December 2010: Newsletter
Springfield’s Goal: Reading Proficiently by the year 2016!
“The number of Springfield’s third graders who read profi- ciently on the third grade MCAS – 37% - is not acceptable, especially when you know that third grade reading is a pow- erful predictor of children’s later success in school and beyond,” states John Davis, Trustee of the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation. “Research tells us that three-quarters of children who are not proficient readers by the end of third grade will continue to struggle in school, making them far less likely to finish high school, attend college and contribute to our knowledge-based economy. That’s why the work of Read! Reading Success by 4th Grade is so important and why this initiative was launched with the full support of the Davis Foundation.”
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From the Trustees
Why reading proficiency is so important
Since its inception the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation has had a particular focus on education, particularly on early education, in Springfield. In all our work we have been guided by the data, and the recent data on reading pro- ficiency in Springfield has represented a call to action to all who care about our region’s future.
Two-thirds of Springfield’s 3rd graders do not read proficiently. The stark reality is that it is unlikely these same students will catch up in later years, leading to low academic achievement and dire conse- quences on their future ability to thrive in an economy that requires greater levels of knowledge.
We are encouraged that so many commu- nity, business, public policy and educa- tion leaders are rallying to address this problem around the Read! Reading Success by 4th Grade initiative in Springfield that has set a goal of 80% of Springfield’s 3rd graders reading proficiently by the year 2016.
The release of the Reading Success by 4th Grade: A Blueprint for Springfield in June marks an important benchmark as we col- laborate as a community on this vitally important goal.
Early Educators & Public School Teachers Learning from Each Other
Memo of Understanding – Leads to Creation of Professional Learning Community
Last spring the Department of Early Education and Care and the Springfield Public Schools developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the first in the state, to outline a collaborative partnership which will align the work of the early childhood education community and the public schools to improve educational outcomes for children.
The Professional Learning Community project is the first phase of the implementation of that MOU, and has begun with private early child- hood centers collaborating with three Springfield Public Schools to learn about each other’s culture and share best practices and professional development.
Principal Lisa Bakowski, of Sumner Avenue School, Jose Irizarry of Margaret C. Ells School and Terri Powe of Elias Brookings School are leading their preK – third grade staff members in the collaboration with early childhood centers Head Start, YMCA and Square One.
The teachers are observing each others’ classrooms and holding com- bined professional development workshops. According to Bakowski, “We want to de-mystify the private versus the public sector – to see what strategies are working. If we share experiences we will be better able to align the learning experience.”
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