Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 21, 2004
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact:  Kim Schmanke, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, 360-725-6015;

Gov. Gary Locke, Superintendent of Public Instruction Honor Bellevue School as May 2004 ‘Reading School of the Month’

Gov. Gary Locke and Terry Bergeson, state superintendent of public instruction, today presented Stevenson Elementary School in Bellevue with the “Reading School of the Month” award for May 2004.

“No matter what you want to do in life, you have to start by being a good reader,” Locke told the students. “Reading is the key to all academic success. I am so proud of all the progress Stevenson students have made in reading. You definitely deserve this honor.”

Stevenson Elementary is a diverse school with about 30 different languages spoken by its students. Fifty-two percent of its students speak a first language other than English. Even with the language challenges, the school has made great strides in reading. Its fourth graders scored above the state average percentages in reading, writing and mathematics on the 2003 Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). Stevenson is also a Washington Reading Corps school, and 44 percent of its students participate in the state’s free or reduced price lunch program.

“You should be very proud of the hard work that has led to such incredible growth in the numbers of students learning to read well,” Bergeson told an all-school assembly. “The teachers and leaders of Stevenson have done a great job creating a learning environment filled with energy and excitement. Congratulations on all your success.”

Locke and Bergeson read “A Fine, Fine School” by Sharon Creech to the all-school assembly and presented an autographed copy of the book to the school librarian. Miss Washington 2003-04 Fianna Dickson also attended the event to talk about the importance of reading.

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.

Locke also promoted his 2004 Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge, which begins in June. He is encouraging all Washington state residents under the age of 18 to read 15 hours or more by Labor Day (Sept.6) and report their success by Sept. 18. Students can participate through any summer reading program or by reading on their own. Each student who meets the challenge will receive a signed certificate from the governor and be eligible for a trip for four to Disneyland.

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