STAIR Family Reading Events 2011-12

The STAIR program benefits both the child and the family. As part of its continuing effort to involve families, STAIR works with its participating schools and community partners to provide meaningful and entertaining literacy activities for STAIR children and their families, including:

Prime Time Family Reading Time: This fall STAIR is conducting this 6-week Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities-funded program at Woodland Presbyterian Church serving children and families from Eisenhower, Harte and Habans public elementary schools on the West Bank.  For the past 3 years, STAIR has been chosen to conduct the PRIME TIME program at a number of local schools, including:  Dibert Elementary School, a bilingual version at Esperanza Charter School, Capdau UNO Charter School, and  Matas Elementary School (Jefferson Parish).  STAIR also is supporting the Prime Time program conducted by organizations at other public schools which STAIR also serves.

Recently, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities published the long-term impact study of PRIME TIME on at-risk children's educational progress, titled Stemming the Tide of Intergenerational Illiteracy: A Ten-Year Impact Study of PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME®. This 10-year study shows the unprecedented and sustained impact eight to ten years after a child graduates from PRIME TIME in virtually every grade from third through high school.

There is statistical evidence, based on the analyses of the study, that  students who participate in the PRIME TIME program during their early elementary years performed at a higher level on grade-level content areas of LEAP, iLEAP, and GEE. Students who participated had mean performance scores and sub-scores that were consistently higher in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and high school.

N. O. Kids Partnership: STAIR continues to work with the New Orleans Kids Partnership, a voluntary collaboration among those who serve, support, engage and empower children and youth in the Greater New Orleans area. Working together, we develop, share, coordinate and leverage resources so that all children and youth reach their optimal potential. Specifically through NOKP, STAIR provides tutoring services to Dibert Elementary School students and their families.

Musical Literacy Programs: Research has shown that children exposed to music learn more at school.  So STAIR children, family members and tutors are getting “jazzed up” and turned on to both reading and New Orleans music during these hour-long sessions featuring members of the Soul Rebels Brass Band.  This program, funded by the New Orleans Musicians Foundation, will be offered at STAIR sites once again during the 2011-2012 school year.

Reading to Rover: This program, where STAIR children (accompanied by tutors) read to trained dogs and their handlers, is sponsored by the New Orleans Visiting Pet Program.  Reading to Rover will visit all of STAIR’s Saturday morning sites during the 2011-2012 school year.