30 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • May 2021
WRITTEN BY EMILY FREELING
More than one year a er Virginia became the fi rst
state in the na on to close all public and private
schools to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the
learning gaps le by those closures are becoming
apparent.
The Virginia Department of Educa on reported in
January that a signifi cantly higher number of kinder-
gartners and fi rst graders are struggling to learn to
read, based on a comparison of scores on the Pho-
nological Awareness Literary Screening, or PALS test,
administered to kindergarteners through third graders
in the state. This past fall, 27% of kindergartners
and 28% of fi rst-graders failed to meet benchmarks,
compared to the 2019 fi gures of 17% and 18%,
respec vely.
In addi on to academic skills, students have missed
the daily rou nes of school, such as walking in a line,
sharing with others, raising hands to ask a ques on
and other habits. Students preparing to enter kin-
dergarten in the fall of 2021 may never have learned
these skills, as many preschools were not opera ng
in-person.
The Rappahannock Area YMCA has had its eye on
the needs of families and children in the Fredericks-
burg region throughout the pandemic. From off er-
ing childcare services to fi rst responders and other
essen al workers, to using Y facili es for blood drives,
food distribu on and vaccine clinics, the Y has played
a role in the community response to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Academic Readiness Will Be the
Focus of the Rappahannock Area
YMCA's Summer Programming
The Rappahannock Area YMCA has set a $500,000
fundraising goal to help rebuild its impact programs,
including Power Scholars, in 2021. To donate, visit
www.family-ymca.org/support-the-y/donate.
Get Ready to Get Ready to
Return to School Return to School
