Join the others who have taken the pledge:

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

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.