Readers to Leaders Issue Work Group Makes Plans for 2013

On Wednesday, January 9, community members representing  Dalton Public Schools, Whitfield County Schools, Shaw Industries, the Northwest Georgia Regional Library, the Family Connection Collaborative, United Way, the Community Center, private business, the local judiciary, and many more gathered together to discuss future plans for the Readers to Leaders Issue Work Group.  Readers to Leaders is a citizen-based group that was formed through the Archway Partnership after local government, civic, and school leaders made a pact to implement the Literacy Collaborative in both Dalton Public Schools and Whitfield County Schools.  The group is focused on supporting literacy efforts outside of the classroom and ensuring that students and families have every possible opportunity to succeed.

At the meeting, work group members met Marlen Rodriguez, the new United Way Vista who will work this year to support the Readers to Leaders effort and tie the initiative to the work of the Northwest Georgia Regional Library.  Marlen’s position was made possible through the support of the Northwest Georgia Community Foundation, the Northwest Georgia Regional library, and private donors.  Work group members also had the opportunity to plan events and initiatives for 2013 and beyond.

Ideas discussed included:

·        Celebrating literacy awareness during April 14-20, which is nationally designated as Week of the Young Child, National Library Week, and National Public School Volunteer Week.  During this week, the group discussed supporting Pre-K registration at the Community Center with reading groups, book distribution, and educational handouts for parents addressing reading milestones.  The group also discussed supporting and bolstering existing volunteer reading events slated for this week.

 

·        Hosting a Second Annual Community Literacy Celebration at the Community Center during the summer.  The group discussed using this event to kick off a satellite library branch at the Community Center and bring publicity to the library’s summer reading program.

·        Bringing in a high profile celebrity committed to literacy to both inspire residents and serve as a fund-raising mechanism for the effort.

·        Incorporating book fairs into existing art festivals.

·        Working with local health care institutions and pediatricians’ offices to implement the Reach Out and Read program (http://www.reachoutandread.org/) locally.

The group, with Marlen’s support, will explore these opportunities further over the next several weeks. 

The next Readers to Leaders meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 6 at 4:00 PM at the Dalton branch of the Northwest Georgia Regional Library.  To view the minutes from this meeting please go to the following link: http://www.archwaypartnership.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/R2L-Minutes-1-9-131.pdf