In pursuit of creating an impactful and rich learning environment for children throughout the Springfield, Massachusetts area, the Out of School Time Fellowship is training local educators in early literacy skills. Created by Reading Success by the 4th Grade (RS4G), the program is bringing fellows together to earn professional leadership tactics and educational experience through individualized coaching. RS4G is a community-wide early literacy initiative dedicated to helping all children gain access to the reading and learning skills necessary to thrive in school and in life. It mobilizes families and instructors with educational resources and strategies, and provides kids with new opportunities for success. With a focus on collaborating within underserved communities and underrepresented groups, RS4G embraces diversity and advocates for the value of literacy training. The Out of School Time Fellowship is structured to support and influence local academic leaders who work with children up to eight years old. Through group learning experiences and expert coaching, fellows are creating a network of resources, skills, and partnerships with a universal goal: advancing early literacy throughout the community. Kathy Coleman, an expert coach for the fellowship, has worked in the OST field within Western Mass. for over 25 years, and specializes in STEM subjects and literacy development. She creates literacy strategies that support healthy and engaging learning, communication, and leadership skills for children. “My main goals are to offer support to OST leaders and educators to promote high quality, educational, and fun after school and summer programs,” said Coleman. “I assist leaders to create well-balanced plans that include fitness and health activities, hands-on STEM experiences, and music and art activities, while always imbedding literacy strategies into these plans and activities.” Although the program is currently being completed virtually, fellows attend remote sessions, regional meetings, and one-on-one coaching sessions to gain new tools and connect with one another. One fellow, Monica Crimmins, acknowledges the obstacles within remote training: “The OST staff have had to step up and take on new tasks during remote learning, they have struggled and succeeded, and had to deal with things that they have never had to deal with before.” Crimmins is the OST Program Administrator at Square One in Springfield, a nonprofit organization that provides early education, childcare, and family support services to the area. Although the fellowship is being conducted remotely, Crimmins was excited to immerse herself in the opportunity for growth, create connections, and now spread her skills by “reaching out to others, sharing guidance and getting her staff the appropriate training they need.” With a focus on the importance of collaborating with other educators in the area, the fellowship creates a network of those dedicated to similar goals: “I joined the fellowship because I wanted to be a part of the leaders that made a difference in our community,” said Esther Alicea, the Education Coordinator at Springfield Parks and Recreation. Alicea highlights the value of making connections within the area, sharing ideas, and exchanging leadership skills. Throughout the training, Alicea is collecting resources that enhance learning and strengthen the already important component of reading. She is hopeful that “we can establish a solid network of OST leaders in Springfield and are able to be used as resources in our community.” Another literacy leader within the community, Maureen Marchacos, is the Elementary Director at the Springfield Jewish Community Center. She has worked with the JCC for over 16 years, and watched it grow to now include three OST programs that serve around 220 children. She is eager to apply her new skills and experiences she made through “meeting everyone, hearing great ideas, growing as a professional, and beginning to make my program even better.” Marchacos is also applying the skills she acquired to a new goal: “I noticed the struggle of getting children excited and wanting to read. My aim is to create a bigger library, expose them to new forms of literature, and train my staff on the importance of broadening kids’ reading at young ages.” Through concrete leadership training, early literacy strategies, and new framework goals, the fellowship is pushing local educators to create the best possible learning environment for young children. David Feinstein, the Literacy Educator at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, detailed the unique opportunity to approach the literacy field from a place of new perspectives. He emphasized how connecting with local leaders “has reinforced just how central literacy and early childhood education is to the overall health and vitality of our communities.” “In my work designing and implementing family engagement projects, I’ve been able to pursue creative collaborations with our community partners in Springfield,” said Feinstein. “I decided to join the fellowship in order to deepen and expand my knowledge of the Pioneer Valley’s literacy landscape, to continue forging new relationships with fellow early childhood educators, to explore my potential as a local advocate and leader in the field of literacy and arts education.” As RS4G’s OST Fellowship has brought together local educators with a common goal, the community can flourish through their collaboration and learned skills. As instructors and families gain more knowledge and resources regarding early literacy, children can form academic passions and master the tools that will help them succeed. “One of my favorite writers, Joan Didion, writes that ‘we tell stories in order to survive.’ My involvement with the fellowship has continued to strengthen my belief in the power of stories to connect people and empower people to imagine a better, more equitable world,” said David Feinstein.

