The Learning Alliance Summer Newsletter

July 31, 2024

Vero Beach Elementary 2nd graders took a red, white, and blue look at the history of the National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” during their unit study of the War of 1812.

Moonshot assisted by breaking the anthem down with the help of a few of VBE’s amazing teachers. The unit culminated with the creation of a giant American flag showcasing self-portraits of the students.

This Just In: Exciting News!

The School District of Indian River County has been rated an "A" District again and ranks among the Top 10 districts in the state!

For the first time since 2013, Vero Beach Elementary, our Moonshot School, has been rated a "B"!

We are thrilled to witness the success and progress of both the district as a whole and the Moonshot School, but we must continue to build on that momentum to make a difference in the lives of students, families, and educators. We must continue our work in schools and in the community to ensure those we serve are equipped to succeed. Together, we WILL reach our Moonshot goal of 90% literacy by the end of 3rd grade!

Meet Texa Gaya, TLA's New Director of Development

Dear Friends of TLA,

I am so honored to be able to introduce myself to you in my new role at The Learning Alliance, where our mission to ensure every child reads at grade level by third grade, is powered by your unwavering support.

As someone deeply committed to literacy and education, and as a mother with two children who currently attend our public schools, I am thrilled to join an organization that is dedicated to helping children become literate, compassionate, creative citizens who will improve our world.

Click to Read More

Our Summer at a Glance

TLA has been busy helping students avoid the “summer slide” through our unique summer programming. “Summer slide” is the tendency for students to lose some of the achievement gains they made during the previous school year.

Did you know that children without summer learning opportunities lose about 25% of their literacy skills during the summer? This drives the need for exciting programming for kids to enable their learning and keep them reading.

Read more about our summer programs below!

Moonshot Academy Summer

Moonshot Academy is a literacy intervention program focusing on developing foundational literacy skills through small group tutoring and engaging Storytime workshops aimed at fostering a love of reading. This program is extended throughout the summertime so that our students can continue to grow and prosper, while keeping them engaged and ready for the start of the school year!

MSA Summer took place from June 5-28, 2024, and served 232 rising 1st-3rd graders reading below the 50th percentile.

MSA Summer Students Shine!

Our 1st-3rd grade MSA students demonstrated an average growth of 4 levels in Sonday Foundational Literacy skills

1st grade students improved their vocabulary scores by an average of 34.3%

2nd grade students increased their content assessment scores by an average of 28.6%

3rd grade students increased their content assessment scores by an average of 33.5%

Literacy on the Lagoon

Literacy on the Lagoon provides hands-on, experiential learning in the field and in the classroom for rising second graders. Our partnership with the Environmental Learning Center has enabled this unique summer program for kids to enjoy a fun summer while building literacy skills and enjoying the incredible habitats that surround our community

This year's group displayed their love for learning, literacy, and the lagoon!

Student word fluency improved by an average of 20 words correct per minute from pre- to post-test

Students demonstrated an average score increase of 67% between a pre- and post-test on vocabulary and lagoon content knowledge

Martin County Becomes a Moonshot Community

Martin County has joined our journey to 90% literacy by becoming a Moonshot Community!

The Children’s Services of Martin County, in partnership with the Martin County School District, community leaders, and organizations, made an official proclamation stating their intentions to work with the Indian River County Moonshot Community, focusing on early literacy.

From its inception, The Learning Alliance has sought to share its Moonshot Journey with a vision of every community becoming a Moonshot Community to ensure that all children can read on grade level by the end of third grade.

We are so pleased to share that our neighbor to the south, Martin County, is the first Florida county to obtain the designation as a Moonshot Community outside of Indian River County.

We look forward to continuing with our Moonshot momentum!

JOIN OUR VOLUNTEER TEAM!

Become a Reading Tutor
Become a Roving Reader
Help assemble Learning Kits
Volunteer to help teachers in the classroom as needed

Please be aware that some programs may reach capacity, and schedule or location details are subject to availability. We'll provide timely updates on any changes. Thanks for your understanding and flexibility!

Click here to fill out our Volunteer Form

Check out stories from our Reading Tutors!