Contact Us Take The Pledge      
Transforming a Generation: 90% Literacy by Third Grade
Join the others who have taken the pledge:
MAry Grace Hektner, Michelle Bass, Kristina Trahan, Kevin Maloney, Karen Newkirk, Bobbie Donelson, Helene Caseltine, Kristin Culbreth, Becky Warren, belinda washimgton-davis, TLA, Nancy Prizito, Mari Seg, Arianna Lagges, Kim Brady, mary kannapes, Maria Ortiz, Jody Houston, AmeriCorps/Big Brothers Big Sister, Janie Graves Hoover, Mardy Fish Children's Foundation, Jamie Stalter, yaquelin andrade, LaTanya Gibson, Arlene Kahn, Lilibeth Ballina, Kelley Williams, Laura McGill, Susan Aguirre , Barbara Johnson, Emme Scheible, Leslie Connelly, shelby dorris, Elizabeth Stenger, Gina Sultaire, Agnieszka Szymanska, Kayla Chitty, Lori Nalls, Traci McGough, 1 -1', Elias Medina, Andrea Cosner, Isabel Marron , parker hammond, Kelly Palmer, Deborah Dillon, keesha trusty, test test, Pamela Miller, FRAN PERKINS, Literacy Services, Raquel Searcy, Kathryn Perez, Angel Maldonado, Gisele Parker, Mary Strickler, Lenora Ritchie, maria marron, Margaret Dawson-Brown, LaTanya Morgan, Brittany Bailey, Tiffany Carlsen, Susan Del Tufo, Janai Cooper, elizabeth bahl, Jennifer Steele, Brooke Flood, allene moorehead, Kerilyn Ngom, Heidi Lourie, Christine Sturgeon, Cynthia Jorgensen, valerie conway, Bent Pine Golf Club, Becky Levesque, Tanya BRAUN, Shawna Carton, Heather Quigley, Cathryn Miquelon, Amanda Acker, Erin Hollander, Krishna Patel, Theresa Wagner, Lillian Marsiglia, Narda Pitkethly, Sue Sharpe, Nancy De La Hoz, Michelle Chandler, buzz wurzer, Tessa House, Thomas Moore, Nicolas ospina de la hoz, Judy Whalen, Jeff The Bro, Michele Sternberg, Kelli Mejia, Helene Caseltine, uritayay, Elizabeth Tetreault, Chuck Evans, Celeste McWilliams, Sara Goodman, Tiffany Justice, Angela Jawhar, Elaine McGinty, Nancy De La Hoz, Patrick Toole, Stacey Fletcher, kari broomell, Melissa Hall, Heather Thompson, Liz Tetreault, Susan Del Tufo, Nancy Sparkman, Bruce Green, Katrena McMahan, Juelie Perry, Ann Mathis, hannah kaufeh, Vero Beach Museum of Art, 1 -1', carrie fernandez, VBKA, Devi Maharajh, Phoebe Beacham, Elizabeth Falkiewicz, Renee Lincoln, Nichole Harris, Keith Touchberry, Linda Condit, Teri Dugan, cheryl gondek, Patricia Beaudoin, JOY VANHORN, DOE-OEL, hannah kauferh, tommy collettit, Kelly Palmer, GEORGE JETT, Hollie McDougall, Isabel Marron , Katherine Wolf, Tina Campbell, Teri Barenborg, Marsha Van Arman, jacki decaro, Mary Kramek, Ramon Echeverria, mardy hall, Deirdre Creech, Mike Gaudio, kelly baysura, Tricia Boyle, Joy Lukomski, Elizabeth Pinkney, Mark Farrell, Sharon Delo, -1' 1, Barneyxcq yWxcSpFGWvTabbVDxz, Teri Dugan, Margaret Autullo, Renee Boesch, Angel Maldonado, Kaori Fischer, Angela Bosman, Annie Brown, jorge luis ramirez, Tisa Blidgen, Jennifer Roberts, Kathleen Hamilton, Hope Woodhouse , Suzi Rusin, Lorri Dior, Rhonda McGilberry, Mary Graves, Heather Thompson, Toni Reukauf, Tami Haffield, Tara Luton , The Buggy Bunch, Jennifer Seifstein, Gloria Severino, Kathy Minix, Nancy Blessing, Mary Ann Kalin, Ralph Sunshine Acquisitions, Elizabeth Pinkney, ggdxfg fdgfh, Healthy Families, Sonja Phillips, Megan Falcone, Keondra Eberhardt, janice pagan, Matthew McManus, Sharon Klein, Melinda Judson, Becky Allen, audrey colonna, Doug Glenn, Maria Alvarez, ruth darrigo, Ashley Farruggio, Alejandrina Micket, Therese Victoria, Courtney Mellin, Paige Newinski, Rhonda McGilberry, Fellsmere Police Department FPD, Kimberly Robideau, Susan Rosier, John obrien, Di Pugh, Lesley Lane, Katie Collier, Ralph Autullo, Cathy Durrett-Filusch, Tessa Stanley, Gloria Luna, Donna Hedgecock, Pamela Prange, Sandy