Join the others who have taken the pledge:

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

Home > News > Indian River Honored as a Pacesetter for Early Literacy Work

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.