Burton Glen Students Drop Everything To Read

Each Tuesday and Thursday, third- through fifth-grade students at Burton Glen Charter are silent during the final 10 minutes of lunch.

It’s a different approach to learning, said Kevin Johnson, achievement and behavior specialist at the school.

Johnson and LaShema Marble, the upper elementary dean at Burton Glen, have instituted this new initiative, which they call DEAR (Drop Everything And Read). The new program promotes reading throughout school culture by requiring students to read during the last 10 minutes of lunch, two days a week.

"In light of recent legislation pertaining to our third graders, it's vital,” said Johnson. “This wasn't done as a punitive approach; I simply believe our scholars need to read...and read, and read some more."