Read Fort Worth Newsletter – July 2019
July 2019 Newsletter
IN THIS ISSUE
- Message from Executive Director Anel Mercado
- Wanted: Reading Volunteers for 2019-2020 School Year
- Classroom Library Campaign Delivers
- Read Fort Worth Expands Communications Team
- Expanded Learning: Preventing Summer Slide
- Child Wellness: Planning Phase
- City of Fort Worth: Summer Reading Challenge Celebration
- ELA Corner: Help Me Grow North Texas
- Fort Worth ISD: Back to School
- In the News: Fort Worth SPARC Summer Scholars
Executive Director's Message
As summer comes to an end, Read Fort Worth is gearing up for a busy back to school season. Earlier this month, we launched a campaign to recruit at least 1,000 reading volunteers across the District this school year. Would you like to become one? Sign up here!
Another big project that we have coming up is Read Fort Worth’s Classroom Library Campaign book deliveries. Read more below.
In our July newsletter, you’ll find updates on our team, as well as news from our Collaborative Action Networks, a feature on the Help Me Grow initiative, the Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge Celebration and Fort Worth ISD’s back to school information. We hope you have had a great summer and wish you a smooth transition into the back to school season.
As always, feel free to reach out to me at anel.mercado@readfortworth.org or the phone numbers below.
Anel Mercado
817-258-8130 (o), 602-614-2044 (c)
WANTED: Reading Volunteers for 2019-2020 School Year
Can you commit an hour per week to read with a child? We need you!
The Reading Volunteers campaign is off to a great start. Our goal is to recruit 1,000 reading volunteers across the District for this coming school year. But we need your help!
With just an hour a week, you can make a positive impact for kids who are struggling to read. Help us support Fort Worth ISD and our community partners, Read2Win and Reading Partners. Visit the Reading Volunteers page to sign up and learn more.
Another way you can help is by sharing this information with your family, friends and colleagues. Please share our Facebook and Twitter posts with your network!
Classroom Library Campaign Delivers
Read Fort Worth is working with partners across our city to provide young Fort Worth ISD students with high-interest, high-quality books they need to develop a life-long love of reading. Join us and community volunteers across Fort Worth as we team up to deliver classroom libraries at every elementary school in FWISD! We need volunteers to assist with book deliveries at every elementary school over the next two weeks. If you’re interested in volunteering, sign up below.
Read Fort Worth Expands Communications Team
This summer, Read Fort Worth expanded our communications team. The new addition to our staff will help support our goals and expand our reach.
Formerly Read Fort Worth’s social media intern, Francisco Aguilar has transitioned into a new role as Marketing and Communications Coordinator. Francisco has been with Read Fort Worth for the past 7 months and has been instrumental in establishing our social media presence. In his new role, Francisco will utilize his digital marketing and creative skills to support the goals and initiatives of Read Fort Worth.
“I look forward to making a positive impact in the Fort Worth community,” said Francisco.
Roxanne Martinez recently joined the Read Fort Worth team as a Communications & Marketing Consultant. In this role, Roxanne will coordinate all communications and marketing projects for Read Fort Worth.
Roxanne brings nearly 20 years of communications and marketing experience to the organization with an emphasis on branding, social media and digital marketing. She has worked in a marketing capacity within several area businesses and nonprofit organizations and is active within the Fort Worth community.
“I am excited about combining my communications and marketing skills with my passion for education to help improve early childhood literacy in our community,” said Roxanne.
Now Hiring!
Read Fort Worth is seeking an Administrative Support Specialist. For more information on the job or to apply, visit: Careers
Expanded Learning: Preventing Summer Slide
This summer, Read Fort Worth encouraged our 12 Summer Scholars Collaborative programs to promote the Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge as another avenue to combat “summer slide,” the loss of literacy levels over the summer. The challenge encouraged readers of all ages to earn rewards by reading. In addition, Read Fort Worth delivered free books to participating programs. Both Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Dr. Kent Scribner served as guest readers at various programs throughout the summer.
Read more about the enriching Summer Scholars Collaborative programs offered around our city and the amazing people putting in work to ensure that kids maintain literacy levels over the summer. Read more
Child Wellness: Planning Phase
This summer has been a planning phase for the Child Wellness Collaborative Action Network. With a focus on the physical and social emotional well-being of students, the Child Wellness CAN’s ultimate goal is to increase attendance and ensure the holistic needs of each child are met so that they are ready to learn. The Child Wellness CAN will announce identified strategies that we will share soon. Stay tuned!
City of Fort Worth: Summer Reading Challenge Celebration
Celebrate the end of the Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge! Join Mayor Betsy Price for free, family activities and crafts as well as grand-prize giveaways on Saturday, August 10 at 1 p.m. at Log Cabin Village. Learn more
Remember: You have until July 31st to turn in your reading logs to be eligible for the grand-prize giveaways.
ELA Corner: Help Me Grow North Texas
As part of the Tarrant County Infant and Toddler Developmental Screening Initiative, My Health My Resources Tarrant County has joined Help Me Grow, a national model that works to promote collaboration across child-serving sectors in order to build a more efficient and effective system that promotes the optimal healthy development of young children.
Through this affiliation, Tarrant County will join early childhood leaders across the nation in building a comprehensive approach to early childhood systems building. The Tarrant County Infant and Toddler Developmental Screening Initiative is excited to incorporate Help Me Grow Texas as a lever to reach our community goal of a coordinated system of services for infants and toddlers. For more information on these initiatives as well as resources for families, visit: EarlyIsBestNorthTexas.org.
Fort Worth ISD: Back to School
Fort Worth ISD students go back to school on Monday, August 19! Check out all things back to school related at www.fwisd.org/backtoschool. You’ll find online registration details, school supply lists, start times and menus, calendars, attendance guidelines, transportation details, and much more.
Thousands of Fort Worth ISD parents and students have already completed online registration for the coming school year. Online registration is for all students – both new and returning – and is a must in order to be enrolled. If you hit a snag during online registration, Fort Worth ISD’s help desk team can answer any of your questions. For assistance, visit www.fwisd.org/register or call 817-814-2070.
In The News: Fort Worth SPARC Summer Scholars Collaborative
FOX 4 featured one of our Summer Scholars Collaborative programs, Fort Worth SPARC, and its 2nd Annual Elite Institute (Excellent Literacy Instruction To Empower). Fort Worth ISD School Trustee Tobi Jackson says it's about reinforcing literacy skills in a fun way. "These summer months are when kids can slide,” Jackson said. “And 80 plus percent of kids last year in this program, the ELITE Institute didn't slide. This year, our goal is a hundred percent."