Eighth graders Kellen McCarty, James White, and Juan Sanchez Taveras read to Robinson Elementary School students. (Photo Courtesy Mansfield Public Schools) 
Eighth-grader Jaquevian Cohen-Miller reads to Robinson Elementary School students. (Photo Courtesy Mansfield Public Schools) 
Eighth-grader Kellen McCarty reads to Robinson Elementary School students. (Photo Courtesy Mansfield Public Schools) 
Sixth-grader James MacKay with his younger brother from Mrs. Lynch’s kindergarten class. (Photo Courtesy Mansfield Public Schools)
MANSFIELD — Superintendent Teresa Murphy and Principal Dave McGovern are pleased to share that students in the Qualters Middle School (QMS) Robinson Readers Program recently read to Robinson Elementary School students as part of their class curriculum.
Spearheaded by teacher Jesse Bellico and Robinson Librarian Beth McGlone, the QMS Robinson Readers Program aims to strengthen community connection, practice reading fluency, and provide a mentor role to QMS students. Building reading fluency is an integral part of overall reading development. The QMS Robinson Readers Program provides students with an engaging and motivating way to practice those skills.
This is the third year that sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade QMS students have participated in the program.
As part of the program, QMS students select a book of their choosing to present to Robinson Elementary School students. Book choices are then reviewed by Robinson Elementary School staff before being presented during Robinson students’ library block.
This year, students from QMS Teacher Bellico’s class read to Scott Cohen’s kindergarten class, Emily Perry’s first-grade class and Michelle FItzgerald’s first-grade class.
“I cannot think of a better way to finish the trimester than the Robinson Reader program,” said QMS Teacher Bellico. “Most students report that this is the highlight of the course. The Robinson students get so excited to work with our middle schoolers.”
From this experience, QMS students build their reading fluency and increase confidence by serving in a mentorship role. In return, Robinson students enjoy the experience of having peer role models read aloud to them.
“I went for the first time last year,” said QMS Student Prince Moise. “Since I was in seventh grade, I was confident. I wasn’t sure how the kids would like it but they were all smiling so I think they really enjoyed it.”
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