Brooks School Elementary Parent Honored with 2008 Literacy Award

The Hamilton County Reading Association recently recognized Brooks School Elementary parent Marcia Gibson with its 2008 Literacy Award. Nominated by teacher Leslie Hopper, Gibson initiated the “Read across America ” volunteer program at BSE.

She coordinates and provides training for parent volunteers in strategies to support struggling readers. The training includes reading methods, phonics and writing support. Then each parent volunteer visits a classroom one day a week for an hour of work with students needing extra help. “In many cases, a positive relationship develops between the parent volunteers and the students with whom they work, so much that the students are eager to work with them!” said Hopper in her nomination of Gibson.

The program began with one parent assigned to each of the first grade classrooms and expanded this year to include a parent for each second grade class too. “Using her expertise in education and reading, Mrs. Gibson has gone above and beyond in contributing to our school’s reading success!” said Hopper.