Ashton Elementary helps combat summer slide at Emma Booker

Students and parents at Ashton Elementary School are donating more than 5,000 books to Emma Booker Elementary School.

Teachers hope that sending students home with a few books through the partnership will combat the “summer slide” that occurs when students go on vacation, making it easier for them to resume their studies in the fall. 

Since March, Ashton students have brought in new and gently used books to be shared with students at Booker. 
The partnership also includes an exchange of ideas between teachers to enhance the gifted programs at both schools, according to Ashton Principal Christopher Renouf.

“You forget when you’re here just how fortunate that you are to have these resources,” Renouf said. “It really was a benefit to our teachers and our kids to have that renewed perspective.”

The partnership will grow with Skype sessions between students, who will exchange notes and share study habits.
Ashton Assistant Principal Jacob Ruscoe encouraged students with grade-level competitions to increase donations.

“We really wanted to be able to immerse the students at Emma Booker in a literary experience,” Ruscoe said.

Of the 5,000 books donated to Emma Booker, 3,500 will be kept in “little libraries” on campus built by the Dedicated Ashton Dads and the Watch Dog Dads at Emma Booker. 

Before the books were donated, Ashton students helped sort and package books by reading levels. Students were asked to recommend books to their Emma Booker peers.

Fifth grade student helped Jack Bates tie bundles of books. He recommends that students read some of his favorite series of books, such as “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” and “Harry Potter.”

“I want to encourage them to keep up their reading and to learn to enjoy it,” Jack said.