Valley Parents Winter/Spring 2024

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CONTENTS

VALLEY NEWS / REPORT FOR AMERICA — ALEX DRIEHAUS

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Valley Parents, February 2024

Anna Marie DeVito, left, reads a book with her son Max DeVito, 2, both of Hartland, during story time at the Hartland Public Library on Jan. 20. The library is among those who encourage patrons to participate in 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, in which adults read to children younger than 5.

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A growing number of libraries offer children the opportunity to sign up to read to a therapy dog. The experience offers a low-pressure environment for the kids to practice reading aloud.

Volunteers partner with students around Hartford to bond over a love of reading during recess through the Everybody Wins! program. Some need the extra time to practice while others are just looking for more time to spend with a book.

FURRY FRIENDS WITH LISTENING EARS

MENTORS HELP SHARE THE JOY OF READING

: ON THE COVER

Vivienne Underhill, 7, reads “The Couch Potato” by Jory John and Pete Oswald to Nala, a 2-year-old boxer therapy dog, at the Fiske Free Library in Claremont on Jan. 25. The library hosts three therapy dogs who visit for children to read to in 15-minute slots.

VALLEY NEWS — JAMES PATTERSON

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Valley Parents, February 2024

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Children practice reading skills with dogs

VALLEY NEWS — JAMES M. PATTERSON

Nala the boxer wakes up from a nap after Anastasia Underhill, of Claremont, 11, right, finishes a chapter of the Magic Ponies book she chose for a 15minute reading session with the therapy dog at Fiske Free Library in Claremont on Jan. 25.

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Valley Parents, February 2024

Program helps build literacy levels and promote self-esteem

By PATRICK O’GR ADY

Valley News Correspondent CLAREMONT — At the Fiske Free Library earlier this year, a young girl was asked if she would like to read to Nala, a 2-year-old boxer, who visits the library with her handler as part of the Read-toa-Dog program.

“The girl said, ‘I can’t read yet,’ ” Nala’s handler, Vicki Bonneau recalled. “So we gave her a book and she ‘read’ the pictures in the story to Nala.”

It was just one example of how canines are sometimes better than adults at prompting a child to read.

“I would say it is building confidence to read and it builds their self-esteem,” Bonneau said about the program during an afternoon session at Fiske.

“There is no judgment from the dog if you stumble or are having a rough time with a word. A dog does not care if you go slow or read the wrong word.”

Nala is a therapy dog and has gone through all of the appropriate training to ensure she will behave around children. Bonneau, who works as a paraprofessional at Maple Avenue Elementary School in Claremont and brings Nala to school, said she was aware of Read-to-a-Dog through Caring Animal Partners, a New London nonprofit. She thought it would be a good fit for Fiske.

Last October, she began bringing Nala to the library twice a month. Nala shares her duties with Ben, a golden retriever, and Arwen, a border collie, on different days. Each child and canine pair read together for 15 minutes.

“She was the power behind it,” Fiske Children’s Librarian Martha DeTore-Woods said about Bonneau.

First up for Nala on a late January afternoon was 4-year-old Barrett Bentley and his dad, Eric.

Seated in the corner of the children’s section, Eric Bentley read a couple of books about The Incredible Hulk with Nala laying on a large pillow next to SEE RE ADING S6

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Children practice their reading skills with dogs

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Valley Parents, February 2024

RE ADING FROM S4 Barrett, who knew a few words in the book and fed the dog some treats.

Anastasia and Vivienne Underhill, who attend Bluff Elementary School, came to the library with their mother, Nicole.

Anastasia read a Magic Ponies book to Nala while holding her paw.

She scratched under her chin and fed her a few treats. As Anastasia’s 15 minutes ended, Nala rested her head on Anastasia’s lap and closed her eyes.

“I have been doing it since November,” Anastasia, 11, said after her reading session. “I like sitting with Nala. She likes the food and is a good listener.”

Vivienne read Nala “The Couch Potato,” by Jory John. She won the boxer ’s affection with treats and occasional pets.

“She is cute, and there are so many things I like about her,” Vivienne, 7, said.

Bonneau said the program allows many children contact with a pet that they may not otherwise have in their lives.

“I find a lot of kids are unable to have a pet and have that bond with a pet,” Bonneau said. “The kids who read to Nala take to her well.”

DeTore-Woods said they assessed the popularity of the program and knew one dog twice a month was not enough. Caring Animal Partners volunteers Susan Fletcher brought Ben and Sandraleigh Spreckler brought Arwen to expand the program to three dogs. There are eight 15minute sessions available each month, with one of the dogs available for an hour twice a week.

