In This Issue

 Reach Out and Read Annual Report 2013-2014

We are pleased to present the Reach Out and Read 2013-2014 Annual Report, which celebrates Reach Out and Read's 25 years promoting early literacy and highlights several of the partners who have supported us along our quarter-century journey. It has been an exciting year for Reach Out and Read, filled with new partnerships, increased national visibility, a renewed commitment to program quality, and recognition for our work as an organization of change.

 

Thank you to Boston-based author/illustrator Peter Reynolds for creating the custom illustrations found throughout. Click here to read the full report.
   Thank You to the Big Book Getaway!
  

Reach Out and Read Connecticut was chosen as the non-profit partner for the Big Book Getaway's September 27, 2014 event. It was an exciting evening at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center (The Kate) in Old Saybrook, where mystery and suspense authors John Searles, Tess Gerritsen, Alafair Burke, Lisa Unger, and Old Lyme's own David Handler, entertained guests with an exciting discussion moderated by Hank Phillippi Ryan. Christine Garber, Connecticut Executive Director for Reach Out and Read, did a short presentation before the program to educate the audience about the wide achievement gap we face here in Connecticut and how the mission of Reach Out and Read works to close that gap. Four members of Reach Out and Read's Connecticut Advisory Board also attended the event. 
From left to right: Hank Phillipi Ryan, David Handler, Alafair Burke, Lisa Unger, Tess Gerritsen and John Searles

Bob's Discount Furniture and Bob's Charitable Foundation were two of the sponsors of the event. In addition to other donations and support, they donated a new bookcase used as part of the set that evening to Reach Out and Read Connecticut. The bookcase was given to a new Reach Out and Read site, Pediatric Care Center in Bristol, CT, to help furnish their literacy-rich waiting room.

We are very grateful for the support of both the Big Book Getaway and Bob's Discount Furniture. It was a fun-filled evening with wonderful Reach Out and Read supporters.

Stay Connected!  

  

Stay up- to-date with all things Reach Out and Read! Click here to see our website and don't forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.  

An Op-Ed from Nicholas Kristof, "Do Politicians Love Kids?"

In a November Op-Ed column in The New York Times called, "Do Politicians Love Kids?Nicholas Kristof wrote another wonderful piece about the importance of investing in our children from birth. In the article Kristof states, "Early education isn't just about pre-K but rather an umbrella term for all interventions between pregnancy and age 5. Some of the most effective seem to occur during pregnancy and infancy..." Kristof spoke with  James Heckman, University of Chicago professor and Nobel Prize-winning economist. Heckman believes that early interventions, like reading to children, and early childhood programs are the most cost effective way to reduce crime for at-risk children. Heckman has "found that to get the same reduction in crime by adding police officers would cost at least five times as much."  Thank you to Nicholas Kristof for his continued support of Reach Out and Read.
Traveling this Holiday Season? Donate a Book to Reach Out and Read at Bradley International Airport

For the third year in a row, Cover 2 Cover at Bradley International Airport has chosen Reach Out and Read Connecticut as the recipient of the books from their annual book drive. They have already collected over 2400 books from this drive that will help support five of our Hartford program sites. Cover 2 Cover is located in Terminal A of the airport. Stop in while you're traveling and donate a book this holiday season! 

New Pre-kindergarten Standards Roll Out Across Connecticut

After years of study, the State of Connecticut and the Connecticut Early Childhood Cabinet have released the Connecticut Early Learning Standards. The standards in this 71-page booklet were written to be "comprehensive and multi-domain early learning standards that reflect a progression of skills birth through age 5, aligned with Kindergarten-Grade2 standards" and are being put in the hands of educators across the state. The state is hoping that the implementation of the new standards will better prepare children for the Common Core curriculum when they reach kindergarten.

Michelle Levy, an education consultant in the state's Office of Early Childhood, played a key role in creating this document. When speaking with the Easton Courier, Ms. Levy said, "The previous sets of standards had been around for a long time and it was time for them to be revised. We haven't changed or said that children need to know more now than they did yesterday. It's that we have research to show what they may be able to do."

 

The new Early Learning Standards set developmental expectations for children based on age. The standards are also broken into more specific subjects than the previous standards and include math, science, social studies, language, and literacy, as well as physical development and health, social and emotional development and cognition.

You can read more about the standards here.
Screen Sense: Setting the Record Straight
Research-Based Guidelines for Screen Use For Children Under 3 Years Old

By Claire Lerner and Rachel Barr


Claire Lerner, LCSW, Zero to Three and Rachel Barr, PhD, Department of Psychology and Director of Georgetown Early Learning Project at Georgetown University, recently published Screen Sense: Setting the Record Straight-Research-Based Guidelines for Screen Use for Children Under 3 Years Old. In these guidelines they explain that quality early learning experiences typically come from the real, three-dimensional world and that two-dimensional screen experiences do not inherently provide the same opportunities for learning. "The large number of studies on the impact of TV viewing suggests potential harmful effects on children's attention, learning, sleep and obesity."   The authors go on to say that "research also suggests that screen media can become tools for learning if two critical factors are taken into consideration: content and context."