Since its establishment in 2008, Link to Libraries has been devoted to promoting early literacy and academic success within the Western Massachusetts community. It has already donated over 650,000 books to children, homes, and organizations in need. Link to Libraries dedicates its time, resources, and programming to inspiring young readers—while promoting this academic development, this also sparks lifelong passions for imagination, communication, and literature. Further pursuing these goals, the local nonprofit organization recently partnered with other early literacy initiatives to participate in the Lectio Institute, a professional development program designed to strengthen community outreach and educational growth. The Lectio Institute guides stakeholders through an intensive process focused on improving the quality and results of their early learning and literacy programming services. Reading Success by 4th Grade (RS4G) brought the Lectio Approach to the Springfield literacy ecosystem. RS4G invited community partners and literacy leaders with a footprint in the city to learn more about early literacy, improvement in science, and creating and refining the literacy landscape. The Lectio Institute upholds that “it is critical that we, as a field, take on a new approach to promoting children’s early reading skills—one that ensures our efforts and that help our children reach their potential.” Laurie Flynn, the President of Link to Libraries and the Lectio program leader, commented on the training’s valued opportunity for growth and collaboration to make a difference within the community. “It allowed us the time and space to use improvement science to really drill down and evaluate every aspect of each of our four major programs and to assess how we, as an organization, fit into the Springfield early literacy landscape,” said Flynn. “We never could have done an evaluation like this on our own.” The Lectio approach for programming is based on literacy data and research, resource capabilities, and collective outreach. Flynn acknowledged how the training gave insight into the organization’s future growth: “The Institute gave us a clear framework to work from and broke it all down in manageable chunks so that it didn't feel overwhelming.” Link to Libraries promotes the research that “learning to read proficiently is a child's best chance for success in school and in life.” While it’s primary objective is distributing new books, they also have four major programs: Community Book Link, Read Aloud, Reading Any Place, and Celebrity Readers. These opportunities connect those in need with literary resources and toys, and collaborate with local celebrities or volunteers to read and share with children. Through this participation and outreach, the community has access to not only books, but also opportunities. Link to Libraries, as well as RS4G and other local initiatives, are dedicated to promoting widespread literacy, while enhancing the education and lives of local families. “The fact that we were on this journey with so many other organizations was invaluable. It was helpful to hear that we are all facing similar challenges and how others are addressing them,” said Flynn. “The institute fostered a sense of community, and I know for Link to Libraries, this will better enable us to seek out partnership opportunities.” Link to Libraries is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to distribute new books to the school and home libraries of children in need throughout Western Massachusetts. https://www.linktolibraries.org Facebook: @LinktoLibraies Reading Success by 4th Grade is a community-wide initiative to get all of Springfield’s kids reading proficiently by the end of 3rd grade. Their projects bring people together to learn, share, and advocate for early literacy in Springfield, Massachusetts. www.readby4thgrade.com Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn: @ReadBy4thGrade The Lectio Approach: Our mission is to unlock the power of our collective commitment to America’s youngest readers. We work to ensure that all children's literacy efforts and those they serve reach their potential, and that all stakeholders see the results and impacts they intended. www.lectioapproach.com

As young children grow up, their first teachers are their own parents. This period of development is crucial in setting behavioral patterns and creating a healthy learning environment—one that will shape a child’s future. Home City Families recognizes this importance and supports families within the community through a network of parenting information, childcare and playgroups, and early literacy activities. Home City Families, an organization funded by the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement, reaches out to families across Springfield, Massachusetts with learning resources and guidance for childcare. Following this goal, they recently joined other local organizations in the Lectio Institute training, a professional development program designed to promote early literacy and community outreach skills. The Lectio Institute guides stakeholders through an intensive process focused on improving the quality and results of their early learning and literacy programming services. Reading Success by 4th Grade (RS4G) brought the Lectio Approach to the Springfield literacy ecosystem. RS4G invited community partners and literacy leaders with a footprint in the city to learn more about early literacy, improvement in science, and creating and refining the literacy landscape. The Lectio Institute upholds that “it is critical that we, as a field, take on a new approach to promoting children’s early reading skills—one that ensures our efforts and that help our children reach their potential.” Jennifer Teehan-Sanford, the Grant Manager at Home City Families, acted as the program leader throughout the Lectio Institute training. She commented on the opportunity for growth, finding common goals as a community, and “encouraging active engagement” in the lives of children. The Lectio Institute programming relies on analyzing data and research, refocusing strategy, and creating cohesive and realistic frameworks for promoting widespread outreach. Teehan-Sanford described the impact of this strategy: “The process that the Lectio Institute led us through allowed our team to focus and be much more intentional in the programming that we offer.” “We all often fall into the mentality of ‘we do it because we have always done it this way,’” said Teehan-Sanford. “The Lectio Institute allowed us the time for self-reflection and better program development to shift this mindset.” Home City Families’ current outreach initiatives are already helping families across the city develop parenting and academic skills. They provide information and referrals to connect families to early literacy resources and childcare services within the community. They also have an array of educational programs for both children and their parents: Ready! for Kindergarten, New Baby Outreach Visits, Active Parenting, and playgroups and story hours. Through further outreach programming, professional development, and cooperation with other local organizations, the community can continue to reach families in need and support the widespread growth of literacy and success. “Springfield has a strong community of professionals that are dedicated to moving the needle to strengthen our early literacy,” said Teehan-Sanford. “Moving forward, many of these providers will work together, participate in training and professional development and support one another in a variety of ways. With the support and guidance of Reading Success By 4th Grade we are confident to continue to move forward in a positive direction directly impacting the families we all serve.” Home City Families is a community organization that offers a network of information, support and programming for families in Springfield, Massachusetts and is funded by the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement. https://homecityfamilies.com Facebook: @HomeCityFamilies Reading Success by 4th Grade is a community-wide initiative to get all of Springfield’s kids reading proficiently by the end of 3rd grade. Their projects bring people together to learn, share, and advocate for early literacy in Springfield, Massachusetts. www.readby4thgrade.com Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn: @ReadBy4thGrade The Lectio Approach: Our mission is to unlock the power of our collective commitment to America’s youngest readers. We work to ensure that all children's literacy efforts and those they serve reach their potential, and that all stakeholders see the results and impacts they intended. www.lectioapproach.com

Through high-quality child care, educational programs, and social growth, children may develop and succeed throughout their lives. Family Child Care pursues this goal and serves the community as a SEIU Local 509 cohort of early literacy and child care providers. FCC recently joined other childhood literacy and care organizations in a training program through the Lectio Institute, a professional development program that creates programming for literacy outreach and community growth. The Lectio Institute guides stakeholders through an intensive process focused on improving the quality and results of their early learning and literacy programming services. Reading Success by 4th Grade (RS4G) brought the Lectio Approach to the Springfield literacy ecosystem. RS4G invited community partners and literacy leaders with a footprint in the city to learn more about early literacy, improvement in science, and creating and refining the literacy landscape. The Lectio Institute upholds that “it is critical that we, as a field, take on a new approach to promoting children’s early reading skills—one that ensures our efforts and that help our children reach their potential.” Through a different approach and analysis of goals, they work toward “unlocking the power of our collective commitment to America’s youngest readers.” Jynai McDonald is the Family Child Care Coordinator and served as their team leader within the Lectio Institute training. She commented on the impact of the training from an administrative perspective, and reviewed how the framework and support affect local child care providers. “I think this professional learning helped to shine a light on the great work that already exists within FCC programs and gave us a glimpse of how the broader community is being supported through their families enrollment in the program,” said McDonald. The FCC department provides services and training for over 2,400 child care providers throughout the area. These providers instruct and care for children, teaching early literacy and academic skills, amid struggles like resource accessibility and language barriers. “One of the foreseeable obstacles is needing more access to literacy materials for the children to use in the program and take home with them,” said McDonald. “Many of the providers that participated in our focus groups expressed wanting access to outside literacy professionals in their home-based