Hamrick, sharon butler, Kidz Closet Charities, Linda Hammerle, Christopher Cummings, Kristen Jones, Susan Del Tufo, Emily Jarrett, Dean Stewart Photography, Christine Ryall, Karen Disney, Harvest Food & Outreach Center, Diane Donar, Vero Beach Police Department, Mary Laquidara, Stacey Klim, Jennifer Croom, F.A.C.T. Fellsmere Action Community Team, Mary Anne Sitkowski, Michael Van Houten, SHARYN A HAWKER, Edward Shanaphy, Lucy Roy-Delapaz, Lisa Guillette, Guillermina Walker, LaTanya Morgan, Natalie Arbuckle, Marisela Luna, sabrina fraga, United Way of Indian River Co., JIM BATORY, Robyn Bethel, Marie OBrien, charlene bentien, Jennifer Durrett, Laurie Pedersen, Matt McManus, Kirra OBrien, Milli Wenzel, Bill McMullen, STEPHANIE CLARK, Dorie Shemo, Brittany Lindsey, Louis and Sara Smith, 211/Help Me Grow, Rachel Holpfer, Fidelity Investments, Kathleen Nealy, Lisa Bishop, Clare Hughes, Maureen Nicolace, Nancy Blessing, Sandra Daniel, Crystal Gothe, Beth Livers, Christina Lindgren, FELLSMERE ELEMENTARY, Dee Hollenbeck, Jeff Miller, Dasie Hope Center, Indian River County Lawyers Auxiliary, Melody M Englert, Heather Young, Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County, ISABELLA LAGGES, Sophie Wood, Karen Taylor, Marta Cronin, Janet Alford, Sherrie Hale, Casey Dunn, Christina Lindgren, judy jones, mardy hall, Debra Barnesd, Kaori Fischer, Randall Hunt, Tracey Barker, Achillies Pace, Taylor Walker, Shariea Shoatz, ann prince, Autumn Wheeler, Clare Hughes, Indian River Taekwondo Langlois, Amy Kelly, Rose Brickles, Susan Del Tufo, Kim Klaus, Karen Malits, Susan Rosier, -1' 1, Amanda Emanuel, Susan Rosier, Ramon Echeverria, Kenny Carmichael, Diane Bressner, Rebecca Blair, Amanda Stevens, Patricia Mandell, Lisa Guilmette, Cindi Ellis, Ana Renuart, 1 1, Adam Faust, yaquelin andrade, donna palmquist, Lydia Galbraith, Kelly Sartain, Tirso Moreno, JIM BATORY, audrey colonna, Dr. Connie Proskovec, Lisa Segroves, Nicole Piontek, Indian River County Chamber of, Dorothy Cominsky, Andrea Cosner, Tammy Eriksen, sharon richards, Erica Thomas, jennifer roker, Dr. David Christiansen, Vero Equine Riding Academy , Karen Newkirk, Tabitha Johnston, joshua poindexter, Dorie Shemo, Samantha Breen, Jessica Cox, Carol David, liz woody, Kerilyn Ngom, shelby dorris, jennifer jackson, Kathryn Woodall, Christy Baer, Liane McMullen, Whole Child Indian River, Kim Klaus, maria miranda, Socorro Luna, Alaina McCloud, tommy collettit, kayla poindexter, Milli Wenzel, Emily Wick, Heather Helton, Annie Brown, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc., East Coast Earthworks & Excavating, Jayne Becker, Diane Mahan, Brenda Zamora, Debra Schroeder, Page Woodward, Wendi Adams, Janet Farmer, Gifford Youth Activity Center, Annie Brown, Kristi Challenor, Sherry White, Amy Speak, Cheryl Gondek, Christy Baer , Michele Smith, Sharon Klein, Farrah Lemanski, Jenna Chatfield, Megan Falcone, Amber Petry, Laura Zorc, Fourth Quadrant Partners, Shanti Sanchez, Mark yBzNyaFpSKdSM, Carla Cundiff, Carrie Spencer, Gabrielle Wagner, Patricia Mandell, Jill Truax, Tara Miranda, Bridgette Diskin, Hayley Gondek, Emilia Jacobs, Lisa Barnum, Lisa McFaland, Jeanne Prince, renee fraker, Rebecca Turner, Donna Hedgecock, Carolina Rojas, Leslie Jones, Gretchen DiVincenzo, briana carter, matt KdPIOvmNNItBy, Sterling Bobbitt , Ramon Echeverria, Vero Beach Museum of Art, Ronda Weaver, Kelli Mejia, Fenia Hiaasen, Kay Yurigan, Christina Hayes, Yasmin Medina, Fidelity Investments, Lisa Wheeler, Mindy Lessem Pollack, GoldenTabs VlNDAmqBXuOUgPSzn, Vero Beach Magazine, Shannon Gillen, 1 1, Nate & Kristen Bruckner, Heidi Lourie, Sharon Klein,

