Detroit Public
Schools Community District, recognized for advancing student
literacy, will receive a school library makeover for Mason
Academy
NEW
YORK, Feb. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education, and
media company, together with the Council of the Great City
Schools (CGCS), a coalition of 78 of the nation's largest urban
public-school systems, announced Detroit Public Schools Community District
(DPSCD) as the winner of the Richard M. Robinson Literacy
Champion Award.
Named in honor of the late Scholastic Chairman and CEO, this
annual award recognizes a CGCS member school district for
demonstrated progress in advancing reading achievement with the
goal of further supporting gains by increasing access to digital
and print books, magazines, and materials within the district.
Students in DPSCD have achieved the highest literacy proficiency
in over a decade, and district officials credit this improvement to
a commitment by educators to nurturing and fostering a strong
literacy foundation for every student. Specifically, in 2023, DPSCD
reported significant gains in English Language Arts in grades 3-8
on the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) –
surpassing pre-pandemic results. In addition, the district has
provided access to committed school support, high-quality
curriculum materials that are culturally relevant, and
research-based reading intervention programs.
"It's a privilege to commemorate Dick
Robinson's legacy as a champion of children's literacy by
presenting this award to such a high-achieving district," said
Beth Polcari, Executive Vice
President and President, Scholastic Education Solutions. "Dr.
Nikolai Vitti, the committed
educators and professionals of the Detroit Public Schools Community District
deserve to be celebrated for the outstanding strides they've taken
to ensure both education and empowerment for students. Access to
books in classrooms, homes and combating the summer learning loss,
as research continually proves is important for building
foundational reading skills in this next generation of readers. Our
Kids & Family Reading Report™ has shown parents
agree every child needs access to books and this award will
continue to build upon Detroit's
commitment to children's literacy. On behalf of Scholastic, we are
proud to partner to build a stronger Detroit."
As part of the Richard M. Robinson Literacy Champion Award
prizing, DPSCD has selected Mason Academy to receive a library
makeover. This spring, Mason Academy will receive a donation of
more than 6,000 high-quality, age-appropriate books, a one-year
site license to Scholastic Literacy Pro®, an award-winning blended
learning program that provides 24/7 access to more than 2,500
fiction and nonfiction e-books for purposeful independent reading,
allowing personalized student choice while providing teachers with
real-time data to inform instruction. In addition, every enrolled
student will receive a summer book pack of 10 titles to take home
and own, encouraging independent reading beyond the classroom.
"The Council is excited to partner with Scholastic to present
the Richard M. Robinson Literacy Champion Award to the Detroit Public Schools Community District,
whose students have recently made progress in reading," said
Council Executive Director Ray
Hart. "Together, we will continue to advance the legacy
of Scholastic Chairman and CEO Richard
Robinson by supporting children's literacy and encouraging
students to become lifelong readers. We thank Scholastic for their
efforts to ensure equitable access to high-quality reading
materials in the nation's urban schools and look forward to this
award making a meaningful impact for the students and educators at
Mason Academy."
"It is an honor not only to be recognized as a high achieving
district within the Council, but it is also a point of pride to
have one of our schools be designated for a makeover to continue to
foster the love of reading with exciting updates and more books to
read," said Nikolai Vitti,
Superintendent, DPSCD. "We thank the Council and Scholastic for
their continued support of our district but most importantly,
supporting our students."
About Detroit Public Schools
Community District:
Detroit Public Schools
Community District is Michigan's largest public education system
with 106 schools serving grades pre-K through 12th.
DPSCD is governed by a locally-elected, seven-member board with Dr.
Nikolai Vitti serving as
superintendent. The district champions a whole child approach that
combines superior academics with socio-emotional, extracurricular,
and health services tailored to each student's needs. Learn more at
detroitk12.org.
About the Council of the Great City Schools:
The Council of the Great City Schools is the only national
organization exclusively representing the needs of urban public
schools. Composed of 78 large city school districts, its
mission is to promote the cause of urban schools and to advocate
for inner-city students through legislation, research and media
relations. The organization also provides a network for
school districts sharing common problems to exchange information,
and to collectively address new challenges as they emerge to
deliver the best possible education for urban
youth. www.cgcs.org
About Scholastic:
For more than 100 years, Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL)
has been encouraging the personal and intellectual growth of all
children, beginning with literacy. Having earned a reputation as a
trusted partner to educators and families, Scholastic is the
world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books, a
leading provider of literacy curriculum, professional services, and
classroom magazines, and a producer of educational and entertaining
children's media. The Company creates and distributes bestselling
books and e-books, print and technology-based learning programs for
pre-K to grade 12, and other products and services that support
children's learning and literacy, both in school and at home. With
international operations and exports in more than 135 countries,
Scholastic makes quality, affordable books available to all
children around the world through school-based book clubs and book
fairs, classroom libraries, school and public libraries, retail,
and online. Learn more at www.scholastic.com.
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SOURCE Scholastic Inc