Sharing is Caring

On December 12 and 14, Readers to Leaders (R2L) and First Five joined with other community organizations and participated in a collaborative effort known as Sharing is Caring.  At Sharing is Caring, families who have earned credits by participating in parenting and enrichment classes have the opportunity to shop for gifts for their children at a store created by various charity organizations.  While waiting to shop, parents had the chance to explore booths represented by local organizations such as the Northwest Georgia Regional Library, WIC, and SNAP. R2L and First Five provided families with books, a crayon, a bracelet, a sticker, a bookmark with tips for reading to children at home, and various other informational materials to promote literacy. Pictured below are R2L representatives with booth materials, and a mother and daughter at the event.

 

Left to Right: Katy Green, Archway Education Professional; Melissa Morrison, Readers to Leaders VISTA intern; Pam Partain, Readers to Leaders Chair

 

 

A mother holds parent material, while her daughter holds books.

Book Nooks: Successful Community Collaboration

The Archway Partnership has recently launched its newest initiative: Book Nooks!  As the result of dedicated volunteers working through Readers to Leaders and First Five, a birth-to-Pre-K work group, bookshelves containing child-appropriate books, or “book nooks”, will make their way to local businesses and waiting areas in the community.  Dalton State College’s Athletics program has agreed to sponsor the first four Book Nooks and placed the first one at White’s Pediatrics on December 3. Children were excited to see the Book Nook, and their reaction immediately upon its installation can be viewed below.

 

None of these efforts and community successes would be possible without the collaboration of different individuals and organizations coming together. Pictured below is a snapshot of the first Book Nook and a few of the individuals and organizations that helped make it possible.

Left to right: Erik Simpson, Dalton State Athletics; Elizabeth Chadwick, Dalton State President’s Office and former library board chair; and two representatives from White’s Pediatrics office. 

If your organization is interested in sponsoring or hosting a Book Nook, please contact Readers to Leaders/United Way VISTA Melissa Morrison at readers2leadersdw@gmail.com.

 

 



Industry and Education Partners to Develop Reading Metrics

In 2012, Dalton-Whitfield leaders declared their commitment to helping all students achieve grade level reading by third grade.  In an effort to ensure progress towards this goal, the Dalton-Whitfield Archway Partnership has decided to work together as a community to establish common grade level reading metrics.  Shaw Industries, Mohawk Industries, and J&J Industries have each volunteered a Six Sigma expert to work with representatives from each school system on this project.  The scope of the group’s work is as follows: 

1) Examine existing data to determine how variables like poverty are impacting student success;

2) Decide upon a common metric(s) for third grade reading level and grades up to third; and

3) Decide upon a benchmark on the metric(s) that will establish success.

The team hopes to have a recommendation for the school systems in early January of 2014, prior to the schools’ spring budget determinations.

Archway Presents to Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce

 

On October 31, the Archway Partnership shared information about local initiatives with the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. At the meeting, Archway Partnership chairman Lynn Laughter, Vice-Chair Don Cope, and Archway Professional Melissa Lu refreshed the board on select poverty statistics indicating the need for community collaboration: 

 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Fact Finder.
Poverty line is considered to be $21,954 (GA County Guide).

 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Fact Finder.
Median Household Income is defined as the income of the householder and all other individuals 15 years old and over in the household, whether they are related to the householder or not (U.S. Census Bureau). Inflation adjusted income has been adjusted using an inflation-adjusted calculator found at http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm and is based on the 2013 year.

Archway representatives then shared with the Chamber Board Archway's 2013-2014 priorities:
     1) Get Students on Grade Level Reading by Third Grade
     2) Prioritize a Greenways, Parks, and Trails Project
     3) Further Explore the Concept of a Business Incubator

The presentation shared can be viewed here.

GPEE Bus Tour Visits Dalton-Whitfield County

On October 29, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education bus tour visited Dalton-Whitfield County to learn more about community-wide education efforts.  More than 80 representatives from around the state visited the Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy, where they had an opportunity to learn about Archway Partnership and Archway-initiated efforts including the Early Childhood Community Coalition; Readers to Leaders; Explore Experience; and Design, Engineering and Manufacturing Camp.  Participants also had the opportunity to learn about other educational opportunities sponsored by Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Dalton State College, and Whitfield Middle School STEM programs.

Following a tour of the Career Academy and exhibit visits, representatives were treated to a dinner prepared by culinary arts students from local high schools. During dinner, participants had an opportunity to learn more about Archway Partnership’s work and other community-wide education initiatives.

