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From the Director
Now that children across Georgia have returned to their classrooms, let’s reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that their schools and classrooms are safe and caring learning environments that in turn foster connection among students, parents, teachers, and administrators.
Children transitioning from early learning classrooms into elementary school classrooms can still benefit from practices their early learning educators used to nurture responsive relationships, create supportive environments, and provide targeted social emotional supports. This Early Learning Climate toolkit helps K – 3 educators apply developmentally appropriate practices to promote student attendance and success.
September is Attendance Awareness Month. Help us spread the word on social media and read on for some practical strategies that promote attendance throughout the school year.
With gratitude,
Arianne
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#GetGAReading this Month
Please share these posts to promote Attendance Awareness Month on your own social media platforms this month.
Use this Attendance Awareness Month cover photo to help spread the word and show your participation.
 September is Attendance Awareness Month, but the time to end chronic attendance is now! Missing 10% of school days, just 2 days each month, can put children at risk of academic failure. http://bit.ly/1oqfID7 #SchoolEveryDay
 At least 8 million students miss 10% of the school year nationwide. The Count Us In! toolkit has everything you need to help organize a community-wide campaign during Attendance Awareness Month. http://bit.ly/1oqfID7 #SchoolEveryDay
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MEET THE CABINET
 Gov. Brian Kemp and the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement are making education a top priority with a commitment to supporting teachers and leaders, improving early learning and literacy, preparing students for the success in the workplace, and providing flexibility for school options. In its role as the state’s P-20 agency, GOSA collaborates and coordinates with state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and industries to help improve student outcomes. Learn More
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LITERACY LEADER SPOTLIGHT
 Brett Bell spearheaded Griffin’s Little Free Libraries (LFL) program for the Spalding County Collaborative Authority for Families and Children in 2017. Bell purchased the first LFL for an after-school program located in a public housing development. He engaged the community to take ownership of the initiative. In one year, he supervised the addition of 23 LFLs at 20 locations, two book depositories, and book repository. Everything was accomplished through sponsorships, in-kind contributions, and financial donations.
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 Student-Parents—Making the Grade
Danielle Newsome, a student and single mother, has become a voice and resource for student-parents and their children through her work with Family Connection of Athens/Communities in Schools. She helps parents complete school applications, apply for financial aid, and learn about affordable child care and transportation. Her work is supported by a Two-Gen Innovation Grant. Find out why advocates like Newsome are invaluable in the long term.
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 Get Meriwether Reading Launches First Summer Read & Feed Program
If you were out and about in Meriwether County this summer, chances are you spotted feeding vans cruising through neighborhoods to deliver books and meals to children at risk and below reading level. Volunteers helped create a beachy theme as kids listened to stories and enjoyed nutritious meals at 20 feeding sites, reaching more than 200 children. Find out how Meriwether applied a framework for action.
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 Jeff Davis County Premieres “Get Georgia Reading”—at the Movies
When Jeff Davis Family Connection Director Denise Darley couldn’t fall asleep one night, she used the quiet time to brainstorm outside-the-box ways to address literacy in her county. That’s when the idea to run a brief Get Georgia Reading Campaign video at the local movie theater popped into her head. Learn how to expose parents to our message.
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 Georgia Public Libraries Launches New Children’s Digital Library
A new children’s digital library has launched across all Georgia public libraries. eRead Kids, a collection of nearly 15,000 electronic and audio books, encourages early literacy for kids in pre-K through fourth grade. Sponsored by the Georgia Public Library Service, eRead Kids breaks down transportation barriers and helps boost children's confidence in reading. All that’s needed is a library card and PIN.
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Signals Webinar Series Now Online
The five-part SIGNALS (Social-Emotional and Mental Health Development for Children and Teens) online interactive learning modules are designed to equip educators with information about what can be missed when focusing on behavior without considering indicators and the impact of missed indicators on mental health development and social engagement.
National Asthma Reimbursement Opportunity
The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) is conducting a competition for organizations interested in achieving reimbursement for comprehensive asthma care management programs. GHHI will provide pro bono technical assistance to two sites for Business Development and five sites for Reimbursement Support in 2019. Asthma is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism. By addressing some of the triggers and increasing access to care, communities can increase attendance and student achievement. Proposals are due Nov. 18.
Summer—A Time for Learning: Five Lessons from School Districts and their Partners about Running Successful Programs
A new report by the Wallace Foundation summarizes takeaways from the National Summer Learning Project, a multi-year initiative to support the summer learning efforts of five large school districts and their partner organizations. It offers tips on how to establish a high quality, voluntary summer learning program that provides children from disadvantaged communities with engaging academics and stimulating enrichment activities during the summer months.
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"Nor Any Drop To Drink": Film Screening and Conversation
Thursday, Sept. 12
Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema, Atlanta, Ga.
Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS), TruePani, and Voices for Georgia’s Children will host this film screening and conversation with director Cedric Taylor. The documentary details the events that led to the water crisis in Flint, Mich., and the subsequent implications for residents, including young children. The event will explore the impact of lead exposure in drinking water on maternal and child health. Register Now
Attendance Awareness Month
September 2019
This Attendance Playbook offers practical strategies that are easy to introduce, simple to scale, and effective at improving attendance. Promote attendance throughout the school year using this Count Us In! Toolkit and planning calendar. Share your efforts with us and Attendance Works this month. Get Started
Library Card Sign-Up Month
September 2019
Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Bo Peep, and their friends from Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” are joining the American Library Association and libraries on an adventure to promote the value of a library card. This is a national effort to ensure that all children have an opportunity to sign up for their own library card. Librarians can sign up to receive print PSAs, digital graphics, artwork for library cards, and more. Get Started
Summer Changes Everything Annual Conference
Monday – Wednesday, Oct. 21-23
Atlanta, Ga.
Summer Changes Everything is the only national conference devoted to summer learning opportunities for youth. Experts and peers will share resources, best practices, and solutions for summer learning and after-school programs at this annual conference hosted by the National Summer Learning Association. Register Now
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We Want to Hear From You
Our partners are the heroes in this work, and we want to help connect you with each other and with resources that can help you get even greater results. And we want to hear more stories. Please share yours with us so we can post it to getgeorgiareading.org. Send your stories—or any questions about the Campaign—to Arianne Weldon at arianne@gafcp.org.
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