A few years ago, Callie Flusche, a first-grade teacher at Upland Heights Elementary, started inviting some members of her family to read to her students. The idea came from a fellow teacher friend from another school district. Flusche’s father was the first to be invited and came around Christmas to read the "Night Before Cowboy Christmas". The students relished the opportunity to speak with a real ‘cowboy’ and asked him all about raising cows and what it was like to work on a ranch.  

After seeing how much the students loved having her family come and read to them, Flusche started the Community Readers program. She thought it would build interest and excitement about reading to bring in community members every month. 

“The students love having someone they had not met before come in and introduce them to new literature,” said Flusche. 

The first reader to come was Mrs. Woolbright, a first-grade parent, who read ‘The Polar Express’ on Polar Express Day in December. She showed such wonderful expressions and shared her love for reading with the students. In January, Mrs. Jenkins came to read her children's favorite book ‘Enemy Pie’. Jenkins used to be a teacher and brought a fun lesson plan with her. After she read the book, they created a ‘Friendship Pie’ and Mrs. Jenkins gave out Friendship bracelets to all the students to remind them of what ingredients make a good friend. 

Flusche has been coordinating with members of the Upland Heights PTA, Central Office employees and even a Chef to come and read to the students. She hopes community readers will come in and share what books they love and why reading is important to them.  

“We love to have our Community Readers share some about their job,” said Flusche. “The book the reader chooses is usually linked to their career or is a book that is special to them. The goal is to have one reader a month and to have various jobs come present to our students.”