Below are some images highlighting the event.

Archway Education Professional Katy Green (center) discusses early childhood education initiatives with two bus tour visitors.

 

Pam Partain (right), Chair of Archway Partnership’s Readers to Leaders (R2L) Committee, explains R2L’s mission and the community’s commitment to literacy.

 

Archway Professional Melissa Lu (center) shares Archway Partnership efforts with representatives. 

Archway Work Group: Early Childhood Community Coalition

August and September have been very exciting months for the Early Childhood Community Coalition (ECCC). The ECCC is a united voice of community partners who advocate, collaborate, strategize, and provide solutions to support healthy prenatal awareness and early childhood development by: (1) Engaging the community in prenatal to pre-k issues including the importance of emergent literacy, school readiness, and healthy lifestyle choices; (2) Empowering and providing all young children in the community with the best start in life by building parent and educator capacity;  and (3) Enhancing collaboration among organizations to maximize resources for the betterment of the children and community. The vision of this committee is to “prepare children, from birth to age five, for success in school and life.”

The ECCC is dedicated to supporting healthy prenatal awareness, as early and regular prenatal care increases the chances of a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. The committee members are currently in discussions with many different agencies to discuss the awareness of healthy prenatal care and solutions for providing prenatal care for women who are uninsured and may not have the financial means to pay for prenatal care.

This committee is also dedicated to early literacy and school readiness for young children. The ECCC is currently strategizing ways to bolster parent and educator capacity of early literacy and school readiness, as well as ways that the community can support early literacy and school readiness efforts. For example, Readers to Leaders along with White’s Pediatrics, the local library, and funding by faith-based organizations have begun the Reach Out and Read program. Reach Out and Read is a program that pediatricians discuss literacy milestones with parents and provide children a free book at each well visit from the ages of 6 months through 5.   The committee is in the midst of expanding this program with other pediatric offices in the community.

ECCC is also joining forces with Readers to Leaders to develop a community-wide grade level reading strategic plan, which is part of the national and state Grade Level Reading Campaign to increase the number of children reading on grade level by third grade. The ECCC will develop the Birth to Five literacy plan to support this community effort.

 

Archway Executive Committee Prioritizes Issues for 2013-2014

At the September Archway Partnership Executive Committee meeting, members prioritized the following key issues to focus on in 2013-2014:

·        Get students reading on grade level by third grade.

·        Prioritize greenways, parks, and trails projects.

·        Pursue funding for a business incubator.

At the meeting, the group also formally voted to form a work group to develop measurements related to the goal of getting all students on third grade reading level. 

Readers to Leaders Considers Next Steps

At the September Readers to Leaders issue work group meeting, members discussed how the community can meet its goal of getting all students reading on grade level by third grade.  At the meeting, the group discussed ideas including:

·        Assisting the library in expanding its summer reading program to sites throughout the county.

·        Assisting Whitfield County Schools in adding more sites and programming for its Lunch ‘n Learn school readiness program next summer.

·        Working with adult literacy programs to support parents as their children’s first teachers.

·        Supporting Dalton State College’s School of Education in hosting a Christmas reading event, a summer reading and writing camp, and curriculum nights.

·        Joining the Grade Level Reading Campaign and a similar campaign for English language learners.

Over the next month, a smaller group will meet to engage in strategic planning for Readers to Leaders.

To view the minutes from the meeting, click on the following link:  http://www.archwaypartnership.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/September-2013-minutes.pdf

City of Dalton Hosts Grand Opening for Mt. Rachel Hiking Trail

On August 21, the City of Dalton hosted a grand opening for the new Mount Rachel Hiking Trail, a 1.6 mile walking and biking trail that originates just outside of downtown Dalton.    The grand opening of the trail represents more than three years’ worth of work and collaboration across many different groups.   In 2010, City Manager Ty Ross solicited the support of the Archway Partnership Executive Committee in applying for grants that were ultimately obtained and utilized to construct the trail.  In 2011, the City of Dalton worked with University of Georgia graduate students in the College of Environment and Design to create concepts for the trail.  Mr. Ross noted that “[t]he Archway environmental design students’ work greatly contributed to the original Mt. Rachel concept and many of their suggestions were directly incorporated into the constructed improvements.  For example, amenities such as bike racks, picnic shelters, restrooms, and water fountains were all wisely suggested by the students as things that they would desire in such a facility.” 

