ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – Roanoke City Public Schools held a literacy celebration at Monterey Elementary School Friday, with district leaders emphasizing reading as a cornerstone of student achievement from early childhood through graduation.<\/p>\n
Superintendent Dr. Verletta White said the event reflects a broader district commitment to literacy \u2014 defined not only as reading, but also writing, listening, and speaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cLiteracy is the foundation of every other content area,\u201d White said.<\/p>\n
She says the district support literacy through family academies, community events an daily classroom instruction at every grade level.<\/p>\n
Budget pressures loom over program continuity<\/p>\n
White acknowledged the district is facing a budget crunch heading into the next school year and said expansion of current programs is not planned. She said the priority is protecting classroom positions and preserving instructional quality.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome things will be compromised, unfortunately,\u201d White said. \u201cBut our focus is on protecting our classrooms and preserving as many positions as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said teachers and administrators work daily to know students \u201cby name, need, and strength.\u201d <\/p>\n