Fricano Primary School cited for 'exemplary reading program'

The staff and students of the Fricano Primary School in the Starpoint Central School District have received the International Literacy Association's Exemplary Reading Program Award.

Fricano Primary School was the sole recipient in New York state of the award and was one of 12 schools throughout the United States and Canada to win the prestigious International designation.

The school's reading instruction program was judged on 10 criteria by an outside literacy team composed of literacy experts from Canisius and Buffalo State Colleges. The reading program must:

• Be consistent with sound theory, research and practice.
• Facilitate student learning.
• Include a wide variety of reading materials.
• Demonstrate student success in reading.
• Include comprehension literacy strategies that are taught and applied across the curriculum.
• Integrate listening, speaking, viewing, and writing skills.
• Include administrative and teacher leadership and vision for the building and program.
• Offer other support services to the program.
• Include literacy activities outside of the school.
• Involve the community, including parents, in the program.
• To celebrate and recognize the staff and students for this achievement, a banner was installed over the entrance of the Fricano Primary School at Starpoint CSD.