Get on Board for the celebration on Friday, January 30, when Virginia Beach Schools unveils its new state-of-the-art Reading Bus. Cooke Elementary will host the dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting which begins at 10 a.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the bus and meet and talk to the teachers who develop and conduct lessons on the bus. Each child attending the ceremony will receive a free book.

The Reading Bus is unique in Virginia and is part of Virginia Beach City Public Schools’ beginning literacy program designed for children ages 2-5. The bus travels to numerous communities throughout the city three times a week so that pre-school children can “get on board” and take part in activities such as story time, play time, music time, and arts and crafts. The goal is to help develop their reading readiness skills. No registration is needed for children to participate in the program but they must be accompanied by a parent.

The Reading Bus replaces the converted 15-year-old school bus that was formerly used by the division. The new vehicle is equipped with a host of amenities including an awning, built-in bookshelves, wheelchair lift, broadband two-way internet/network cabling, whiteboard, removable tables, raised ceiling for extra headroom, stereo, and TV/VCR.

The Reading Bus is funded through a federal Title I grant as part of the program’s parent outreach. For more information, please call Janet Smallwood, coordinator, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, 263-1188.

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