January 2010: Newsletter
Parents Hold the key to reading success
“... parents are children’s first and most important educators. They decide if children have access to newspapers, books and libraries and they should be reading to children 20 minutes a day. Making a pledge to read to your children daily could help them on a journey toward lifelong learning.”
Republican Editorial, May 4, 2009
Engaging the Community through READ!
Reading Success by 4th Grade
The year 2009 was one of transition for Cherish Every Child as the initiative formulated and launched a new endeavor, Read! Reading Success by 4th Grade, with a new goal: to engage families, schools and communities in creating a culture of literacy, to help all Springfield children become proficient readers. Cherish Every Child has focused its resources on supporting the needs of children to give Springfield’s very young a solid foundation, preparing them for sustained school and life success.
Access to a high quality early childhood education has been a cornerstone of the work of Cherish Every Child, because the research is clear that investments in the education of very young children have long-term benefits for all...for children and for society.
Another powerful factor in a child’s academic success is the ability to read proficiently by the time s/he leaves third grade. The data is compelling that children who can’t read proficiently will struggle as they go forward, may not ever catch up and are far less likely to graduate from high school.
