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The Council
The nationwide Grade-Level Reading Council of Champions honors exemplary volunteers, early-care and education providers,
school and civic leaders, public ofcials, and others who communities nominate based on their alliance with - and support
for - local and statewide efforts to support early literacy success.
Ron Fairchild, Senior Consultant from the national Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, recently honored our region’s inductees to
the nationwide Campaign for Grade-Level Reading’s Council of Champions, each having made tremendous contributions to the
Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.
Jim Henry
Jim Henry is an excellent community connector, a highly
engaged, active, and longstanding member of the Rotary Club of
Sarasota, the Rotary Club of Sarasota Foundation, and a strong
advocate for children and education.
Jim‘s efforts with the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level
Reading (SCGLR) have resulted in a Dental Sealant program in
Sarasota County, DeSoto County beginning the process of joining
the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, 6,000 Kindergarten
Readiness Bags distributed in a four-county area, and a onebook
project for all Sarasota County 1st and th graders.
Diana Greene
How does a school superintendent address the attendance
problem effectively? Former Superintendent of Manatee County
Schools, Dr. Diana Greene, implemented an innovative program
to improve school attendance. Her solution was found in thinking
differently about what funds were available and the best ways to
use them. The fantastic result is that between 2015–2016 and
2016–2017, Manatee County Schools realized a 55% reduction
in chronic absenteeism of historically chronic Title I elementary
students and an overall 1% reduction at all Title I schools.
Dr. Greene recognized the simple fact that children cannot learn
if they are not in school. Her innovative program to get more
children to spend more days in school began three years ago
with her commitment to the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.
To address absenteeism in Manatee County, she thought way
outside of the box, moving Title I dollars to create a proactive
and well-staffed program. A new kind of employee with a new job
description was hired. A Graduation Enhancement Technician
(GET) was placed in every Title I school to reduce absenteeism.
A GET’s role falls somewhere between that of a teacher and a
social worker.
GETs connect students and their families to school and
community resources to break down any barriers that keep their
children from attending school. Through positive relationships,
rapport, home visits, incentives, celebrations, and intensive
interventions such as mentoring students and their families to
engage them in the importance of education, Title I schools have
reduced chronic absenteeism substantially every year.
John & Amanda Horne
John and Amanda Horne are much more than successful
restaurateurs. They are visionaries and committed advocates for
the children in our region. John and Amanda piloted Dive into