Read LA!

Parent Newsletter | August 2024

Dear LAUSD Families,

I hope you all have had a wonderful summer! I’m excited to share with you our first Read LA!/¡Leamos Los Ángeles! Newsletter. We will use this space to bring you information, tools, and resources to achieve one goal: helping all LAUSD students read on grade-level so that they can succeed in school and in life. 

We have a literacy crisis across California, but we can solve it together. This is why we launched Read LA! – a campaign to ensure all Los Angeles students can read and thrive!

Our campaign is also about building a citywide movement. We formed the Read LA! Coalition, made of organizational partners, community leaders, and parents to lead this effort. And we will invest in parents who want to be leaders in this movement. Check out the details below of how you can get involved!

Finally, a warm thank you to all of you who participated in our early literacy community sessions. Over 500 of you joined us and shared your passion, commitment, and wisdom in how to help your children at home and advocate for them at school. When families engage, students succeed!

At Families In Schools, we will continue to support you. This is why we are here. We are honored to be your partners in your child’s education.

Sincerely,

Your ideas, concerns, and aspirations for your children can help us shape our work. That’s why in every newsletter we will ask three short questions plus a space for feedback on our newsletter:

1. Which resources or support services do you believe would most effectively help your child improve their reading skills?
2. Do you believe your child’s school is implementing high-quality instruction?
3. How safe do you feel your child is at school?

Are you a parent or caregiver of a student in LAUSD? Are you passionate about all children succeeding? If so, FIS invites you to sign up as a literacy ambassador for our Read LA! early literacy campaign.

Read LA! Literacy Ambassadors will engage parents in their local communities using the free training and resources from FIS. To learn more and request an application for this new and exciting program, click here!

If you’re interested in volunteering in other ways, complete this form. Let’s work together to end LA’s literacy crisis!

Summer Movie Nights:

Friday, August 9th at 6 PM

Hansen Dam Aquatic Center

11798 Foothill Blvd, Lake View Terrace, CA 91342

On Friday, August 9th at 6pm, FIS will be joining other local organizations at the Hansen Dam Aquatic Center in Lake View Terrace for Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez’s Summer Movie Night!

We hope you come to hear about our Read LA! initiative and enjoy the movie, swimming, food, and free resources with your family!

FIS, in partnership with LAUSD, held the last of its early literacy community sessions in June, completing a series of ten sessions. Thank you to all the parents, caregivers, and families who attended our sessions and gained tools to support their children’s early literacy!

Our community sessions attracted over 500 families from all across LA! At the sessions, families received:

• The Six Pillars of Early Literacy Foundational Skills

• How the Brain Learns to Read

• Questions Parents Should Ask Principals and Teachers



• Free books to take home and read with their children

As part of our sessions, FIS held a drawing for a free iPad for attendees. We are happy to announce that our winner is Lisa and her son Elijah!

When asked what advice she has for other parents, Lisa stressed the importance of being your child’s role model and reason for them to love reading: “Literacy is very fundamental. Read to your children. Ask them questions to check their understanding. Allow them to read back to you by recreating the story. Attend the story-time sessions at your library.”

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About Families In Schools

For over 20 years, Families In Schools (FIS) has served low-income, immigrant, and communities of color, knowing that education remains the single most important opportunity for them. The mission of Families In Schools is to involve families and communities in their children’s education to achieve lifelong success.