Bennett-Armistead speaks with WVII about increasing childhood literacy

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

August 24, 2016 Outreach, UMaine in the News

Susan Bennett-Armistead, a professor of literacy education at the University of Maine, spoke with WVII (Channel 7) at an early childhood education conference in Augusta. Presenters at the two-day event said increasing childhood literacy will boost high school graduation rates, according to the report. By eighth grade, nearly 30 percent of Maine students can’t read well enough to pass a reading proficiency test, according to data from the Maine Department of Education. “Building relationships with families is the way to build children’s literacy,” Bennett-Armistead said. Involving a child’s family is critical to instilling a love of reading, the report states. Bennett-Armistead said educators need to ask themselves how they can support families in building opportunities for them to work directly with their children to build literacy.