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Grade-Level Reading COMMUNICATIONS FOR DENVER. May 3, 2012. Presentation Overview. The role of the communications lead Media outreach before and during the Denver conference Grade-Level Reading blog Video Contest Sessions at the Conference Bright Spots How We Can Help.
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Grade-Level Reading COMMUNICATIONS FOR DENVER May 3, 2012
Presentation Overview • The role of the communications lead • Media outreach before and during the Denver conference • Grade-Level Reading blog • Video Contest • Sessions at the Conference • Bright Spots • How We Can Help
The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading focuses on the most important predictor of school success and high school graduation—grade-level reading by the end of third grade. Schools cannot succeed alone. The academic success of children from low-income families will require engaged communities mobilized to remove barriers, expand opportunities, and assist parents to serve as full partners in the success of their children.
The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading • The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading initially is focusing on three challenges to reading success that are amenable to community solutions: • The Readiness Gap: Too many children from low-income families begin school already far behind. • The Attendance Gap (Chronic Absence): Too many children from low-income families miss too many days of school. • The Summer Slide (Summer Learning Loss): Too many children lose ground over the summer months.
Your Role • Shape messaging for your community effort to share with stakeholders and the media • Coordinate with Campaign communications staff to facilitate media outreach and share good coverage you’ve received • Share your Bright Spots, existing programs that have evidence of success
Media Outreach Timetable • Mid to Late May: Press releases will go out announcing All-America City finalists • Early June: Press releases will go out announcing Pacesetter winners and promoting the conference. • Late June: Press releases will go out about start of conference • July 2: National and local press releases will go out about AAC winners
Your role in media outreach • Provide advance quotes from elected officials so that we can prepare advance press releases on the winners • Help disseminate press releases to local contacts • Coordinate with local media who might want to come to Denver and help shepherd them at the conference • Share coverage, op-eds that run in local media outlets • Join the NING: Make sure to sign up
Grade-Level Reading Blog • Our Goal: A blog item on every community in the next year appearing on our public site and on the Ning • Your Role: Find a community leader to write a short item (250-350 words) or write it yourself. The blogs can be about anything but some ideas include: -Highlights from your CSAP -Successful programs underway -Highlights from the process -A report on a recent gathering -A blog post from a partner
Video Contest • 3 minutes or shorter • Focus on how your community is responding to one or all of the challenges -Something already accomplished -How the community is going about engaging the public in a plan -Challenges and opportunities • Encourage your community to vote for your video on the All-America City Facebook page. • Have fun and be creative. • Contact Mike McGrath at mikem@ncl.org or visit www.allamericacityaward.com
Conference Sessions: We’ll have sessions on messaging and outreach specifically for communications leads • Shepherding Reporters: If a reporter from you community attends, plan to spend some time helping them. Also, let the Campaign communications staff know they’re coming and we’ll help. • Tweet, Post, Etc: If you’re on Twitter, follow us at @readingby3rd and tweet using #read2012. Like NCL and the Campaign on Facebook. At the Conference
Bright Spots The Campaign website features schools and programs that are moving the needle on grade-level reading. • Nominate local programs that could qualify for this special recognition • Make sure there’s evidence since the Bright Spot designation only goes to schools and programs that have data to show their success. • Submit to the Campaign at cthompson@gradelevelreading.net.
Bright Spots Bright Spots need to meet these criteria: • Addresses attendance, summer learning or school readiness or improves K-3 literacy. • At least 70% of children qualify for Free or Reduced-Price Meals, or another poverty measure • Serves children in the 0-8 years old • Shows steady gains in attendance, readiness, summer learning, or K-3 literacy achievement evidenced by state test scores or other accepted metrics • Demonstrates successful replication -- or the potential
Materials from the Campaign Logos for the Campaign and AAC contest Bannersfor events and presentations Contact: savila@gradelevelreading.net Templatesfor press releases and op-eds Tipsfor public messaging and the media on website and Ning or contact Phyllis Jordan at pjordan@thehatchergroup.com