Reading And Beyond

Our Programs

    Early Childhood Education

    “A parent is a child’s first teacher” is the philosophy of Reading
    And Beyond’s Early Childhood Education program. The program
    model we use is nationally recognized, research-based, and deemed
    an effective program for children ages zero to five years, and their
    parents.

    Understanding that a good first five years of a child’s life is essential to their long term development
    and achievement, this program was started to help ensure that young children, ages zero to five,
    develop properly and begin school prepared.

    The overall goal of our Early Childhood Education program is to help ensure that children are
    “school-ready” by the time they begin kindergarten.

    Our E.C.E. Program consists of three components:

    • Small World Learning Center
    • Even Start Program
    • Home Visitation Program

    Click here to download more information about our Early Childhood Education programs

Click here to view PHOTOS from Small World Learning Center, one of our ECE sites

Literacy Intervention and After-School

    Reading And Beyond’s first program was the reading tutoring
    program for children who were struggling in school. It’s common for
    children to enroll in the program who are one to five grade levels
    behind. Our literacy intervention program is research-based and
    developed, using the best practices in the field.

    The goal is for a child who is enrolled in the program, for six months or longer, to improve by at least
    one grade level in reading and comprehension. To monitor their progress, each child’s reading level is
    assessed every ten weeks.

    Our Literacy Intervention/After School Program operates in three different formats:

    Community Sites

    Open to any elementary school child in Fresno. Students who attend community sites are tutored by a
    volunteer, twice per week. All tutoring is one-on-one. There is typically a wait list of two to three months
    at each community site.

    Reading And Beyond operates community sites at Hope Lutheran Church, First Covenant Church,
    and Wesley Methodist Church.

    School Sites

    Open to children who attend specific schools. At school sites, students attend for three hours, five days
    per week, and participate in literacy intervention, homework, and enrichment activities. All literacy
    tutoring is done in a small group setting by paid staff.

    Reading And Beyond operates school sites at Balderas, Heaton, Storey, and Wishon Elementary
    Schools.

spacer

     Supplemental Educational Services (S.E.S.)

    S.E.S. is a free tutoring service designed to help struggling students
    in Title 1 schools make progress. This service offers students extra
    help in academic subjects such as reading, language arts, and
    mathematics.

    Tutoring is provided outside the regular school day—before or after school, or on weekends.
    Once a state has identified a school as “in need of improvement” for two or more years, the school
    district determines which students in that school are eligible for services. Then, the district notifies
    families of eligible students about their option of free tutoring. The school district must also provide
    information about the local S.E.S. “providers” (AKA tutoring companies) that can to help families
    select one and should allow families enough time to compare options and make the choice that is
    most suitable for their student.

    S.E.S. tutoring is offered during the spring for students in grades K-12, who attend qualified schools.
    Students are tutored one-on-one or in small groups by staff, two times per week.

    In the 2007-2008 school year, Reading And Beyond operated this program in Fresno and Kerman school
    districts.

     College Prep

    Reading And Beyond believes that education is the key to a more
    fulfilling, more productive life. In particular, a college education
    is the cornerstone to achievement and success, both for today’s
    students and their parents. Our college prep programs offer help
    to those struggling in high school, and parents looking for a new
    start for themselves and their families.

    Upward Bound

    In 2007, Reading And Beyond received a four-year federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education
    to begin Upward Bound, a college prep program created in partnership with Central Unified School District.

    Upward Bound provides support for college preparation through academic instruction in math, composition,
    literature and foreign language. Program participants partake in an array of activities including tutoring,
    academic, financial and personal counseling, mentoring, cultural enrichment and work study opportunities
    throughout the academic school year.

    Students also participate in a six-week summer component, which provides academic instruction in math,
    composition, literature, and foreign language.

    The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and
    enroll in and graduate from institutions of post-secondary education.

    Reading and Beyond will be accepting a maximum of 60 students (9th grade) from Central East High
    School and Central West High School for the 2007-2008 inaugural class.

    Students remain in the Upward Bound program until graduation. Funding is provided by the U.S.
    Department of Education.

