News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 23, 2004
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gary Locke, Superintendent of Public Instruction Honor Clover Park School as January 2004 ‘Reading School of the Month’

Gov. Gary Locke and Terry Bergeson, state superintendent of public instruction, today presented Dower Elementary School with the “Reading School of the Month” award for January 2004. Dower Elementary is in the Clover Park School District.

“Reading is the foundation of all academic success,” Locke told students. “No matter what you want to be when you grow up, you have to start by being a good reader. I am so proud of all the progress the students at Dower have made in reading. It’s a credit to your hard work, and to the hard work of your teachers, administrators and parents.”

Dower Elementary is above the state average percentages in reading, writing, and mathematics on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). Nearly 69 percent of Dower students participate in the state’s free or reduced price lunch program.

“Schools selected for this award have done more than just raise the scores of their students,” Bergeson told students and teachers. “They’ve struck the right balance of a focus on instruction and providing an environment where the students and teachers feel supported and valued. Dower Elementary has an energy and excitement that’s all about helping students achieve their goals.”

Miss Washington 2003-04 Fianna Dickson also attended the event to talk about the importance of reading.

Locke and Bergeson also read “Bored! Bored! Bored!” by Jill Newton to an all-school assembly and presented an autographed copy of the book to the school librarian. The book describes how a bored shark finally finds a way to contribute to his deep-sea community.

The governor and the superintendent started the “Reading School of the Month” program in January 2002 to raise awareness about the importance of reading and learn how struggling schools made drastic changes to become exemplary reading schools.

Related Links:
- School of the Month Web site
- Governor's Web site
- Miss Washington Web site
- K-12 Web site


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