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Tahoe Truckee selected as 2013 ‘Pacesetter’ for community effort to promote early reading

Special to the Sun

TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. — Tahoe Truckee’s campaign to improve reading proficiency among its youngest students has been recognized as a 2013 Community Pacesetter by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (GLR Campaign), an honor that reflects the energy, mobilization and creativity the community has brought to this important work.

“This recognition is gratifying, but also a great reminder of the continuous work of our community in support of the Tahoe Truckee Reads initiative — collaborating foundations, educators, parents and volunteers dedicated to ensuring that every child in Tahoe-Truckee gains the reading skills that are a foundation for success in school and in life,” said Tahoe Truckee Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Rob Leri.



COLLECTIVE IMPACT

Tahoe Truckee launched its Tahoe Truckee Reads initiative in the summer of 2012, making it one of 140 communities working with the GLR Campaign, a nationwide movement of local leaders, states, nonprofits, and foundations putting a stake in the ground on third-grade reading. The communities adopted a collective impact strategy, engaging the full community around the goal of supporting low-income children from birth through third grade.



Acknowledging schools alone cannot address all the challenges that keep children from learning to read, communities work with nonprofits and other partners to ensure children arrive at kindergarten ready to succeed, attend school regularly and keep learning through the summer months.

In the case of Tahoe Truckee, several new programs and strategies have been put into place over the past year including the launch of TTUSD’s Kinder Camp, a school readiness summer program for all incoming kindergarten students, and Summer Scholars, a program for first and second grade students who need additional support in reading.

Tahoe Truckee hosted conferences for childcare providers and parents, emphasizing the importance of school readiness and the power of storytelling.

Additionally, neighborhood-based summer reading programs were implemented in several low-income neighborhoods, 15 Community Bookshelves were installed in the region and libraries are offering expanded programming. These are just a few examples of the efforts underway to strengthen literacy in our community. Tahoe Truckee was also a participant in National Attendance Awareness month (September) and in National Summer Learning Day on June 21.

IMPRESSIVE EFFORT

“We are impressed and inspired by what Tahoe Truckee has accomplished so far,” said Ralph Smith, managing director of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and a senior vice president at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. “With its commitment, resourcefulness and collaborative spirit, Tahoe Truckee truly is setting the pace and providing a model for communities across the nation who are seeking to give more children from low-income families a chance at a brighter future.”

Tahoe Truckee is one of 37 Pacesetters named for 2013.

The National Civic League awarded Tahoe Truckee the All-America City award in 2012 based on its ambitious plan to ensure more children are reading at grade level by the end of third grade. Chosen from a field of more than 100 entries, Tahoe Truckee’s plan was submitted by a community coalition that included the Excellence in Education Foundation, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, Community Collaborative of Tahoe Truckee, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Placer County Health and Human Services and First 5 Nevada County. The community was one of 14 awardees selected from 32 finalists.

Launched in May 2010, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is a collaborative effort of funders, nonprofit partners, states and communities across the nation to ensure that many more children from low-income families succeed in school and graduate prepared for college, a career and active citizenship. It focuses on reading proficiency by the end of third grade, a key predictor of high school graduation and a milestone missed by fully 80 percent of low-income children.

For more information, visit http://www.gradelevelreading.net and http://www.allamericacityaward.com.


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