Click here to see PHOTOS from our Upward Bound program

Parent Involvement

Child success is the goal of all of Reading And Beyond’s programs,
and the Parent Involvement Program was designed based on
research which shows that meaningful parental involvement
correlates with student achievement and success.

We strive to create an individualized, “high demand”, and effective program to serve the parents of
children at our existing sites that will show measurable outcomes in student academic performance.

The Parent Involvement Program works with parents on practical educational issues that parents
encounter when their child is struggling in school. Parents participate in the program to learn how to
navigate the school system (including, English Learner reclassification), how to work with their child’s
teacher, and how to create a home environment that will help their child learn. We work with parents
through classes, workshops, one-on-one coaching, and in-home visits.

spacer

Reading And Beyond owns an RV (recreational vehicle) that has
been transformed into a mobile classroom. When in use, this
classroom-on-wheels allows us to provide training in locations
convenient for parents, such as apartment complexes, churches,
supermarkets, schools, and other non-profit organizations.

Click here to see PHOTOS of our mobile classroom RV at work

If you are interested in sponsoring our mobile classroom, please
contact:

Matilda Soria
559/454-8810
msoria@readingandbeyond.org

     Health and Fitness Education

Poor health can easily harm a child’s education, but is often
   overlooked as a cause of drain on a child’s energy, attention span,
   and brain function.

From this program and future research, Reading And Beyond plans
   to build its capacity to respond more effectively to community health concerns by addressing the
identified needs, and become a leader in challenging unhealthy behaviors among the children and
families in our community.

In 2008, Reading And Beyond’s Health and Fitness Program worked with parents and children who are
enrolled in our tutoring/literacy intervention program. Parents attend health and nutrition classes once
a week to learn new ways in which health impacts their child’s education.

spacer

SPARK

That same year, SPARK Physical Education curriculum was added
to the enrichment hour of our After School Program. SPARKs is a
nationally recognized fitness program for elementary age students.

The philosophy behind SPARK is “Include ALL youth, ALL youth
ACTIVE, and ALL youth learning to enjoy movement.”

SPARKs elementary physical education has been selected as the intervention program in many
important research studies and cited in the Surgeon General’s Report as a “school-based solution to
our nation’s health care crisis.”

