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Preparing for Kindergarten in Onondaga County Preparing for Kindergarten in Onondaga County

By Jillian Andrews

Nicole Luebke:
“That he’s two and he’s almost full sentences. It’s pretty surprising to me.”

Michelle Knezovic:
“Nicole Luebke signed her two sons up for the Imagination Library program.
Her son Greg, is already saying words most two year olds don’t…”

Nicole Luebke:
“This is his favorite book right now, this Excavator book, and he can actually say excavator. It just progresses with them.”

Jillian Andrews:
“Luebke says her kids are more prepared for school because of this program.
She started this program as soon as Greg was born, and she can already see the difference.”

Nicole Luebke:
“My five year old was fairly advanced also, I think because of the reading stuff. But he definitely, I feel like he’s a little bit ahead, even where my other son was.”

Michelle Knezovic:
“Because of programs like these, this many kids were reading at grade level in Onondaga County, and now this many kids are reading at grade level.”

Kevin Schwab:
“The importance of third grade reading scores is that you move from kids learning to read in school to reading to learn.”

Jillian Andrews:
“Kevin Schwab is the co-chair of the Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County.
He says there is a direct correlation between kids prepared for kindergarten and high school graduation rates.
Schwab says it’s all about exposure.”

Kevin Schwab:
“There’s some value in kids just leafing through the books, looking at the pictures, making up their own stories, and understanding that they’re trying to read. That actually sets a kid up to be able to read when they get to school.”

Jillian Andrews:
“Thanks to programs like these, kids are more excited than ever to start kindergarten. This use to be the number of kids reading at grade level, now, this is the number.”

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Only 20% of third graders in the Syracuse City School District are reading at a third grade level. This is roughly 30% below the state-wide average, according to the Early Childhood Alliance of Onondaga County,

The Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County is working to change these statistics. The organization has partnered with programs like The Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to get kids ages zero to five prepared for kindergarten. Kids enrolled in the program get a free book in the mail every month.

Nicole Luebke is an Onondaga County resident, and the mother of two children enrolled in the Imagination Library Program. Her son Greg is two years old and loves getting his book from the mailbox each month. Luebke said her son is already saying words above his age level.

“His favorite book right now, this excavator book, and he can actually say excavator,” Luebke said.

Her five year old did not start the program as early as Greg did, and she said she can tell the difference.

Schwab said there is a direct correlation between third grade reading levels and high school graduation rates, said Kevin Schwab, the co-chair of the Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County. Furthermore, scoring well in third grade depends on readiness for kindergarten.

“There’s some value in kids just leafing through books, looking at pictures, making up their own stories, and understanding that they’re trying to read. That actually sets a kid up to be able to read when they get to school,” Schwab said.

The Imagination Library program is growing in Central New York. The Literacy Coalition has experienced months where it has enrolled 300 kids in the program.

Nationwide 115 million books have been distributed through the Imagination Library.

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