It's summer time! We have had such an incredible year and are steadily working on the end-of-year data.  We know that many of you were dedicated and committed to reading with your buddies each and every week. We can't thank you enough!

As the summer rolls around we are busy with the following activities: conducting our summer program at three sites, starting a new pilot program at one of the San Antonio Public Library branches, connecting with new schools, and prepping materials for the upcoming school year.

This summer we have a very small summer program that we are running at three sites, Healy Murphy Learning Center and Ella Austin Community Center, both serving students in the East Side Promise Neighborhood footprint, and Presa Community Center serving students on the Southeast part of town. We have twenty volunteers who will be reading with approximately forty students this summer.  

In addition to these three sites we are also starting a pilot program in partnership with the San Antonio Public Library.   We are matching seasoned Reading Buddies with 1st-3rd grade students who need extra help over the summer.  As one of the few non-profits in town dedicated to elementary literacy, we receive quite a few phone calls throughout the year from parents looking for resources for their struggling children as affordable resources are often limited.  This summer we are working with about a dozen students at one of San Antonio's local libraries.  Each of the parents have committed to bringing their child once a week, every week, for a forty-five minute session with a Reading Buddy.  In addition to the tutoring session, the SAYL Staff will work with the parents to instruct them on the use of basic guided reading skills, assist them in getting a library card, and provide extension activities for them to utilize with their children the rest of the week.  Although we have not previously offered this type of assistance, we believe the need is there and we are excited to offer this opportunity to the parents.  Based on the outcomes of this pilot program we will look at incorporating the program into the school year's curriculum. We have had a lot of support this summer and enough volunteers to fill the need at our Summer Program sites.  Thank you Summer Reading Buddies!

The other thing we are busy doing is connecting with potential schools sites for next year.  We have identified ten, new Title 1 schools in NEISD and five in SAISD that we hope to bring onboard for fall 2014.  We have spent the last two weeks meeting with principals and staff gearing up for the next school year.

And lastly, we will spend the summer revamping all of our school trunks; just take a look at our hallway! 

We want our trunks fresh and ready for the new year!

We hope all of you enjoy your summer and we will keep doing what we do to ensure that more and more 3rd grade students are reading on level!

Sincerely, 

Christina M. Martinez-Rodriguez

Executive Director