Maine Family Literacy Initiative news

Expanded Access to Raising Readers Books

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 10:10:23 EST

For 10 years, Raising Readers has provided age-appropriate books to all Maine children at birth and at each well child visit through age five. Books in the home provide opportunities for parents and children to enjoy books together but the story does not end there. Those books are also a resource that can be used in childcare, family literacy, libraries, and other settings. In 2010 collaborations were established with select public libraries and the state’s network of childcare Resource Development Centers to provide access to Raising Readers books so they can be integrated into services and programming provided by a variety of organizations. Raising Readers distributes a new collection of 12 books each year. The 2009 and 2010 Collections are now available at the following location. Subsequent collections will be added annually.

Find the Raising Readers Collections at these eight public libraries:

Belfast Free Library

Camden Public Library

Cherryfield Public Library

Paris Public Library

Skowhegan Public Library

Strong Public Library

Thompson Free Library (Dover-Foxcroft)

Waldoboro Public Library Raising Readers has also produced a series of anthologies of children’s books by Maine authors and illustrators. Copies of each anthology are available at ALL public libraries in the state.

Find library info at: http://www.state.me.us/msl/services/findlibs.htm

The Collections are also available at the eight childcare Resource Development Centers: Aroostook Community Action Program RDC – Presque Isle Carelink RDC – Sanford Childcare Opportunities – Ellsworth Childcare Options RDC – Farmingdale Childcare Connections RDC – Scarborough Finders Seekers RDC – Auburn Midcoast RDC – Bath Penquis RDC – Bangor FMI: http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/ec/occhs/devcenters.htm

Raising Readers Books @ Maine Libraries

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:24:09 EST

Raising Readers in Maine

Celebrating 10 Years and 1.3 Million Books

June 2010 Newsletter

We often hear how much kids love their Raising Readers books. Wish your child could experience other RR titles? Check out these libraries: Belfast Free Library, Camden Public Library, Cherryfield Free Public Library, Paris Public Library, Skowhegan Public Library, Strong Public Library, Thompson Free Library, and the Waldoboro Public Library. Each of these libraries now has the 2009 and 2010 collections and will receive each new collection annually. The idea is to increase access to the books for families, family literacy programs and others. The project is a collaboration between the libraries, Raising Readers and the Maine Family Literacy Initiative.

Reminder: ALL libraries in Maine have copies of our special anthologies of children's books by Maine authors and illustrators.

4th-graders’ reading levels raise alarm

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:49:50 EST

By Meg Haskell BDN

BANGOR, Maine — Sixty-five percent of Maine fourth-graders scored below grade proficiency in reading in 2009. That is better than the national average of 68 percent, and it’s the good news reported by the Maine Children’s Alliance on Tuesday.

The bad news is that this early failure to develop reading skills leads to many problems later in life, including poor school performance and high dropout rates, limited career options — including in the military— low lifetime wages, and low overall quality of life.

“From kindergarten to grade three, a child learns to read and from grade four on a child reads to learn,” said Dean Crocker of the Maine Children’s Alliance, quoting a report released Tuesday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

To read the rest of this article, visit the Bangor Daily News at http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/143869.html

Barbara Bush Hands Out Grant Awards to Maine Programs

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:07:53 EST

Check out News Channel 13 at http://www.wgme.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/iframe_vid_3921.shtml for coverage of the Maine Family Literacy Initiative Grant Awards Celebration

Some major help Thursday for organizations promoting literacy in Maine - and it came from a current and a former first lady.

Maine's first lady Karen Baldacci, a big supporter of literacy in Maine, was in Biddeford today - along with former first lady Barbara Bush.

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy today handed out grants totaling $380,000.
Presidential boost for literacy

Barbara Bush Announces Maine Literacy Grants

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:53:13 EST

Ken Christian, Information Center Content Manager News Center 6

BIDDEFORD, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Former first lady Barbara Bush was in Biddeford Thursday to talk about nearly $400,000 in new grants for family literacy in Maine.

