Lake County Gazette

This week, freshman English students at Coal City High School participated in an orientation at the Learning Resource Center (LRC). The session introduced students to research tools and reading resources designed to support their academic progress. Librarian Allison Peterson led the orientation, explaining how to use research databases, locate books through the digital card catalogue, and navigate the LRC website. Students also toured the facility and completed a scavenger hunt to familiarize themselves with available resources.

At the end of the visit, students chose independent reading novels as part of the Page-Turner Protocol. This initiative encourages students to build their reading stamina by gradually increasing daily reading time from 10 minutes to 30 minutes over seven weeks. The program aims to help students develop consistent reading habits.

In class, students will log their daily reading, write journals about their experiences, discuss books with classmates, and meet individually with Mrs. Hayse to review progress and book choices. The goal is for each student to find a suitable book.

“To support your students at home, ask them about what they’re reading and whether or not their book is a perfect fit,” Mrs. Hayse said.

Coal City Community Unit School District 1 includes several schools across Grundy and Will counties: Coal City Early Childhood Center, Coal City Elementary School, Coal City High School, Coal City Intermediate School, and Coal City Middle School (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, the district employs 153 teachers with an average salary of $69,297; nearly 78 percent are women (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The student body is predominantly White at almost 87 percent; Hispanic students make up nearly 10 percent (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020, district spending was $21,619 per student for a total expenditure of over $47 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).