Photo courtesy of Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership

To learn more about the hiking trail, view coverage in the following Dalton Daily Citizen article: http://daltondailycitizen.com/local/x865759471/-A-lot-of-fun

Readers to Leaders Update: August

On Wednesday, August 7, members of the Readers to Leaders Committee convened at the Northwest Georgia Regional Library.  Pam Partain, R2L Committee Chair and Director of Marketing and Communications at Dalton State College, congratulated the team on the success of the 2nd Annual Community Literacy Celebration.  The committee also discussed updates on the progress of the Reach Out and Read program and the success of the summer reading programs.  Action items on the agenda included discussion of the lessons learned during the process of the Literacy Celebration and growth of the Little Free Libraries project. 

For more detail regarding this meeting please review the minutes at: http://www.archwaypartnership.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Agenda-August-Minutes.pdf

Community Considers the Possibilities for a Public Aquatic Center

On Thursday, August 1, 2013, Director of the Dalton Parks and Recreation Department Steve Card spoke to the Archway Partnership Executive Committee about the possibility of building a natatorium in the Dalton-Whitfield community.  In June 2013, UGA environment and design students worked with Steve and the City of Dalton to explore the options for this aquatic center and created three designs for the community to use if they decided to go forward with this project.  The three designs included:

1.     Renovating the current building/pool at the main recreation center to include a natatorium, gymnasium, offices, and meeting facilities.  This design can be viewed at: http://www.archwaypartnership.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Rec-Center-Addition.pdf

2.     Creating a stand-alone structure at 904 Civic Drive.  This design can be viewed at: http://www.archwaypartnership.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/East-Park-Natatorium.pdf

3.     Partnering with the Trade Center to utilize meeting space and build a pool space only with auxiliary gymnasium and offices.  This design can be viewed at: http://www.archwaypartnership.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Conference-Center.pdf

During Steve’s presentation he noted that these plans are in the infancy stage and are subject to change.  To review the presentation regarding the natatorium, please go to the following link: http://www.archwaypartnership.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Natatorium-Presentation-8-1-13.pdf

Readers to Leaders Update: July

On Wednesday, July 10, 2013 members of the Readers to Leaders (R2L) Committee met at the Northwest Georgia Regional Library to discuss the current projects that the committee has been working on in the community.  This meeting included updates for the Reach Out and Read program, current R2L publicity, and the Summer Reading Programs.  Action items during the meeting included planning for the 2^nd Annual Community Literacy Celebration, Little Free Libraries, and determining R2L sponsors.

To stay updated with Readers to Leaders you can review the minutes from this meeting at: http://www.archwaypartnership.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/R2L-July-2013-Minutes-1.pdf

Archway Partnership Young Child Work Group Member Named Citizen of the Week

On Saturday, July 20, Archway Partnership Young Child Work Group member and Family Support Council Success By Six Director Tom Bartley was named the Citizen of the Week by the Dalton Daily Citizen.  Tom was recognized for dedicating his time volunteering at the Readers to Leaders 2nd Annual Community Literacy Celebration on July 18.  During the celebration he dressed up as the Cat in the Hat to greet and take photos with hundreds of children who attended the event.   Tom set the mood of the event and raised the excitement for all of the event participants.

To read this article please go to: http://daltondailycitizen.com/opinion/x1724758178/Citizen-of-the-Week-Tom-Bartley

To see photos of Tom in character, check out the Cat in the Hat album on R2L’s Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/R2LDaltonWhitfield

2nd Annual Community Literacy Celebration

On Thursday, July 18, community members of all ages gathered at the Mack Gaston Community Center to attend the 2^nd Annual Community Literacy Celebration!  The registration line was out the door with hundreds of Dalton-Whitfield residents excited for the festivities.  At registration each family received a goody bag which included educational information. 

 

 

R2L Committee member Brian Cooksey at registration handing out the goody bags.

After registering, each child walked down the red carpet to meet and have their photo made with the Cat in the Hat.  The famous book character ignited the excitement of the kids as they entered the event!


Special guest Cat in the Hat (Tom Bartley, Family Support Council Success By Six Director) welcomed each child to the event.

During the event the children enjoyed reading circles with books for every reading level.  At the reading circles, volunteers read to the children and the children also read to the volunteers.  After a book was read the child documented the book they read on a poster board. 



Children listening to a book being read at the event!

Children excited to record the books they read!

The participants also enjoyed several crafts during the event.  Each family received a bin to store books at home.  At the event they enjoyed decorating their bins and also made their own book marks, hand fans, and stick puppets. 

