Tahoe Truckee Reads Named Pacesetter!

Tags: Collaborations, Youth Development

Massive Community Literacy Effort Receives National Recognition
Dr. Ralph Smith, Senior Vice President of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Managing Director of the National Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, returned to Tahoe-Truckee this week almost two years after naming Tahoe Truckee an All-America City in 2012.  Dr. Smith’s visit coincidentally aligned with the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District Staff Development Day and he was able to kick it off by recognizing the regional community effort of Tahoe Truckee Reads towards closing the achievement gap for students below the proficient level in all academic areas.

According to Dr. Smith, he came to Tahoe-Truckee to learn from Tahoe Truckee Reads, a complex network of nonprofit local, regional and California foundations and organizations that is already resulting in substantial early reading improvements. He applauded our educators for their commitment to each and every student, and our community initiatives for their expansive student outreach through Kinder Camp, summer programs, and effective attendance messaging.  Dr. Smith and Commissioner Alicia Maldonado presented Dr. Robert Leri, Superintendent of TTUSD, with a formal award celebrating the designation of Tahoe Truckee as a 2013 “Pacesetter Community.”

Dr. Ralph Smith’s formal statement praised the many groups contributing to Tahoe Truckee Reads’ efforts, including, among many others: TTUSD, Excellence in Education Foundation, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, Community Collaborative of Tahoe Truckee, First 5 Nevada and Placer Counties, Nevada and Placer Counties Health and Human Services, and the S.H. Cowell Foundation.

The future of our community depends on the educational opportunities that we provide to each and every child in our region, and our children depend on us to build a bright future for all of them.