programs.” Lakisha Coppedge, a past family child care provider, educator, and consultant within the Family Child Care cohort, also commented on the importance of training programs and access to learning materials. “The literacy strategies shared in Lectio highlight the desire to be seen as viable learning programs complete with appropriate literacy materials, continued learning and a way to incorporate the literacy strategy in the family homes,” said Coppedge. McDonald acknowledged the value of sharing strategy and collaborating for greater growth within the area: “Having FCC providers share how they are implementing literacy and the frequency in which it happens creates evidence on their role in strengthening the community's literacy.” Through participation in professional development programs like Lectio, cooperative approaches to literacy and child care, and continued devotion to helping children and families, Family Child Care and other local organizations can make a difference in the area and see marked success. Family Child Care is a SEIU Local 509 cohort of early literacy and child care providers throughout Massachusetts dedicated to providing academic and family services to young children and their families. Reading Success by 4th Grade is a community-wide initiative to get all of Springfield’s kids reading proficiently by the end of 3rd grade. Their projects bring people together to learn, share, and advocate for early literacy in Springfield, Massachusetts. www.readby4thgrade.com Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn: @ReadBy4thGrade The Lectio Approach: Our mission is to unlock the power of our collective commitment to America’s youngest readers. We work to ensure that all children's literacy efforts and those they serve reach their potential, and that all stakeholders see the results and impacts they intended. www.lectioapproach.com

With a focus on helping vulnerable families in the area, Talk/Read/Succeed works to engage with the community and strengthen the education and literacy rates of children. The program partners with the Springfield Housing Authority to offer support to low income families and services to help spark more opportunities for success. Talk/Read/Succeed is rooted in forming strong bonds within the community—between families, schools, employers, and other literacy initiatives. Further pursuing this goal, the program recently joined other local organizations in the Lectio Institute, a professional development training to optimize early literacy and education objectives through an adjusted framework. The Lectio Institute guides stakeholders through an intensive process focused on improving the quality and results of their early learning and literacy programming services. Reading Success by 4th Grade (RS4G) brought the Lectio Approach to the Springfield literacy ecosystem. RS4G invited community partners and literacy leaders with a footprint in the city to learn more about early literacy, improvement in science, and creating and refining the literacy landscape. The Lectio Institute upholds that “despite great promise and tireless efforts, many of today’s literacy programs, instruction, and services are not adding up to impact.” Through a different approach and analysis of goals, they work toward “unlocking the power of our collective commitment to America’s youngest readers.” Pam Wells, the Director of Resident Services with the Springfield Housing Authority, served as the program leader for Talk/Read/Succeed’s involvement in the Lectio training. She commented on the success of the program and the opportunity for growth through new approaches to their objectives. “The Institute gave us the tools to examine our current programming and to see how we can prioritize our programming in the future to better meet our goals,” said Wells. “I think periodic check-ins would be great so the momentum can keep increasing.” Talk/Read/Succeed works in public housing developments and provides educational services to the area. They conduct parent training workshops, offer preschool and academic childcare, and give access to resource centers with computers and books. With an increased focus on these resources and new framework strategies, the program plans to reach more families and help more children to “read proficiently by the end of third grade in order to give them the greatest opportunity to achieve in school and life success.” Wells is encouraged that the early literacy training and cooperation between local organizations will benefit the lives of families across the community: “I think the information we learned will guide our decisions on future programming which will translate into greater successes within the area.” Talk/Read/Succeed is an early literacy program located in Springfield, Massachusetts working to educate families and connect children to relevant educational services and resources. Facebook: @TalkReadSucceed Reading Success by 4th Grade is a community-wide initiative to get all of Springfield’s kids reading proficiently by the end of 3rd grade. Their projects bring people together to learn, share, and advocate for early literacy in Springfield, Massachusetts. www.readby4thgrade.com Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn: @ReadBy4thGrade The Lectio Approach: Our mission is to unlock the power of our collective commitment to America’s youngest readers. We work to ensure that all children's literacy efforts and those they serve reach their potential, and that all stakeholders see the results and impacts they intended. www.lectioapproach.com