Event participants drawing a tow truck on their bin.

Information booths were set up around the gym for the families to receive valuable information on services available in Dalton-Whitfield County.  These booths included: WIC and the Whitfield County Health Department, United Way of Northwest Georgia, Adult Education of Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Boys and Girls Club, Family Support Council, Kool Smiles, AmeriGroup, and Promotoras de Salud.  Big Red Reads and the Northwest Georgia Regional Library donated books for every child at the Celebration and the Girl Scouts provided face painting for the children. 

 

A volunteer at the Northwest Georgia Regional Library booth helps the children pick out free books. 

 

Healthy snacks were provided for every person who attended the event.  Participants enjoyed bananas, apples, carrots, water, and more which were donated by Whitfield County Schools. 

R2L Committee member Suzanne Harbin (Left) with her healthy snack crew before the event.

Throughout the afternoon children and their parents were presented with complimentary items to take home.  They received free books, pencils, stickers, wristbands, a Readers to Leaders t-shirt, and other special treats. 

Archway Education Professional Katy Green handing out free wristbands at the event. 

After the fun filled afternoon of reading, crafts, snacks, and goodies the children who participated in the literacy event ended the day playing at the splash pad!

Fun in the sun at the splash pad!

The 2^nd Annual Community Literacy Celebration was a huge success!  This event would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the Readers to Leaders Committee, local volunteers, and sponsors.  Thank you to everyone who participated!

Check out the following letter to the editor by Readers to Leaders Chair Pam Partain thanking our volunteers:  http://daltondailycitizen.com/opinion/x751142681/Letter-Profoundly-grateful

Members of the Readers to Leaders Committee.

R2L Sponsors.

Orientation for New Archway Executive Committee

On Monday, July 8, Dalton-Whitfield Archway Partnership hosted an orientation for fourteen new Executive Committee members.  New members represent elected officials for the city, county, and both school systems; large and small local businesses; the arts community; the Chamber of Commerce board; Dalton State College’s athletics department; Dalton Utilities; the Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership; and local community members.  New members joined incoming Chairman Lynn Laughter and Co-Chair Don Cope and outgoing Chair Rick Hooper and Co-Chair John Schwenn to learn about Archway, ask questions, and think about their role in the upcoming year.      

Grow Greater Dalton Investment Council Chairman John Neal (Left) and Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce Chair-Elect Robert Smalley (Right) look on as Dalton Public Schools Board Chairman Danny Crutchfield participates in an orientation activity. 

Readers to Leaders Presents to Kiwanis Club

On Monday, July 1, members of the Readers to Leaders (R2L) Workforce Development Team spoke to the Kiwanis Club of Dalton about evolving community literacy efforts.  Merry Boggs, Director of Elementary Curriculum for Whitfield County Schools, spoke of the inception of the R2L movement in 2012, highlighting the Commitment to Literacy Press Conference and the First Annual Literacy Celebration in summer 2012.  Pam Partain, Readers to Leaders Chair and Dalton State College Director of Marketing and Communications, passionately described the public schools’ commitment to literacy and the need for community-wide support for literacy. 

R2L members before presenting to Kiwanis Club of Dalton.  From left to right, Archway Professional Melissa Lu, Director of Elementary Curriculum for Whitfield County Schools Merry Boggs, Southeast High School Principal Karey Williams, Dalton Public Schools Gifted Program Coordinator Lisa Hackney, Readers to Leaders Chair and Dalton State College Director of Marketing and Communications Pam Partain, and Readers to Leaders AmeriCorps Vista Marlen Rodriguez.

Lisa Hackney, Dalton Public Schools Gifted Program Coordinator, spoke about how much of a child’s success begins in the home and the steps R2L is taking to provide parents and children with access to educational resources.  She spoke about local trainings provided by University of Georgia faculty to help teachers build better home-school partnerships with parents, this year’s community-wide Pre-K registration emphasizing school readiness and literacy, increased participation in summer reading programs, and the Second Annual Literacy Celebration scheduled for July 18, 2013.  Marlen Rodriguez, Readers to Leaders AmeriCorps Vista, spoke about R2L’s partnership with the library and the library’s involvement in community outreach activities.  She shared that over 500 children have participated in summer reading programs to date. 

Members of Kiwanis listening to the R2L presentation.