“It is popular,” DeTore-Woods said. “I am booked to the end of the month (February) and have kids wait-listed.”

An article in SC Psychological Enterprises by Stanley Coren, a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia, reported findings of a study comparing progress of 7and 8-year-old children reading to an adult or to a dog. Assistance was provided either by an adult reader or the dog’s handler. Coren stated that children with reading difficulties will feel ashamed, lose self-esteem as they struggle and lose their motivation to read when asked to read in front of classmates.

The research team concluded from the study results that “while reading improved in both conditions, the canine-assisted reading support

VALLEY NEWS — JAMES M. PATTERSON

Barrett Bentley, 4, left, and his dad Eric Bentley, of Claremont, stop to admire Nala, a therapy dog that Vicki Bonneau, middle, brings to the Fiske Free Library in Claremont every other week to read with children, on Jan. 25.

Bonneau is a para-educator at Maple Avenue Elementary, and she and Nala are one of three therapy dog teams that visit the library for the reading sessions. Anastasia Underhill, 10, of Claremont, is at right.

“We are always trying to engage kids at many different levels, and there are many ways of participating at the library.”

KATE MINSHALL children’s librarian and library director at Enfield Public Library contributed to greater gains in both oral reading and reading comprehension scores than did the adult-assisted intervention,” according to the article.

Latham Memorial Library in Thetford and Enfield Public Library also conduct Read-to-a-Dog sessions.

“I think it is a great opportunity for libraries to have this,” said Kate Minshall, children’s librarian and library director at Enfield Public Library.

“We are always trying to engage kids at many different levels, and there are many ways of participating at the library.”

At an early February, one-hour Read-to-a-Dog event at the Enfield library, Francine, a black poodle, and her handler, Mary Anne Levine, heard four readers in grades ranging from first to fourth.

“It was great,” Minshall said.

“Francine is loving and affectionate.”

Minshall said a first grader, apprehensive about reading in front of Francine’s handler, had her mother read. But slowly, she began participating and, after the 12 minutes of reading, was eager to sign up for a March reading spot.

Minshall said she wants to keep the program going and will make adjustments as needed.

“We are just trying to get as many kids as we can who want to participate and reach out to as many as we can and tell them, ‘Here is an opportunity, would you like to try it?’ ” she said.

At Latham Library, assistant director Emily Zollo said they began the program late last summer with Dasher, a yellow Labrador. Dasher’s owners, Ray and Mary Chin, are li-

brary patrons and bring Dasher to Thetford Elementary School.

Zollo said it has been a success and on a recent Friday in early February there were eight readers for Dasher.

“I’m hoping to get kids interested in reading, particularly kids who are starting to read on their own,” Zollo said. “It is really good practice for kids learning to read, to read aloud, and sometimes kids might be more comfortable reading to a dog.”

An added benefit is new library members for Latham.

“It is a great way to bring people into the library who might not be regular library users,” Zollo said. “We’ve seen some new people, which is always fantastic, and have signed up some new library cards.”

Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.

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‘If kids love to read, they will read more’ Mentorship program pairs students with encouraging adults

By PATRICK O’GR ADY

Valley News Correspondent HITE RIVER JUNCTION — At White River School on a Tuesday morning in late January, most of the children put on their hats, mittens and snow pants and headed out to the playground.

But others went in a different direction: downstairs to spend about an hour reading, playing games and enjoying some conversation with their adult mentors through the program Everybody Wins! Vermont.

“I like it because it is fun, and I can get tired of recess,” said third-grader Violet Albers about her time with her mentor, Stephanie McCaull, of Norwich, who has been with the program a total of seven years — save for a break during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the small table before them was Violet’s book choice, “The Tail of Emily Winsnap” by Liz Kessler.

There was also the popular Mad Libs word game book and a card game.

“Each card has a picture, and you use the pictures to tell a story,” Violet said.

At the table next to McCaull and Violet were Bradley Driver, a third-grader, and Frank Olmstead, who joined Everybody Wins! a year ago on the recommendation of his wife, who also is a mentor. Spread out on their table were small tiles, each with a letter, and Bradley and Olmstead, of Norwich, who turned them over randomly to try to build words.

Bradley also described his time with Olmstead as “fun.”

“We almost always read and we are trying to complete this log with a list of books,” Olmstead said,

VALLEY NEWS - JENNIFER HAUCK

At the White River School, Susan Caruso reads with first-grader Genevieve O'Connell on Jan. 30 in White River Junction. Caruso has volunteered for the Everybody Wins! Vermont program at the school for five weeks.

