In Transition...

TerraFirma’s phone number, 260-927-9356, has been disconnected. As proposed, Children First Center and the three DeKalb County public school districts became responsible in January 2009 for continuing TerraFirma’s literacy programming, Families First and Literacy Collaborative, to the extent each organization desires and is able. Results of the Foundation’s seven-year children’s literacy initiative include:

• Families First, a home-based program focused on helping families and children, ages 0 – 5, take everyday routines and turn them into learning opportunities, served 586 DeKalb County children from 2002 through 2008. In Spring 2008, 97 percent of former Families First participants were reading at grade level or better compared to the county average of 91 percent. 

• All public elementary school teachers in the DeKalb Central and Garrett-Keyser-Butler school districts are trained and implementing a balanced literacy approach to teaching their students reading and writing.

• Significant improvements in reading levels in kindergarten through third grade; the most significant increase occurred at the kindergarten level, with 74 percent of kindergarten students reading at grade level in 2004 compared to 91 percent in 2008, an increase of 17 percentage points.
  

TerraFirma is currently transitioning from an early literacy initiative to a broader process in its effort to improve the level of education in DeKalb County. The new initiative is called DeKalb County Learning Link, based on the community’s vision: Working together, through continuous learning, to improve the quality of life for all in DeKalb County.

For information or to get involved in DeKalb County Learning Link, contact Judy Sorg at 260-925-0311.