Boscov’s Department Store, the new anchor store at Providence Place Mall, announced that it will align with Rhode Island’s Third Grade Reading Action Plan by offering in-store events focused on the joy of books, reading, and creativity.
Currently, just over one-third of Rhode Island third graders are reading on grade level and the store wants to help raise that number. “We have a space for families to gather, we have books, and we have a passion for giving kids a great childhood.” said Johanna Corcoran, Community Relations Manager for the store.
Boscov’s 2019 Literacy Schedule
- 11/9- 10:30am: Kick Off- Dr. Seuss Theme
- 11/16- 10:30am: Family Health & Wellness Event- including opportunities to hear books about Paddington, Corduroy and Curious George
- 11/23- 10:30am: Frozen Theme
- 11/30- 11:00am: A visit from Festival Ballet’s Sugar Plum Fairy, who will read and share music from “The Nutcracker”
- 12/7- 10:30am: Holiday Celebrations around the World- open reading with Rhode Island College’s Early Education students
- 12/14- 11:00am: Our favorite Snowman, Olaf visits to read “Olaf’s Night Before Christmas”
- 12/21- 11:00am-1:00pm: “Getting Ready for Santa” Mrs. Clause visits to read and lead crafts
To create the program, Corcoran reached out to key organizations in the state to work collaboratively. She sought the counsel of the Rhode Island Center for the Book, Providence Community Libraries, and Rhode Island College’s Early Childhood/Elementary Education Department. All will have a role in the program.
“We will be a partner to Rhode Island Center for the Book on their 2020 book selection,” said Corcoran. “There are a lot of exciting literacy opportunities for children and parents in Rhode Island in the coming year.”
The case is strong for this initiative, Corcoran said. According to a statistic provided by the Third Grade Reading Action Plan, students who do not read at grade level by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school than those who do. The Third Grade Reading Action Plan strives to have 75% of third graders in Rhode Island read at grade level by 2025.
