NLC and New Jersey League of Municipalities Help Seven Cities Launch Mayor’s Book Clubs
by Tonja Rucker and Laura McComas
 Mayors from seven New Jersey cities gathered at the New Jersey State Library in Trenton last week to announce that they will launch Mayor’s Book Clubs as part of their efforts to develop community-wide early literacy agendas.
The seven cities — Clifton, Hightstown, Hope Township, Jersey City, Mount Arlington, Neptune Township and Trenton — will receive technical assistance from NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute) and the New Jersey State League of Municipalities (NJLM) in partnership with the National Center for Family Literacy, and with support from the New Jersey Verizon Foundation.
“Mayors recognize the importance of early care and education to the future of New Jersey,” said William Dressel, NJLM executive director. “Our communities’ economic vitality depends on our success in providing high-quality education — and a crucial role that city leaders play is promoting school readiness among children well before first grade.”
The Mayor’s Book Club Model
The new technical assistance initiative is based on the Mayor’s Book Club model, which cities such as Charleston, S.C., Jacksonville, Fla., Longmont, Colo., and Lynchburg, Va., have incorporated into their broader early care and education plans.
Typically developed for children under the age of 5, Mayor’s Book Clubs include a range of activities that engage parents and caregivers in promoting early literacy. Specific components may include free books and literacy materials for families of young children, parent education classes, efforts to expand access to community-based early education resources, and public events at which the mayor reads a book to children.
“We plan to reach out in our communities and adapt the Mayor’s Book Club model in ways that promote an early literacy agenda and help young children enter school ready to succeed,” said Tim McDonough, mayor of Hope Township and NJLM President.
Developing Local Early Literacy Plans
To kick off the project, the YEF Institute and NJLM hosted a one-day leadership academy that included presentations from local and national experts and a session on how to develop a Mayor’s Book Club led by a representative from the City of Jacksonville. City teams then engaged in a strategic planning session to develop goals and next steps for advancing Mayor’s Book Clubs in their cities.
Several cities, including Clifton, Jersey City and Mount Arlington, will focus on strengthening local partnerships with schools, public libraries and community partners and developing comprehensive school readiness plans to reach more children in those communities. Hightstown and Neptune Township plan to work on expanding parental engagement in early literacy efforts.
In Trenton, the Mayor’s Book Club project will focus on using reading as a means for problem-solving. “With older children as mentors, our children will be reading about the importance of helping others, staying healthy and succeeding in school and college,” said Mayor Douglas H. Palmer. “These are real issues — and reading brings them home.”
Statewide Support
Six of the seven project city mayors attended a press conference at the launch event, and several mayors read to young children from Trenton’s Head Start program. New Jersey Department of Education Commissioner Lucille Davy also gave remarks emphasizing the state’s support for early literacy programs.
“New Jersey is fortunate to have many elected officials — including Gov. [Jon] Corzine and the mayors launching book clubs today — who recognize that early literacy is one of the most important building blocks to a successful future for our children,” said Davy.
Details: To learn more about the YEF Institute’s early education initiatives, visit www.nlc.org/iyef or contact Tonja Rucker at (202) 626-3004 or rucker@nlc.org.
Local Early Childhood Plans for the New Jersey Mayor’s Book Club Initiative
Clifton
The City of Clifton plans to take a comprehensive, community-wide approach to promoting early literacy through the Mayor’s Book Club project. Plans include partnering with the public school system, public library, Clifton Head Start and Clifton Boys and Girls Club to develop a Community Literacy Plan addressing the needs of young children, school-age children, youth and adults. The city hopes to tackle the literacy deficiencies that begin at an early age by expanding services and resources to parents.
Hightstown
Increasing parental awareness and involvement is a major project goal for the Hightstown Mayor’s Book Club. Municipal leaders and community partners will develop and host a series of parent workshops to encourage reading in the home. Mayor Robert Patten will partner with the public library and the Better Beginnings Child Development Center. The mayor and his committee hope to extend the program to other early childhood providers in the area as well.
Hope Township
Hope Township will use the Mayor’s Book Club project as a vehicle to develop a local early literacy/school readiness plan. Through the project, Mayor Tim McDonough will draw upon national experts, best practices and planning support to develop a comprehensive approach to Hope Township’s early literacy needs.
Jersey City
Local leaders in Jersey City will establish a Mayor’s Book Club initiative that will be dynamic and comprehensive enough to reach every child in this diverse community. The city plans to partner with the Jersey City Free Public Library to introduce children and families to new books, offer literacy assistance and create a supportive community for readers.
Mount Arlington
In Mount Arlington, the public schools and public library have established a variety of programs to support early literacy, such as a Seniors Reading with Students initiative and Family Literacy Nights. Through the Mayor’s Book Club project, Mayor Arthur Ondish plans to partner with the library, schools, the Senior Citizens Committee, Columbia Teachers College Reading and Writing Project and the local Board of Education.
Neptune Township
Neptune Township has brought together a strong set of community partners for its Mayor’s Book Club initiative, including the Neptune Senior Center, the public schools and Board of Education, Literacy Volunteers of Monmouth County, the public library, the Department of Vital Statistics and Meridian Health, a local health care provider. Spearheaded by Mayor Michael Brantley, this team will encourage parents to read to their children, increase access to available community literacy resources and focus on reaching underserved children and families.
Trenton
For his Mayor’s Book Club initiative, Mayor Douglas Palmer, along with the public library and public schools, plans to lead an effort that focuses on “Reading For Problem-Solving.” His proposed model includes encouraging older students to read to young children and serve as peer leaders on topics such as preventing the flu and preparing for college.
|