The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) students and families can look forward to richer and more diverse classroom libraries this fall, thanks to a $1.5 million investment aimed at fostering a lifelong love of reading.
This one-time funding has already been distributed to every school in the district, which include Rockland Public School and Russell Public School, with each receiving between $13,000 and $26,000. The funds are being used to purchase high-quality books that are engaging, inclusive, and designed to ignite curiosity and joy in students of all ages.
“Through this investment, our goal is to encourage more kids to pick up a book and read for the enjoyment of it – be it a traditional chapter book, a picture book or a graphic novel. Access to high-quality books is an important part of building a love of reading,” stated Executive Superintendent Eric Hardie. “Reading is a critical skill for all students and central to this work is providing students with both the opportunity and motivation to learn through updated book collections.”
Allocations were based on school enrolment, enabling staff to select hundreds of new books tailored to their students’ interests and reading levels. Notably, at least 15 per cent of the funds must be spent on literature that reflects Indigenous culture, ensuring collections are inclusive and representative.
School teams have been encouraged to consult with educators, students, and parent councils to help guide purchasing decisions, ensuring the new materials reflect a variety of voices, perspectives, and learning needs.
“As a former principal, being given this much to money to spend on reading books is a dream. Enhancing reading skills is a top priority for our school district and I’m proud we are making this investment to ensure our student have access to a wide range of books and authors,” stated UCDSB Chair Jamie Schoular.
The expanded collections are expected to arrive by fall 2025, giving students across the UCDSB greater access to the stories, ideas, and cultures that shape the world around them.
