REF: A Partner in the Rochester Literacy Initiative

The Rochester Literacy Initiative is a collaborative effort to help all literacy volunteers in city schools be as effective as possible in teaching students how to be great readers and literate adults. The effort, launched in 2004, will be seeking new volunteers throughout fall 2006. Volunteers will receive training by the staff of Encompass: Resources for Learning, and support from site coordinators. For more information, please contact REF at 271-5790 or via e-mail: pbraus@rochestereducation.org.

Volunteers in existing school partnership programs may also be able to receive the EnCompass literacy training. Please call for more information.

About the Rochester Literacy Initiative

Rochester Education Foundation is a partner in The Rochester Literacy Initiative with the Rochester City School District, the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester, Wilson Commencement Park and EnCompass: Resources for Learning. The initiative is focused on improving literacy for the children of Rochester by working with schools, families, and the community.

Photo: Ken Huth

The group was founded to address the need for skilled volunteers who are trained in understanding literacy practices and in understanding the many cultures of city students. Training is important because efforts to teach children basic literacy skills can be challenging to volunteers. With this need in mind, the University of Rochester and EnCompass worked together to develop a structured literacy tutoring program.

The first group to be offered the training were undergraduates at the University of Rochester, who worked with students at three city schools. In 2006-2007 the program will be expanded to involve other college students and adults in the community.

The program includes training by EnCompass staff, site management and support by EnCompass site coordinators, and monthly reflection sessions. Participation in the program requires a commitment from tutors of at least one school year.

The group's overall goal is to make Rochester one of the most literate cities by 2010. Other goals include improving student achievement measured by test scores and other means, an increase in student attendance, and a decrease in the number of students in K-3 who are held back in school. In addition, the group hopes to establish a model volunteer orientation program with guidelines for how to work effectively with urban children. A prime objective is to enable all volunteers in city school to have the tools to make their time with young people valuable and helpful to students.