Salem panel focuses on causes, remedies for local students’ lagging reading skills

A local elementary school teacher stirred emotions and nostalgia among the Elsinore Theatre’s audience during a Town Hall on reading.

Jessica DeFrancisco, who teaches third grade at Sumpter Elementary School, spoke with emotion about a student she watched improve.

“Just a few weeks ago, she came up to me and she brings a book to me that is a larger book than I’ve ever seen her pick up, and she goes, ‘Oh my gosh Mrs.…