In this article they address the fact that young children find screens enticing especially when they see their adult caregivers using them often. The authors, in a partnership with leading researchers in the field of media and young children, developed guidelines to help parents become "media literate" so that "if they choose to make screen media a part of their children's lives, they can do so in a way that enhances learning and development as much as possible."


Click here to read these guidelines in full.
 Barnes & Noble Stores Across the State Choose Reach Out and Read Connecticut as Non-Profit Partner for Annual Holiday Book Drive

 

Reach Out and Read Connecticut is fortunate to have been selected as the non-profit partner for Barnes & Noble stores in Stamford, New Haven (Yale Book Store), North Haven, Canton and Manchester during their holiday book drives, which run from November 1, 2014 through January 1, 2015.  We are honored that this is the fourth year in a row that some of the Barnes & Noble stores in Connecticut have chosen Reach Out and Read! 

As a way to kick off the holiday season and this partnership, Reach Out and Read and Barnes & Noble in Stamford hosted a story time on November 14th at the Stamford Barnes & Noble. Students from KT Murphy Elementary School visited Barnes & Noble and were read to by guest readers from the Stamford Public School system, the
John Farrell
Stamford Board of Education, the Stamford Fire Department, and volunteers from Literacy Volunteers at Family Centers of Stamford. John Farrell, the world renowned children's musician and story teller, also performed for the children, returning to the event this year after his huge success last year. Both children and adults enjoyed John's performance and were thrilled that he was able to join us. "I've had the good fortune to travel the world sharing songs and stories with children. The greatest predictor of a child's educational success is early exposure to language, stories and reading. I'm pleased to be able to give my time to help Reach Out and Read and Barnes & Noble with the great work they are doing to help children and families," said John Farrell. 

All books received at this holiday drive will benefit Reach Out and Read programs throughout the state.Members of the public can purchase a brand new children's book to donate to Reach Out and Read Connecticut at the Barnes & Noble stores located in Stamford, New Haven (Yale Book Store), North Haven, Canton, and Manchester.

Reach Out and Read New England
Connecticut Newsletter
Winter 2014

Serving 39,824 Connecticut Children
in 71 Clinical Locations
________________________________________
Dear Reach Out and Read Supporters,
  

Where does the time go? It seems that each year goes by even faster than the last one. It is hard to believe that 2014 is coming to a close already. What a wonderful year it has been for Reach Out and Read and nationally for all children and families. With the release of the American Academy of Pediatrics' policy statement promoting books and literacy development at all pediatric well-child visits, we have now made literacy a standard part of pediatric primary care. This is no small feat! We are thankful for the momentum and progress 2014 has brought to the literacy arena and look forward to carrying that momentum forward into 2015 and beyond. These are exciting times! Our wish here at Reach Out and Read is that one day, all children will enter kindergarten with the skills they need to learn to read on time and become successful in school and in life. 2014 brought us one step closer to making our wish come true.

We would like to thank all of our dedicated Reach Out and Read colleagues and supporters for all that you do for the children and families who we serve. We are able to succeed in our mission because of all of you. We thank you and wish you and your families a happy and healthy holiday season.

Kind regards,

Chris 

 

Christine Garber

Connecticut Executive Director
  Reach Out and Read's Connecticut 
Medical Director, Cathy Wiley, MD, Talks about the Books Build Connections Toolkit 
 
 

Fewer than half of all children under 5 are read to daily in our country. With all that we know about early brain development, isn't that fact astonishing? Fortunately, 2014 has been a productive year for the promotion of early literacy and for Reach Out and Read. Nationally, recognition of the critical importance of reading aloud to young children and of nurturing relationships between parent and child continue to grow.

In October, Reach Out and Read was showcased at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference, when Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the launch of a new early literacy toolkit from the AAP. The Books Build Connections toolkit is a product of the partnership between the AAP and Too Small to Fail, a joint initiative of the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation and Next Generation. Within this partnership, pediatric health care providers are placed at the forefront of promoting early literacy from the earliest days of a child's life, with Reach Out and Read as a clear best-practice approach.

Pamela High, MD, lead author of the AAP policy statement on early literacy, Literacy Promotion; An Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice, also spoke at the conference. "Pediatricians want all parents and caregivers to know that by making special one-on-one time every day to read, talk and play with their young children, they are promoting their child's early learning," commented Dr. High. "This kind of treasured experience actually creates new connections in their child's brains that promote language development and secure the bond between parent and child. By creating the Books Build Connections toolkit, the AAP and Too Small to Fail, in collaboration with Reach Out and Read, are getting the word out to families that early experiences really matter."

  

Reach Out and Read sites will find a number of useful elements in the toolkit, including beautiful, parent-friendly "tip sheets" on reading to children at various ages; advice on "the secret to a smarter baby"; information on the science of early brain development; and recommendations for choosing the right books for different ages and developmental stages. 

The Books Build Connections Toolkit is available at www.aap.org/literacy.

Watch the unveiling of the toolkit here. 

