| Support Reach Out and Read in Washington | |
|
|
|
|
"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."
--Aristotle Onassis
The events at Sandy Hook Elementary school last week are heartbreaking. Parents everywhere cringe at the thought of what happened to so many precious children, and struggle with what to say to our own. I have no particularly profound words to share about this right now. But as an organization that focuses on young children and families, we want to acknowledge this darkness, and convey our deepest sympathies to the families and community involved. We hope that as a nation we find ways to care better for one another, and do everything we can to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.
At the same time we note the many symbols of light this time of year, and how even tiny lights bring so much beauty to the darkness. While I dread the short days of winter, I do love the opportunity it provides to enjoy the lights that so many people display during this holiday season.
Similarly, we face dark and difficult challenges in our economy, and in our educational system. The changes that are needed to truly improve outcomes for kids are big, urgent, and complex. It can and does feel overwhelming. But there are many points of light that, together, will lead us toward a better day for our children and our state. This is where we, the adults, must focus our energy.
From all of us at Reach Out and Read, to you and your loved ones, we wish for you some time of peace, light, and love as 2012 comes to a close. And we look forward to working with you in 2013 to bring light into the lives of young children across our state.
With gratitude,
Jill Sells, MD and the Reach Out and Read Washington team
|
|
COMMUNITY REPORT TO BE RELEASED IN JANUARY
| | |
 | Jill Sells, MD
Executive Director |
Reach Out and Read Washington State demonstrates five years of rapid growth, and a plan for the future. In a few short weeks we look forward to sharing with you our first official report to the community. It is a compelling story of our work to date, and our potential for future impact on the educational system in Washington State. To whet your appetite, here is an excerpt of the introduction from Drs. Jill Sells and Mary Ann Woodruff:
Undeniably, there is something very satisfying about making a difficult diagnosis, recommending a treatment plan, and watching a very ill child get better. But every parent, and every doctor, knows that if the suffering had been prevented in the first place, everyone would be better off.
The same is true in education, and this is why we are focusing on early learning in Washington. Early brain, education, and economic research all point to the same conclusion. If we invest early and wisely in our educational system, we'll have better outcomes and lower costs. And while this is a very challenging economic time, this is also a time of incredible opportunity. We must not be so focused on the complexities of education reform that we fail to recognize that there are feasible and effective options available to us right now.
 | Mary Ann Woodruff, MD
Medical Director |
That is what this report is about. A chance to show you-the people who care the most about our children's and our state's future-about just such an opportunity. We can use Reach Out and Read to leverage the power of parents and the influence of children's doctors to fundamentally help transform education in Washington State, starting with babies.
Doing so brings parents to the table as key resources in our education system. It engages those who care the most about, and have the most influence on, our youngest learners. We can do this now, and it will work. Thanks to the dedication of 1,000 of our medical colleagues, we have the evidence to back up this claim, and a plan that will help open the door to opportunity for children across the state.
We see the need and the potential around us every day. We are moms, we are pediatricians, we are the spouses of educators, and our families have lived for generations in Washington. But we are also problem-solvers, impatient for effective action now. Leveling the playing field to provide opportunity for all children in Washington is crucial for our collective future, and represents the call to action for this generation.
Will you act with us?
Jill Sells, MD and Mary Ann Woodruff, MD
|
|
SENATE LEADERSHIP UNCERTAINTIES LOOM
| | |
Legislative power struggles likely to be first focus of the 2013 session. Anyone who thinks politics is boring has not been paying attention to Washington State recently. With the Senate very closely divided between Democrats and Republicans, there is an evolving power struggle playing out in a very public way. Read the following stories for a glimpse into this controversy from the two different sides.
Op-ed: Don't call the state Senate's Majority Coalition Caucus bipartisan
Op-ed: State Senate's new Majority Coalition Caucus will govern across party lines
While we do not know how this will play out, we do know that there is growing and strong support for early learning, and for Reach Out and Read, in both the House and Senate, and within both parties. In the end, it will be the outcomes we achieve for children across Washington that will determine whether the legislature's actions are effective. We appreciate the dedication of so many legislators to the important outcomes we seek. We ask them, even in the midst of heated discussions and difficult scenarios, to keep children's needs in the forefront of their minds and actions.
|
|
| | |
 Help Reach Out and Read put books into the hands of children and families this holiday season. There's nothing like cuddling up with a good book on a stormy winter day. As you plan your year-end giving, please consider making a gift to Reach Out and Read Washington State. Every day this winter young children will go home from their doctor's visit with a brand new, age-appropriate book to enjoy with their families. Over 86,000 children and their parents are now participating in Washington's Reach Out and Read program, and you can help us reach even more families in 2013.
Did you know?
- Reach Out and Read programs are run voluntarily by doctors and other health-care providers, allowing most of our budget to go toward books and program support.
- The availability of books in a child's home is a great predictor of school success.
- All the books given by Reach Out and Read doctors are gifts to the children who receive them, and come with age-appropriate advice for parents on how to make the most of time spent reading together.
A donation of just $50 provides a child with ten new books, one for each well-child visit from 6 months through 5 years of age. Your gift--large or small--is deeply appreciated and will help support young children across Washington State.
Make a Donation Today
On behalf of every child and parent whose life will be transformed because of your generosity, we thank you! And may joy, and books, fill your lives this holiday season.
|
SOUTH KING COUNTY SCHOOLS WIN RACE TO THE TOP GRANT
|
| |
$40 million from the U.S. Department of Education will help improve education outcomes, starting with early learning. The Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton, Seattle and Tukwila school districts competed together this fall as "The Road Map District Consortium," a reference to their participation in the Road Map Project. The Road Map Project is a collaborative effort to dramatically improve education in South Seattle and South King County.
"This is a major victory for students and families in South King County," said Senator Patty Murray. "When we level the playing field by providing increased access and opportunity for our students, everyone wins. I congratulate the Road Map District Consortium for their outstanding leadership and collaboration in this endeavor. This victory will have a long-lasting impact on our community, and our state, as we all work together to build a brighter future for our students."
The Road Map project has a strong early learning component, and Reach Out and Read is a Foundational Strategy in the Birth to 3rd Grade Action Plan. We congratulate the Puget Sound ESD and the seven school districts, and look forward to working together to support parents and improve outcomes for children.
|
|
|
REACH OUT AND READ WASHINGTON STATE ON FACEBOOK | | |
Reach Out and Read Washington State is on Facebook. Please LIKE us. If you could also suggest our Facebook page to your friends, that would go a long way in helping us spread our message about early literacy. Thanks!
|
|
ABOUT REACH OUT AND READ WASHINGTON STATE
| | |
Reach Out and Read helps prepare children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. Our evidence-based proven program leverages the influence of children's doctors and makes literacy a standard part of well-child checkups from ages 6 months through 5 years. Reach Out and Read supports parents as their child's first teacher and helps children be ready for kindergarten.
Through 145 programs in 30 counties, 1,000 medical providers serve an estimated 86,000 children and their families across Washington. Reach Out and Read Washington State is a Regional Office of Reach Out and Read, Inc., a national not-for-profit 501c3 organization.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Email - washington@reachoutandread.org
Telephone - 206-524-3579
Fax - 206-524-4768
Address - 155 NE 100th Street - Suite 301, Seattle WA 98125
|
|
|