Valley Parents, February 2024

SEE MENTORS 10

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Valley Parents, February 2024

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Relationships form foundation of reading mentorship

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Valley Parents, February 2024

MENTORS FROM 8 opening the folder with the log sheets and book titles, including the “Bad Kitty” series, one on Abraham Lincoln and a Dr. Seuss book.

White River School has been involved in Everybody Wins! Vermont for about 20 years, which is the longest of any school.

Meghan Riege, Everybody Wins! site coordinator at White River School, said every fall she explains the program to all students in grades one through five. For those who express an interest, she will first obtain a permission slip from a parent or guardian, then speak to the students individually. While some may need help in reading, others are strong readers who want some extra time reading and want a new friend, Riege said.

Mentors and mentees are paired for one to five years.

“The mentor/mentee relationship is the foundation of the program,” Riege said. “It is the most important thing, and then the reading. The love of books stems from that engagement with books and the mentors sharing their love of books and the desire to read with kids.”

Teaching children how to read — the responsibility of the teachers and paraprofessionals — is not the mentor’s role, Riege emphasized. “The mentors share their enthusiasm for reading and learning what books the students like. In class, they are told what they will read; we emphasize students choosing what they like to read.”

Ellen Kucera is the program manager for the East region of Everybody Wins! She is restarting programs at Westshire Elementary and Samuel Morey in the Rivendell Interstate School District and in Tunbridge in the First Branch School District, all of which were shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kucera said they are beginning with second-graders, but expect to expand later to include third-, fourth- and fifth-graders.

“We are getting the word out and getting a site manager,” Kucera said, adding that schools interested in the program reach out to Everybody Wins! to begin the process. “There are a lot of little logistics that need to be done. Right now we are actively looking for volunteers.”

Beth Wallace, executive director of Everybody Wins! Vermont, said finding mentors in rural areas can sometimes be a challenge.

“Generally speaking, once people know about the program, it is not that hard to find mentors,” Wallace said. “People really want to help; that has been my experience. They want to help kids, and they understand why reading is really important.”

Before the pandemic, Wallace said they had more than 20 volunteers at Tunbridge Elementary, which now has students in grades K-4.

“In a tiny town like that, we had a mentor for every child who wanted one,” Wallace said.

Wallace said being more empathetic and participating in more extracurricular activities are additional benefits of mentoring.

“What Everybody Wins! does is combine mentoring with literacy,” Wallace said. “So the focus is a friendship between an adult and child during which you read books, explain ideas and have conversations and fall in love with language and

VALLEY NEWS - JENNIFER HAUCK

At the White River School, Everybody Wins! Vermont volunteer Patty Maxfield, of Lebanon, and thirdgrader Sarah Lemire play a word game on Jan. 30 in White River Junction. Maxfield has been volunteering with the program for eight years.

VALLEY NEWS PHOTOS - JENNIFER HAUCK

While eating her lunch, third-grader Violet Albers and volunteer Stephanie McCaull, of Norwich, play a word game at the White River School on Jan. 30. McCaull has been with the program for seven years.

Jim Jeffords, of Vermont, participated in Everybody Wins! while in Washington and brought the program, which was started in New

York City, back to his home state. It is limited to Vermont schools now, but when it was first introduced around 2000, Claremont’s Bluff Ele-

mentary School joined and has been allowed to continue. Bluff site coordinator Toni Williams, who has been with the program about nine years, said they have 18 mentors for students in third, fourth and fifth grades.

“We are doing well for a small school,” Williams said in the library where five pairs of mentors and children sit together reading and playing games. “The advantage of Everybody Wins! is that it is not just about being a reader but being a buddy. … They really build a relationship and the kids look forward to being here.”

Wallace, the executive director of Everybody Wins!, emphasized the importance of that relationship building.

“Having that experience of being read to by somebody you care about and cares about you is a foundational experience,” Wallace said.

Those interested in learning more about the program and becoming a mentor can visit everybodywinsvermont.org/become-a-mentor.

Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.

Valley Parents, February 2024

Everybody Wins! Vermont volunteer Spencer Wallack, of White River Junction, reacts to the game he and fourthgrader C.J. Stocker are playing at the White River School on Jan. 30 in White River Junction. After reading a book together, the pair finished with the game. Wallack is in his first year volunteering the program.

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stories.”

The love of reading can expand opportunities for children.

“If kids love to read, they will read more, get better at it, and that opens all kinds of worlds for them and they do better in schools,” she said.

Back at White River School, Richard Nuegass, of Norwich, shared his time with fourth-grader Cooper Clews. They read “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” which Cooper described as “pretty funny.”

