Join the others who have taken the pledge:

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

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.