The R.E.A.D. program is a level-appropriate, well-balanced literacy program for our youngest learners in grades 3-5. Through summer and school-year sessions, the goal is to create a “community of readers,” where each student can fulfill his potential and experience the joy of reading. Using a well-balanced literacy curriculum, the program incorporates eight principal components into the daily instruction: daily meeting; read aloud; book discussions; mini-lessons; shared-reading; guided reading; individuals reading; and writing workshops. We hope to develop lifetime readers by capturing students early in their educational careers in order to inspire in them a love of reading and to give them the literacy foundation upon which to build their future academic and professional endeavors.

The READ Program consists of: Summer Institute operating for 5 weeks in July and August for 4 hours per day, 4 days per week; three School-Year Seminars offered for 5 weeks in the fall, winter and spring for 2 hours per day, 3 days per week.

After completion of READ, students can enroll in BCNY’s nationally-recognized School Camp Program as rising 6th graders or the ground-breaking After School Academy as rising 7th graders to pursue academic, leadership and community service activities.