WE ARE SUMMER LEARNING AMBASSADORS

1. WE ARE SUMMER LEARNING AMBASSADORS

2. 38% of NC 4th graders in 2015 scored at or above proficient in reading as measured by NAEP

3. End of third grade reading predicts academic achievement and career success. 

4. It’s Achievable • Health and Development on Track Beginning at Birth • Supported and Supportive Families and Communities • High Quality Birth-through-Age-Eight Learning Environments with Regular Attendance This is where we come in!

5. We support families everyday!

6. Any environment with children is a learning environment!

7. Help Children Avoid Summer Learning Loss • Children work hard during the school year and they are learning a lot. Despite that work, they can lose what they learn during breaks and summer. When that happens, they return to school behind.

8. 2 Months Students from low-income families lose an average of more than two months in reading achievement in the summer, while their middle-income peers tend to make gains in reading. After 6 Years By the end of fifth grade, students from low-income families are nearly three grade equivalents behind their more affluent peers in reading

9. We Know What Works! • Reading over the summer is one way to support summer learning. Having books that match children’s reading level and interest over the summer supports their reading skills.

10. What Supports Summer Learning? • Children reading every day and adults reading with them. • Combining learning with play. • Fun activities that blend reading and math. • Visiting your local library for books and programs.

11. We All Have a Role to Play Summer Learning is a pillar of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, a collaborative effort by foundations, nonprofit partners, business leaders, government agencies, states and communities across the nation. There are 14 Campaign communities in the North Carolina.

12. Be a Summer Learning Ambassador • Share summer learning messages and ideas with our families. • The North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation’s toolkit gives us everything we need.

13. Summer Learning Toolkit • Information for staff to understand the importance of summer learning and communicate effectively with parents. • Fun and easy information to relay to parents each summer week in different formats – Facebook posts, text messages, and more. • A special badge for all appropriate staff as a reminder about summer learning and to celebrate Summer Learning Day on July 12th.

14. Simple Messages and Tips Can Help Parents Support Summer Learning • Message • Our children work hard during the school year and they learn a lot! Despite that work, children can lose what they learn over the summer. When that happens, they come back to school behind. We can prevent this by encouraging our children to read over the summer. • Tips • Read with your children and listen to them read to you. • Encourage children to read 20 minutes every day. • Ask them questions about what they are reading.

15. Celebrate Summer Learning Day on July 12th! • Ideas include: • Have children make their own books to take home • Have children work in teams to act out books they’ve read together • Partner with Book Harvest to provide books for children to select and keep. • Remind parents to ask their children about Summer Learning Day when they get home and then read a book with them.