About STAIR

STAIR is a volunteer-based, non-profit children's literacy organization that provides reading tutors for public school second grade students.

In this section, you'll find a wealth of information about STAIR.

2011-2012 STAIR Board of Directors

President Jim Howell	Vice President Tina Brockmann

Treasurer William M. Prieur	Secretary Frieda McGregor

Executive Director Sara W. Woodard

Members

Carroll Bernard
Nora Bilbro
Ro Brown
Bridget Carter
Harrison Frampton
Lauren Geraghty
Antoinette Green
Kelly Harris-DeBerry
Tara Luparello

Dipo Mosadomi
Sr. Marie Noel
Sherri Zeller-O'Bell
Philip B. Sherman
John Stockmeyer
Laura Symmes
Jonathan C. Williams
Lauren Schug Wilson

STAIR Advisory Council

Paul E. Atkinson
Donald Beery
Ruth Bilbe
Diana Boylston-Clark
Cheryllyn M. Branche
Deirdre Johnson Burel
Mary Lee Carver
Dawn Domengeaux
Caroline Frederic
John V. Garoutte, M.D.
Sandra Hartman, Ph.D.
Eartha Lee Johnson, Ph.D.

Christine Jordan
Sydney Touchstone Lawder
Jade Brown Russell
Alison Decker Scott
Ada Simmons
Penny Sproles
Sidney Thornton
Sherry G. Vinturella
Jill Waid
Brandy Whisnant
Eileen T. Williams
R. Bruce Worley

STAIR Staff

Executive Director Sara W. Woodard	Development Director Anne Fuselier
Curriculum Specialist Penny Sproles	Volunteer Director Elizabeth Artigues
Program/Materials Director Heidi Sherman	Administrative Assistant Debbie Casey

Site Directors

Each STAIR tutoring site has a trained Site Director who coordinates the students and volunteer tutors.

History

Twenty five years ago, STAIR was established by a community group to address children's literacy issues. The group developed a program to tutor students in basic reading and language skills. Six individuals volunteered to work with six children during this initial summer program. The objectives of the program, outlined in a mission statement dated the spring of 1985, were: "... to equip children with skills for reading, learning and optimal development, and to provide volunteers a positive, rewarding experience, adding to the richness of their lives and fulfilling a responsibility to care for others." From the outset, the STAIR program has been a practical approach to basic academic skills with a vital emphasis on the volunteer's compassion and contribution.

Following the success of that summer session, a site was organized in the Uptown New Orleans area, offering 20 public school second graders a place in a school-year tutoring program. These children were paired one-on-one with a trained volunteer tutor. At the completion of the school year, STAIR enjoyed an enthusiastic response from students, parents, teachers and volunteers. A Westbank site was added in the fall of 1986. The following year the original site doubled its enrollment, offering tutoring four days a week. A site was opened in Jefferson Parish in 1988. Early in 1991, STAIR incorporated as a non-profit organization. With a strengthened organizational and donor base, the program experienced continual growth and expansion.

Model Program: STAIR's New Orleans program serves as a model for affiliate sites in other states around the country: Port Charlotte, FL; Lewisburg, WV; Birmingham AL; Wilmington, DE; Annapolis, MD; and Ruston LA. These sites use STAIR's organizational structure and curriculum and are financially independent of the New Orleans program.

Collaborations: STAIR works with a variety of partners: The Greater New Orleans Afterschool Partnership, Communities in Schools, First Book-New Orleans, Literacy Alliance of Greater New Orleans, Connect2Educate Collaborative, New Orleans Kids Partnership, Junior League of Greater New Orleans, the New Orleans Musicians Foundation, Youth Rescue Initiative, and the Unified Nonprofits of Greater New Orleans. As a community outreach program, STAIR works directly with Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines parish public schools in an effort to achieve the systems' goal of every child reading by the end of the second grade.