Click here to view PHOTOS of our SPARK program in action


HOME	MISSION	BOARD	STAFF	NEWS	PROGRAMS	DONATE	VOLUNTEER	JOBS	CONTACT
Our Programs
Early Childhood Education “A parent is a child’s first teacher” is the philosophy of Reading And Beyond’s Early Childhood Education program. The program model we use is nationally recognized, research-based, and deemed an effective program for children ages zero to five years, and their parents. Understanding that a good first five years of a child’s life is essential to their long term development and achievement, this program was started to help ensure that young children, ages zero to five, develop properly and begin school prepared. The overall goal of our Early Childhood Education program is to help ensure that children are “school-ready” by the time they begin kindergarten. Our E.C.E. Program consists of three components: • Small World Learning Center • Even Start Program • Home Visitation Program Click here to download more information about our Early Childhood Education programs Click here to view PHOTOS from Small World Learning Center, one of our ECE sites
Literacy Intervention and After-School Reading And Beyond’s first program was the reading tutoring program for children who were struggling in school. It’s common for children to enroll in the program who are one to five grade levels behind. Our literacy intervention program is research-based and developed, using the best practices in the field. The goal is for a child who is enrolled in the program, for six months or longer, to improve by at least one grade level in reading and comprehension. To monitor their progress, each child’s reading level is assessed every ten weeks. Our Literacy Intervention/After School Program operates in three different formats: Community Sites Open to any elementary school child in Fresno. Students who attend community sites are tutored by a volunteer, twice per week. All tutoring is one-on-one. There is typically a wait list of two to three months at each community site. Reading And Beyond operates community sites at Hope Lutheran Church, First Covenant Church, and Wesley Methodist Church. School Sites Open to children who attend specific schools. At school sites, students attend for three hours, five days per week, and participate in literacy intervention, homework, and enrichment activities. All literacy tutoring is done in a small group setting by paid staff. Reading And Beyond operates school sites at Balderas, Heaton, Storey, and Wishon Elementary Schools. Supplemental Educational Services (S.E.S.) S.E.S. is a free tutoring service designed to help struggling students in Title 1 schools make progress. This service offers students extra help in academic subjects such as reading, language arts, and mathematics. Tutoring is provided outside the regular school day—before or after school, or on weekends. Once a state has identified a school as “in need of improvement” for two or more years, the school district determines which students in that school are eligible for services. Then, the district notifies families of eligible students about their option of free tutoring. The school district must also provide information about the local S.E.S. “providers” (AKA tutoring companies) that can to help families select one and should allow families enough time to compare options and make the choice that is most suitable for their student. S.E.S. tutoring is offered during the spring for students in grades K-12, who attend qualified schools. Students are tutored one-on-one or in small groups by staff, two times per week. In the 2007-2008 school year, Reading And Beyond operated this program in Fresno and Kerman school districts.
College Prep Reading And Beyond believes that education is the key to a more fulfilling, more productive life. In particular, a college education is the cornerstone to achievement and success, both for today’s students and their parents. Our college prep programs offer help to those struggling in high school, and parents looking for a new start for themselves and their families. Upward Bound In 2007, Reading And Beyond received a four-year federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to begin Upward Bound, a college prep program created in partnership with Central Unified School District. Upward Bound provides support for college preparation through academic instruction in math, composition, literature and foreign language. Program participants partake in an array of activities including tutoring, academic, financial and personal counseling, mentoring, cultural enrichment and work study opportunities throughout the academic school year. Students also participate in a six-week summer component, which provides academic instruction in math, composition, literature, and foreign language. The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of post-secondary education. Reading and Beyond will be accepting a maximum of 60 students (9th grade) from Central East High School and Central West High School for the 2007-2008 inaugural class. Students remain in the Upward Bound program until graduation. Funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Click here to see PHOTOS from our Upward Bound program
Parent Involvement Child success is the goal of all of Reading And Beyond’s programs, and the Parent Involvement Program was designed based on research which shows that meaningful parental involvement correlates with student achievement and success. We strive to create an individualized, “high demand”, and effective program to serve the parents of children at our existing sites that will show measurable outcomes in student academic performance. The Parent Involvement Program works with parents on practical educational issues that parents encounter when their child is struggling in school. Parents participate in the program to learn how to navigate the school system (including, English Learner reclassification), how to work with their child’s teacher, and how to create a home environment that will help their child learn. We work with parents through classes, workshops, one-on-one coaching, and in-home visits. Reading And Beyond owns an RV (recreational vehicle) that has been transformed into a mobile classroom. When in use, this classroom-on-wheels allows us to provide training in locations convenient for parents, such as apartment complexes, churches, supermarkets, schools, and other non-profit organizations. Click here to see PHOTOS of our mobile classroom RV at work If you are interested in sponsoring our mobile classroom, please contact: Matilda Soria 559/454-8810 msoria@readingandbeyond.org
Health and Fitness Education Poor health can easily harm a child’s education, but is often overlooked as a cause of drain on a child’s energy, attention span, and brain function. From this program and future research, Reading And Beyond plans to build its capacity to respond more effectively to community health concerns by addressing the identified needs, and become a leader in challenging unhealthy behaviors among the children and families in our community. In 2008, Reading And Beyond’s Health and Fitness Program worked with parents and children who are enrolled in our tutoring/literacy intervention program. Parents attend health and nutrition classes once a week to learn new ways in which health impacts their child’s education. SPARK That same year, SPARK Physical Education curriculum was added to the enrichment hour of our After School Program. SPARKs is a nationally recognized fitness program for elementary age students. The philosophy behind SPARK is “Include ALL youth, ALL youth ACTIVE, and ALL youth learning to enjoy movement.” SPARKs elementary physical education has been selected as the intervention program in many important research studies and cited in the Surgeon General’s Report as a “school-based solution to our nation’s health care crisis.” Click here to view PHOTOS of our SPARK program in action
2009 Reading And Beyond - All Rights Reserved Home Mission Board Staff News eNewsletter Programs Donate Volunteer Jobs Contact