The Maine Family Literacy Grants for 2011 are being given to:

Maine School Administrative District #24 (Van Buren); Maine School Administrative District #61 & #72 (Casco); Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library (Presque Isle); Massabesic Center for Adult Learning (Waterboro); RSU #1 Lower Kennebec Region Adult Education (Bath); RSU #36 and Jay Adult Education (Livermore Falls); South Portland School Department; Westbrook Adult and Community Education; York School Department.

The former first lady handed out the grants to all of the 2011 winners.

Since 1996 the Maine Family Literacy Initiative has awarded 226 grants totaling nearly $4 million.

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy was founded in 1989 and supports the development and expansion of family literacy programs across the country.

Visit NewsCenter6.com to watch video of the event.

BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION’S MAINE FAMILY LITERACY INITIATIVE AWARDS $380,000 IN NEW GRANTS

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:39:33 EST

(Biddeford, ME) – Barbara Bush announced on June 10, 2010 that The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy’s Maine Family Literacy Initiative (MEFLI) has awarded a total of $380,000 to 22 communities in Maine. Maine Family Literacy Initiative funds are used to support parents and children as they improve their reading, writing and comprehension and share the bond that reading together creates. At a special ceremony today at the J. Richard Martin Community Center in Biddeford, ME, representatives from each program accepted their grant awards from Mrs. Bush. Mrs. Bush was joined by First Lady Karen Baldacci, a long time literacy advocate in Maine, at the celebration.

“The abilities to read, write and comprehend empower people to create brighter and more prosperous futures for themselves, their families and their communities,” said Mrs. Bush. "The Foundation thinks it is important this year in hard times to volunteer more, give more money, and use our resources to support family literacy programs."

Nine family literacy grants -- 8 at $25,000 each and one at $15,000 – have been awarded this year on a competitive basis from applications submitted by libraries, adult education programs, and public schools across the state. An additional 8 planning grants of $5,000 each will help communities develop the partnerships and resources needed to implement a family literacy program.

Five “Lighthouse Grants” of $25,000 each have also been awarded. Recipients are well-established, model family literacy programs with significant outreach activities to support the promotion and expansion of family literacy services in Maine. Awardees are selected based on their ability to demonstrate experience and success in providing family literacy programming, the creativity of their outreach activities, and the diversity of their partnerships and target audiences.

Since 1996, The Maine Family Literacy Initiative has awarded 226 grants totaling $3,957,090. To learn more, visit www.mainefamilyliteracy.com

Founded by Barbara Bush in 1989, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy supports the development and expansion of family literacy programs -- in settings where parents and children read and learn together -- across the United States. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis to nonprofit organizations, correctional institutions, homeless shelters, schools and school districts, libraries and community- and faith-based agencies. As of April 2010, the Foundation had awarded over $36 million to 837 family literacy programs in 50 states including the nation's capital. In addition to its national program, the Foundation supports the work of statewide initiatives in Maine, Texas, Maryland and Florida. The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is a fund of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region in Washington, DC. To learn more, visit www.barbarabushfoundation.com.

SPICE Program Highlighted on Effective Literacy Database

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:55:38 EST

MSAD # 3's SPICE Family Literacy program, a Maine Family LIteracy Initiative Lighthouse grantee, has been listed on the UNESCO database of Effective Literacy Practices. To read about the program, go to http://www.unesco.org/uil/litbase/?menu=15&country=US&programme=61

Milford man improves reading level to benefit his family

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

by Eric Russell

Bangor Daily News

MILFORD, Maine - Like most children of military families, Steve Scalese moved around a lot in his early years, never staying in one place for too long.

As exciting as parts of his childhood were, Scalese, now 37 and living in Milford, admits his education slipped through the cracks. When he graduated from high school, he couldn't read past a fifth-grade level.

Unable to find work that paid more than minimum wage, Scalese for years worked multiple jobs and lived on a few hours' sleep each night.

Still, it wasn't until his first child was born that Scalese got serious about improving his reading skills.

To read this article, visit the Bangor Daily News at http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/107852.html