Michele Copeland

The 560 students at Potowmack Elementary School speak more than 20 different languages in their homes. To help the kindergarten through fifth-grade students maintain their English reading and comprehension skills during the summer break, Copeland created the "Super Summer Readers" program. The program, which specifically targets ESL (English as a Second Language) students and their parents, began in June 2007. School liaisons invite parents and students to the school for story times, to check out books, arts and crafts activities and computer use. Additionally, students borrow school-issued cassette players and headphones so they can enjoy audio books. After reading each selection, students take reading comprehension tests on the materials to help improve their reading comprehension and test-taking skills. Copeland hopes extending engaging reading materials to ESL students during summer months will prevent a regression in student reading and comprehension and minimize time spent on remediation at the start of the following school year. Copeland resides in Sterling.