Blog
Welcome our School Engagement Coordinator!
Ellen Donaldson is our new School Engagement Coordinator. She will be working closely with teachers and volunteers to facilitate reading sessions. Her entire thirty year teaching career was spent in the Grandview School District educating first and second graders. She has a Masters Degree from UMKC in Reading Instruction. She taught more than 600 students… Read More
Sarah • Oct. 14, 2016NO Reading on the following…
Boone Elementary October 20th October 27th November 24th Indian Creek Elementary October 27th November 23rd November 24th Troost Elementary October 20th November 23rd November 24th King Elementary October 20th November 23rd November 24th Longfellow Elementary October 20th November 24th Garfield Elementary October 20th (Thursday) November 23rd November 24th Hope Leadership Academy October 26th November 23rd… Read More
Sarah • Oct. 14, 20162016 Fall Launch boasts 899 Readers…
We are excited to have added many new Readers & community partners to the Lead to Read KC team this fall. Across Kansas City we have 48 classes in 12 partner schools, bringing our actual total number of Readers to 899. We say, it’s one Reader at a time that makes a difference…can’t wait to have that 900th… Read More
Sarah • Oct. 14, 2016Featured Reader: Lokesh Ravichandran
Lokesh Ravichandran, Staff Software Developer with DST, is the Site Coordinator for Garfield Elementary. He has been instrumental in the growth and success of our team there. Today at Garfield we have 120 DST Readers – many of whom Lokesh has personally recruited! I am someone who believes that educating our children is the single most important… Read More
Sarah • Oct. 14, 2016Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate…
Keeping up with Lead to Read KC’s growth is exciting and challenging! We are working as fast as we can, but we have to admit, some days it feels a little like Lucy and Ethel in the chocolate factory. We laugh, but the reality is our growth is out pacing our funding. We have launched 899 Readers this… Read More
Sarah • Oct. 14, 2016Direct Your United Way Donation to Lead to Read KC
As the United Way Campaign gets underway at your workplace, please consider directing your donation to Lead to Read KC. Thanks to our fabulous volunteers, Lead to Read KC is experiencing rapid growth, and with growth come increased expenses. So, when your corporate United Way campaign asks you for a contribution, please direct your donation… Read More
Sarah • Aug. 4, 20162015-16 Garfield Survey Data
Lead to Read KC began using a very simple, but statically reliable survey, during it’s pilot year. This survey is still conducted on students in the program. The survey, found here, is administered by the teachers before the first Lead to Read session. At the end of the school year, students are again asked for their… Read More
Sarah • June 12, 2016Letter from a teacher – May 2, 2015
Greetings! It is with great pleasure that I am writing to you about the Lead to Read Program. I am a First Grade Teacher at Garfield Elementary School in the Kansas City Public Schools. This was my first, of what I hope will be many, years of participation in the Lead to Read Program. At… Read More
Sarah • June 6, 2016Letter from a teacher – April 26th, 2016
Dear Sarah, The phenomenal success of the Lead to Read KC program at Garfield is a reflection of the ever-increasing dedication and enthusiasm of the volunteers on a continual basis. Each week students and volunteers read to each other, but more importantly they developed a relationship centered around reading. The relationships had many effects… Read More
Sarah • June 6, 2016Kansas City recognized as literacy model thanks to programs like Lead to Read KC
If you read the KC Star Editorial page today, it said “KC becomes a national model in boosting third-grade reading” (Kansas City Star, May 18, 2016, P 6A). The recognition comes from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Ralph Smith who presented the award to Mayor James last month . As part of the award celebration,… Read More
Sarah • May 18, 2016