The New Bloomfield Elementary School is continuing its literacy mentor program for students.
Last year, the elementary school partnered with Oasis Tutoring to provide a volunteer program for students. Adult volunteers with Oasis are partnered with an elementary student to increase literacy skills, such as reading, writing and communicating.
The program includes both an in-person mentor portion, as well as a pen pal program.
Sarah Wisdom, New Bloomfield R-3 superintendent, said in a news release she is excited for the opportunities Oasis brings to the school district.
"This program is a great opportunity for our students to get mentorship and the community to see the great things happening at New Bloomfield," Wisdom said.
The elementary school will continue its partnership with Oasis Tutoring for the 2022-23 school year. In-person volunteers will serve as mentors for children in kindergarten through third grade. They will meet once a week beginning in October and continuing through May.
Pen pal volunteers will write letters to second-graders beginning in February and continuing through April. This program will fulfill the "writing a friendly letter" learning standard that is required of all second-graders in Missouri.
Most of the mentors and pen pals from last year will return, but Oasis is looking for more volunteers to increase the size of the program.
Adults 50 and older who are interested in being an in-person mentor or pen pal can contact Linda McMorris, elementary librarian and Oasis Tutoring school facilitator, at [email protected].
Those interested can also contact Mandy Plybon, Oasis Tutoring RSVP coordinator for Audrain and Callaway counties, at [email protected] or 573-416-3193.