Join the others who have taken the pledge:

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

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.