Tuesday, May 31, 2016 4:04 pm

Sam Harris, father of Aidyn Harris, taking the READ20 Pledge. Aidyn will be a student in Mrs. Ana Smith's 2016-2017 Kindergarten Class at East Side School.

Summer is a great time for children to relax their brains from their school's structured learning environment.

However, the National Summer Learning Association has completed research on this topic. They have found that all young children experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer months. Most students lose two months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills over the course of the summer and an equal amount of loss in total reading skills. Then, when students return in the fall, teachers spend about six weeks reviewing "old material" to make up for summer learning loss. As early as first grade, summer learning loss can be recognized, and by the end of sixth grade students who have experienced summer learning loss over the years are an average of two year behind their peers.

The Cannon County School System is initiating a campaign to help stop this summer learning loss. The campaign is simple. We are asking parents to take a pledge to read 20 minutes a day with their child over the summer months. The simple act of reading aloud to your child or reading with your child for 20 minutes a day is the most powerful way to fight summer learning loss. So, parents please take the pledge. Please contact your school or Dr. Regina Merriman at 615-563-5752 for more information about this program.