The Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) was named the 2023 Jumpstart’s Read for the Record School District of the Year for hosting an outstanding celebration.
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is the world’s largest shared reading experience and celebrates and supports children’s early language and social-emotional development. The event, a day of celebration and fun, builds an intergenerational community through reading and raises awareness around the critical importance of early learning. Every year, Jumpstart works with early education experts and their publishing partner to select a Read for the Record book. The 2023 book is a beautiful story about family, finding ways to stay connected and sharing love across distances titled “With Lots of Love” by Jenny Torres Sanchez.
On October 26, GSCS had a total of 2,381 students and 182 adults read “With Lots of Love.” View the slideshow with photos from participating GSCS schools HERE. You can also view the video of GSCS Superintendent Dr. Keith Simmons reading “With Lots of Love” at https://youtu.be/gMgeEV6AM2A.
In the letter announcing GSCS as the winner, Jumpstart Director of District Sales and Partnerships Toi Slydell stated, " We were so excited to see how your district participated in our annual shared reading experience. In today's fast-paced world, cultivating strong reading habits is more crucial than ever. It not only enhances academic performance but also builds critical thinking skills, boosts creativity, and instills a lifelong love for learning. Congratulations on this incredible milestone. Your achievement is a beacon of inspiration, lighting the way for a future where literacy and learning thrive. We are proud to have you as a shining example within the Jumpstart community."
Special thanks to Cowan Road Middle Speech-Language Pathologist Sonia Fields, M.S. CCC-SLP, for leading this effort along with Cowan Road Middle Media Specialist Julie Evans. Thank you to the GSCS Department of Exceptional Students (DES), DES teachers, English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers and school media specialists for making this event so successful.
As the winner, “With Lots of Love” Author Jenny Torres Sanchez will visit GSCS and do a special reading in February.