Melissa Lu, Dalton-Whitfield Archway Professional, discussed the community’s desire to prepare young children for school success before they reach kindergarten.  As a result of the community’s commitment to this area, Archway Education Professional Katy Green was hired to pilot new initiatives and explore new collaborations to support Dalton-Whitfield’s prenatal to Pre-K population.  Karey Williams, Assistant Superintendent for Whitfield County Schools, concluded the presentation to Kiwanis by stating the important role partnerships play in improving literacy in the Dalton-Whitfield community. 

To review Dalton Daily Citizen coverage of the presentation, please click on the following link: http://daltondailycitizen.com/local/x1614269505/Volunteers-spreading-benefits-of-literacy.

 

 

Faith Community Gets Involved With Readers to Leaders

On Thursday, June 20, representatives from area churches met at the Mack Gaston Community Center to hear Dalton-Whitfield Public Library Board of Trustees Member and Northwest Georgia Regional Library Board System Chair Elizabeth Chadwick, Readers to Leaders Chair Pam Partain, and AmeriCorps Vista Marlen Rodriguez share information about the Reach Out and Read (ROR) program and ways the faith based community can get involved.  ROR is an evidence-based nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading.  R2L and the Dalton-Whitfield County Library Board are working in partnership with White’s Pediatrics of Dalton and Rockbridge Community Church and interested members of the faith community to pilot this program this fall at White’s Pediatrics.  If your church would like to get involved with ROR please email Marlen Rodriguez marlen.rodriguez@ngrl.org.

To learn more about ROR, please go to the following link: http://daltondailycitizen.com/local/x182743450/Leaders-look-to-feed-reader-program

 

69 Students Graduate from Design, Engineering & Manufacturing Camp

On Thursday, June 13, 2013, family members and local stakeholders gathered at the Career Academy to celebrate the graduation of 69 DEM Camp participants.  DEM (Design, Engineer, and Manufacturing) Camp is hosted every summer by many sponsors in the community.  It is an opportunity for middle school students to learn more about the carpet industry and allows them to begin to gain interest in a career path for the future.  The graduation was hosted to congratulate the participants and exhibit all of their hard work.  Throughout the week the students were able to do team building exercises, build their own race cars, design their own rugs, take a tour of a plant at Shaw Industries, and much more. 

A schedule for the DEM Camp participants is located at the following link: http://bit.ly/DEMCampSchedule2013



Brian Cooksey, Director of Operations Training & Development at Shaw Industries, presents awards at the DEM Camp graduation.

Participants race the cars they designed at DEM Camp.

 

Readers to Leaders: June Update

On Wednesday, June 5, 2013, the Readers to Leaders Workforce Development Team met to discuss the progress of the R2L initiatives in Dalton-Whitfield County.  Highlights include the following:

·        Reach Out and Read Program:  On June 20, 2013, at 10:00 AM at the Mack Gaston Community Center, Readers to Leaders (R2L) will host a meeting for members of the faith community to learn about the Reach Out and Read (ROAR) program.  ROAR is “an evidence-based nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud.”  R2L and the Dalton-Whitfield County Library Board members have worked in partnership with White’s Pediatrics of Dalton and Rockbridge Community Church to pilot this program in our community this year. To learn more about Readers to Leaders, visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/R2LDaltonWhitfield.   

·        Summer Reading/Book Programs:  Three summer reading programs are currently taking place:  Big Red Reads (City Schools), Lunch ‘n Learns (County Schools), and the Library’s summer reading program.  Whitfield County’s Lunch ‘n Learns, which target parents of children aged 3-5, is in its second week and has had positive reception from parents to date.

·        Community Literacy Celebration:  The Second Community Literacy Celebration is currently scheduled for Thursday, July 18, from 4:00pm-6:00pm at the Community Center. 

To check out the plans and progress of this meeting, please click here: http://bit.ly/R2LJuneUpdate.

Welcome to the New Archway Education Professional

On May 29, 2013 members of the newly developed Young Child Executive Committee welcomed Katy Green to the Dalton-Whitfield community as the new Archway Education Professional.  Katy will be working with local stakeholders, local service providers and higher education resources to make sure that children aged birth to 5 are getting the best possible start in life.  Katy’s position, made possible by the City of Dalton and Grow Greater Dalton, is the first of its kind and is supported by undisputed research that early brain development has profound impacts on ultimate educational success. 


Archway Education Professional Katy Green

 

Katy can be reached at kbgreen@uga.edu  

To learn more about Katy, check out the following article:  http://outreach.uga.edu/news/katy-green-hired-as-whitfield-county-archway-education-professional_1541