need the men, because we’re particularly challenged with our little men and our young men,” Supt. Michael Rice said.
Assistant Supt. Barbara Witzak said they hold the classes teaching adults how to read, currently at nine venues all over town, mostly in churches and other comfortable settings.
“We were careful to ensure that sites reach across the city, so that, no matter where a family lives, they should be able to find a site that’s reasonably close to home,” Witzak said.
Since 2012, they have helped adults in 2,218 families learn how to read.
– John McNeill
