The Seattle Public Schools bell time change means earlier start times for the majority of elementary schools and later start times for middle and high schools. This seemingly simple change presented a new challenge for Team Read because our model has been built on middle and high school students being dismissed well in advance of the elementary schools. Team Read, as well as schools and parents, have been discussing solutions for supporting the Team Read students who are getting out 2 hours before our teen reading coaches can be on site and begin the one-on-one tutoring sessions. In response to a growing need, Team Read has launched a new program called Team Read+ as one of the potential solutions.
Team Read+ starts directly after elementary school gets out and goes for 3 hours. The last hour of the program is traditional one-on-one tutoring with high school reading coaches. During the first two hours, a small group of Team Read staff will lead students through activities, including KidzLit, an interactive curriculum that builds literacy skills while being social with peers. Team Read+ is located at Bailey Gatzert Elementary and Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary this year. We are excited to be meeting the needs of the community while having a greater impact on kids in our Team Read schools!