Chelsea District Library, South Meadows Elementary Launch “Chapter a Day” Reading Challenge

By Katie Hepler

Chelsea District Library and the Chelsea School District are partnering this October to improve reading endurance in Chelsea elementary students. When CDL librarians read a recent study published by the University of Florida and University College London indicating that daily reading for pleasure has declined by more than 40% over the last 20 years, they leapt into action. Inspired by the wildly successful CDL Summer Reading Program, they designed a pilot program with the educators at South Meadows Elementary School to bring that reading enthusiasm into the school year.

The “Chapter a Day” program encourages Chelsea School District 3rd–5th graders to read at home every day during the month of October. They will log their reading, and if they reach their goal of 90 percent of the school reading every day, they will earn a virtual visit from a renowned children’s author. Clues will be given throughout the month to reveal the author’s identity—the first clue is that this author’s books have been checked out 230 times at CDL in the last 12 months.

“When Chelsea District Library approached us to partner with them on this program, it was an immediate yes,” said Katie Spisich, Principal of South Meadows Elementary. “It aligns perfectly with our desire to grow our students’ enthusiasm for reading, and ultimately, the district’s strategic plan to improve literacy scores. We can’t wait to see how our students rise to the challenge.”

Youth Librarian Jessica Zubik shared, “This program gives us an opportunity to meet CDL’s mission to Engage, Inspire, and Equip within the school district community in a really fun and engaging way. If the South Meadows challenge is a success, we plan to expand it into other Chelsea School District buildings in the coming months.”

CDL’s popular Summer Reading Program had exceptional performance in 2025. 1,369 participants of all ages read more than 459,100 minutes and 13,450 books in six-and-a-half weeks. They were rewarded with an end of program celebration and 24 Grand Prize drawings.

Parents looking to expand their reading options at home are encouraged to visit the library to check out books. All Chelsea School District students (including school of choice students who live outside the district) are eligible for library cards. CDL maintains a popular collection with a wide array of student favorites like the Dogman series and classics like Harry Potter. Whether your child wants to curl up with a good mystery or study up on dinosaurs, you can find it at the library.