Indian River Honored as a Pacesetter for Early Literacy Work

 


School District of Indian River County

Mark J. Rendell, Ed.D., Superintendent

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

CONTACT:            Flynn Fidgeon, PIO

Phone: 564-5527            

 

 

DATE: March 9, 2016    

 

SUBJECT:  Indian River Honored as a Pacesetter for Early Literacy Work

Indian River County has been honored as a Pacesetter by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading for making measurable progress on eliminating barriers faced by children from low-income families on the path to becoming proficient readers.

 

“Pacesetter Honors are among the highest awards presented by the Campaign,” said Ralph Smith, the managing director of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. “We are very proud of Indian River County and the numerous organizations and individuals behind them for joining forces and working tirelessly to uplift children and families. They remind us that we are seeing great progress and real results all across the country."

“What we should be proud of is that the culture of this community has changed to be one of collaborative learning and innovation,” said Barbara Hammond, Co-Founder of The Learning Alliance. “All who work on this across the community and within schools are to be congratulated.”

“This is quite a big deal,” said Dr. Mark Rendell, Superintendent of the School District of Indian River County.  “It’s not a School District award, it’s a community award.”

 

In Indian River County, the Campaign is supported by The Learning Alliance, the Education Foundation of Indian River County, Indian River Community Foundation, The United Way of Indian River County, Literacy Leaders of Indian River County, The Early Learning Coalition, Kindergarten Readiness Collaborative, Vero Beach Museum of Art,  Big Brothers Big Sisters and AmeriCorps Programs, Gifford Youth Achievement Center, Boys and Girls Clubs of Indian River County, Fidelity Investments, Ray Oglethorpe, Riverside Children’s Theatre, Indian River Chamber of Commerce, Smart Baby Ambassadors, Childcare Resources of Indian River, Feed the Lambs, School District of Indian River County, and many more literacy leaders in the community.

 

Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is a critical milestone toward high school graduation and success in later life because it marks the transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” National tests show that two-thirds of U.S. fourth graders (four-fifths of whom are from low-income families) are not reading proficiently. Students who have not mastered reading by that time are more likely to drop out of high school and struggle throughout their lives.

 

“If we’re going to close the achievement gap, we need mobilized communities – like these Pacesetters – working with schools, city agencies, nonprofits, civic leaders and parents to focus on third-grade reading,” Smith added. “These Pacesetter communities inspire us to believe that great things can happen when all of us support parents, care providers, and educators, as they work to ensure more hopeful futures for our children.”

 

This year, 38 Pacesetter communities will be honored at an annual awards luncheon during the Campaign’s 2016 Funder-to-Funder Huddle in Washington, D.C., on April 7. Each Pacesetter will receive a certificate and special recognition banner to showcase their award throughout their communities.