Ceres Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Amy Peterman read to first-graders at Samuel Vaughn Elementary School on Friday, Dec. 13 as a way to promote her “CUSD Reads” Superintendent’s Book Club.

She not only read “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” to students but also gave away books and awarded stickers to students. 

Peterman has launched the “CUSD Reads” Superintendent’s Book Club to encourage students to develop a love of reading. To join the club, students simply read any book on their own time and turn in an age-appropriate review at their school library (or draw a picture for grades TK/K). The book club runs from October through March and club members earn small rewards including stickers and bookmarks, plus a chance to win an e-reader.

CUSD Reads was developed in collaboration with district librarians and features monthly themes, such as kindness and friendship, to encourage students to interact with a variety of books. Through a partnership with the Ceres Library, students who check out a book within any month’s theme also receive a stamp on their Ceres Public Library Passport.

The correlation between reading and academic success is well-established and the benefits of reading are many. In addition to developing vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking, reading can improve memory, build empathy, and diminish stress. Peterman hopes the book club will provide opportunities for students to discover books that interest them and to associate reading with pleasure.

“There’s nothing quite like losing yourself in the pages of a book you can’t put down,” she said. “When our students experience that feeling – when they connect with a story and its characters – that’s when the magic happens and all of those other benefits naturally fall into place.”

The Superintendent’s Book Club is open to CUSD students in all grades. For more information, please visit https://www.ceres.k12.ca.us/o/cusd/page/cusd-reads.