“I think reading is close to being the most important skill a kid can have,” said Nuegass, who was introduced to the program through the Lions Club in Norwich. “It opens their eyes to the world, and I love telling stories.”

Meanwhile, Patty Maxfield filled in a Mad Libs story and did word searches with Sarah Lemire, a thirdgrader. Her reasons for becoming a mentor were echoed by others at White River School.

“I love the child I work with, and it is so much fun,” Maxfield, of Lebanon, said. “I always leave here feeling really good.”

Upstairs at White River School, Susan Caruso and Laurie Levinger spent time with their mentees.

Caruso, who had a long career in the medical library at the University of Vermont and at Dartmouth’s Baker Library, said she learned about Everybody Wins! on Facebook and began in December.

“I wish I had known about it sooner,” Caruso, of White River Junction, said, reading to Genevieve O’Connell, a first-grader. “I like her, and I like the reading. We made a big jump today. At first she didn’t want to read but now picks out her own book.”

Genevieve held “Dory Fantasmagory: Head in the Clouds,” by Abby Hanlon.

“I read it at my house,” Genevieve said about the book she chose. “It is about a little girl’s imagination and her imaginary friend, a witch.”

Nearby, Levinger, of Norwich, admired a drawing by her student, first-grader Naima Piluszewska, who drew herself twirling on ice skates.

“I get to hang out with Naima; she tells me stories and draws, and I read to her,” Levinger said about why she mentors. “In between reading and drawing, we talk. She tells me about her family and her kittens that live in the garage.”

Wallace said the late U.S. Senator

VALLEY NEWS / REPORT FOR AMERICA — ALEX DRIEHAUS

Youth Services Librarian Amy VanderKooi, center, reads “What Pete Ate from A to Z” during story time at the Hartland Public Library in Hartland on Jan. 20.

Encouraging a pursuit of literacy 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten incentivizes grown-ups to read to their children

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Valley Parents, February 2024

By PATRICK O’GR ADY

Valley News Correspondent HARTLAND — With plenty of books at home and regular visits to the children’s section of the Hartland Public Library, Marly Ashworth understands the value of reading to her young children.

That’s where the family participates in the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program: Ashworth’s oldest daughter, Ellis, 5, completed 1,000 books already, and her younger daughter, Rhys, 2, is on her way to

the same accomplishment.

“It’s been wonderful,” Ashworth said. “They keep a tally at the library and make it so easy to check mark books (that have been read).”

The program is free for families and libraries — though there are materials that can be purchased from the 1,000 Books by Kindergarten foundation, a national nonprofit based in Nevada — and can be structured and designed to suit each library ’s needs and resources.

Amy VanderKooi, children’s librarian at the Hartland Public Li-

brary, said they began 1,000 Books not quite two years ago.

“For us, it is recognizing how important it is for kids to be read to at a young age and how that translates into lots of literary skills down the road,” VanderKooi said.

Visible benchmarks at the Hartland library from the program engage and encourage children to love reading. Participants can also chart their progress at home, adding to the fun.

In Hartland, a pillar in the library has large, colorful crayon cutouts

and a child’s name on each one. As children reach a milestone — such as reading 100 or 200 books — the number is pasted on the crayon and the child earns a small prize such as a tote bag, small stuffed animal or a free book.

“The kids get their name up there and, for little kids, that’s exciting,” VanderKooi said about the crayon cutouts.

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VALLEY NEWS / REPORT FOR AMERICA — ALEX DRIEHAUS

Names of children participating in the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program decorate the wall at the Hartland Public Library on Jan. 20. The program encourages young children to get excited about reading. After every 100 books they read, participants can collect a sticker or a prize like a bag or book.

Literacy program looks to get families reading together

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Valley Parents, February 2024

BOOKS FROM S12 they can color a small picture. Books read during story time at the library or maybe with a grandparent over Zoom also count.

“We have different ways to encourage that excitement and participation,” VanderKooi said. “It is really fun to see when they bring their sheets back and you see how they personalize them, such as coloring them in, using a different color on different days. It is something that becomes part of the ritual with the family.”

Ashworth said their involvement at the library was “kick-started” in late 2020 during the COVID-19 when they could order a bag of books and pick it up curbside. When the library reopened, Ashworth visited regularly

with her children and was impressed by the large children’s book collection. She signed up Ellis for 1,000 Books, and her daughter was immediately engaged, keeping close track of the books she read.

“She could sit for an hour or two and read with us,” Ashworth said, adding that Ellis attends a nearby preschool and they come over to the library for reading days. “That was all because of that program and because of the Hartland Library. It has been a big part of our life the last four years.”

VanderKooi said they have flyers around the library promoting the program. When families come in with preschool-aged children, staff members try to bring it up.