Reach Out and Read National Medical Director, Dr. Perri Klass and Hillary Rodham Clinton
Reach Out and Read Highlighted
 on FoxCT Mommy Minute!
Tish Rabe, Christine Garber and Sarah Cody

Sarah Cody of FoxCT's Mommy Minute spent an afternoon last week with Christine Garber, Reach Out and Read's Connecticut Executive Director, and Dr. Seuss author Tish Rabe, learning about the organization and Rabe's career from Sesame Street to Dr. Seuss.  Cody was particularly interested in the Magical Milestones fundraiser the two are partnering on. 

Tish Rabe, the best-selling author of over 160 children's books including the popular Dr. Seuss, Cat In the Hat Learning Library, sits on Reach Out and Read's Connecticut Advisory Board.  To raise money for Reach Out and Read Connecticut, Rabe is generously donating her time and her talents to create customized poems that celebrate the special moments in life including anything from the birth of a child to a retirement. Personal photos can be submitted to accompany the one-of-a-kind poems.  These poems are available for purchase for $50 with 100% of the proceeds going to Reach Out and Read Connecticut.  The poems are called "Magical Milestones" and can be purchased here. 

     

"I'm having fun creating original poems for families that they can enjoy for years to come." said Ms. Rabe, a resident of Mystic, CT.  "I am a passionate supporter of early childhood literacy and know how important it is to get a free book into the hands of every low-income child in Connecticut.  I am happy to do whatever I can to make that happen."

    

The segment will be aired on FoxCT on Monday, December 22.  Make sure you tune in!  
A Path Appears by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn Features Reach Out and Read

Reach Out and Read will be featured in A Path Appears, an upcoming documentary produced by acclaimed authors Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn in conjunction with their recently published book of the same name. The four-hour, three part series will air on PBS on Jan 26, February 2 and February 9 2015. View the 5-minute trailer here.

During a recent appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Kristof and WuDunn mentioned Reach Out and Read twice and directly encouraged viewers to donate to our organization. You can see the appearance here.
Nicholas Kristof, Christine Garber, Sheryl WuDunn
Kristof and WuDunn have also been crisscrossing the county on their book tour for A Path Appears. On October 20, 2014, Reach Out and Read Connecticut Executive Director, Christine Garber, and Fairfield County Program Coordinator, Kerry McMahon, had the opportunity to attend one of their book signings held in Greenwich that was organized by Esther Bushell of Literary Matters.
Nick and Sheryl have done incredible work exploring the issues that are facing people worldwide - and explaining solutions that are making a difference. They tie everything back to early intervention/education - strong parenting, strong community, strong teachers, and strong networks. Reach Out and Read is thrilled to be among the solutions they highlight.
Save The Date! 

Take Your Child to the Library Day

 


Looking for a fun way to celebrate literacy and support your local library? Reach Out and Read is excited to partner with the Connecticut Library Consortium in support of Take Your Child to the Library Day. Nadine Lipman, a children's librarian in Waterford, Connecticut, came up with the idea for Take Your Child to the Library Day. The day is typically celebrated on the first Saturday in February with special events, programs and displays. The official day for this year's celebration is February 7, 2015. Some libraries may choose another day in February or even an entire week for their celebration. Please check with your local library for information.  Reach Out and Read Connecticut will be distributing promotional materials to promote this wonderful day.
Dr. Cliff O'Callahan Presents to Peer Learning Pilot on Social/Emotional Development 
  
Dr. Cliff O'Callahan

Veteran Reach Out and Read Medical Champion, Cliff O'Callahan, MD, presented on behalf of Reach Out and Read Connecticut on Thursday, December 11 at the Connecticut Peer Learning Pilot on Social/Emotional Development.  Dr. O'Callahan practices at Middlesex Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program in Middletown and is an active member in the Connecticut chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Reach Out and Read was asked to present at the meeting to educate community leaders on the Reach Out and Read program and how the program can help with social and emotional development along with early language development.  Nine communities from across the state participated in the pilot which consisted of three different meetings over the last few months with experts presenting at each gathering.  Also presenting on December 11 was Dr. Gerald Calnen, an Enfield-based pediatrician, and Lisa Honigfeld of the Child Health and Development Institute.  Calnen and Honigfeld discussed the Institute's Educating Practices in the Community (EPIC) program which offers 17 training topcs to help pediatric practices across Connecticut better meet the needs of their patients. Representatives from Connecticut's Office of Early Childhood we part of the pilot which was sponsored by the Campaign for Grade Level Reading and the National Center for Children in Poverty. 

Dr. O'Callahan delivered a dynamic and engaging presentation about Reach Out and Read which was enjoyed by all.  We are thrilled to have such knowledgeable and dedicated doctors as our partners.  Thank you to Dr. O'Callahan for everything you do for Reach Out and Read both inside and outside of the exam room.
Become A Reach Out and Read 

Book Buddy

Looking for a unique way to honor a special person, give a gift that keeps on giving, and change a life? Check out our Book Buddy program! Our Book Buddy program offers you a unique and easy way to share the gift of reading with children in need every month of the year. You choose a monthly donation amount and we put your support to work each month to prescribe books and reading to children in need. Click here to sign up to be a Book Buddy and change the lives of many children in our state.
To donate to Reach Out and Read Connecticut, click here.

  Thank you!

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