“We let parents know and encourage them to sign up,” VanderKooi

said.

While 1,000 books may seem like a lot, VanderKooi said they are usually short books with not many words and mostly pictures. Reading the same book several times counts toward the 1,000.

“If you read one book a night, then you are done in three years,” VanderKooi said.

Upon completion, the child is rewarded with a certificate.

In Claremont, Renee Mayer and her daughter, Martille, now 6 and a first-grader at Maple Avenue Elementary School, began the program at Fiske Free Library in earl 2021 amid the pandemic.

The family had moved to Claremont from the West Coast a couple months prior after Mayer’s husband got a job offer. They knew no one in

the community, and there was no preschool because of the pandemic.

“The only place I could take her was the library,” Mayer said. “I was blown away by the children’s section.

It is an amazing collection.”

Though she had read to her daughter from a young age, Mayer said they decided to sign up for 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten and read books from the library even though they had plenty of books at home.

“I wanted to develop that relationship with our family and our library,” Mayer said. “It became part of our weekly routine: Get 20 books from the library and read each one and record what we read on the paper they give you. We wanted to expose her to as many books and stories as possible.

“It was really inspiring,” Mayer

added. “It is such a great program to do with kids, and the library makes it fun.”

Fiske Library had run the program for several years, but interest waned during COVID. More recently, children’s librarian Martha DeToreWoods has been working to bring awareness to the program for families with young children.

Tina Bergeron’s 6-year-old son, Jevin, completed the program at Fiske in 2022, and her 2-year old, Rhyer, will begin it later. She credits DeTore-Woods for making 1,000 Books fun and engaging for the children. They get tally sheets they can color in, receive prizes and stickers

for each 100 books read.

“We like to make it a big deal because it is,” DeTore-Woods said.

After kids read 1,000 books, they earn a framed certificate, a medal and a free book at a small ceremony at the library.

“He loved it, and it gave him that much more incentive to read,” Bergeron said about Jevin. “It is a great program to keep you on track to read to your kids, and it is a good way for kids to keep you on track as well.”

Bergeron also organizes a monthly reading program on Sunday mornings at the Elks Club with a guest reader and three free books for children who attend.

VanderKooi said even though many children entering kindergarten can’t read yet, the program places them in an environment where they get comfortable with reading.

“Having that familiarity with reading and being read to, starting to have recognition of letters and also liking to read because it has been such a positive part of their life, goes a long way both in literary skills and

the comfort that goes along with it,” VanderKooi said.

The parents, she said, get a lot out of it as well.

“Most parents are excited to read to their kids because it is a nice time to be together and it is a way to validate the importance of reading,” VanderKooi said.

Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.

Now Hiring

SUMMER CELEBRATION CAMP Children ages 4 years-5th grade July 9-12, Tues-Fri, 9:00am-11:30am at Wellspring Worship Center Details and registration available at christredeemerchurch.org under the Events menu.

All are welcome!

NE-437843

Closet Treasures Consignment Shop

Children’s, Women’s, Men’s & Juniors

Shop Winter Clearance Sale!

Spring items available soon!

Hours: Thurs-Sat 9-6, Sun 10-4

603-865-1898

5 Willis Avenue Grantham, NH 03753

www.Closettreasuresnh.com

Crossroads Academy STRONG MINDS • KIND HEARTS

Public Speaking

Accelerated Math

Student Mentors

Service Trips

Forest Fridays

Learn more by scheduling a tour today!

VALLEY NEWS / REPORT FOR AMERICA — ALEX DRIEHAUS

John Crossley, right, helps his sons Casper, 4, center, and Hector, 7, draw dinosaurs that start with the first letter of their names during story time at the Hartland Public Library on Jan. 20. The theme of the week for story time was the alphabet, and participants decorated letters after reading alphabet books.

Email admissions@crossroadsacademy.org to plan your visit or learn more about the Crossroads Academy’s Core Knowledge and Core Virtues curriulum at www.crossroadsacademy.org.

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Valley Parents, February 2024

An Independent Coeducational K–8 school in Lyme, NH

Pediatrics Healthcare for your children, and the whole family is here at Valley Regional Hospital. Preventative medicine including immunizations is critical to your child’s health. Our providers support the growth and wellness of your newborn and they care for patients up to age 18. If you have been looking for a compassionate and skilled pediatric team to support the needs of your growing family, contact us!

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Valley Parents, February 2024

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Valley Regional Hospital – WE CARE about your children!

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Valley Regional Hospital www.VRH.org Valley Regional Hospital has been caring for the greater Claremont community since 1893.