West Contra Costa Families Take the Lead in Literacy
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On January 28th, GO Public Schools hosted a family literacy workshop, “Building Family Capacity to Support Literacy at Home.” This workshop was designed using insights from our Literacy Learning Series and Resource Library to empower families with practical tools to support their children’s reading development.
This session was led by Briel Pomerantz, Manager of Community Leadership, alongside King’s SCOW Maria Miranda, School-Based Clinician Nadia Hernandez, and 20 engaged parents and caregivers. During this workshop, participants:
- Learned about the Five Pillars of Literacy/Reading Instruction and explored actionable strategies to support foundational reading skills at home.
- Discussed ways to support English Learners and Dual Language Learners in their literacy journey.
- Gained insights into advocating for early intervention and accessing appropriate supports when children face reading challenges, emphasizing how these steps can significantly impact building strong readers.
The workshop concluded by highlighting the advocacy work of GO’s Literacy Community-Led Committee (CLC) and inviting families to join this vital effort to drive systemic change in the district.
GO’s Literacy CLC is composed of parents, community members, students, and teachers who are committed to improving literacy outcomes in our community. In November, CLC members played a key role in facilitating and moderating discussions at our first literacy workshop of the year: “Improving Literacy One District at a Time: Learning from Parent Advocates Across the State.” Following this workshop, the CLC shifted focus to the new California requirement for a K-2 “Reading Difficulties Risk Screener.”
The committee has prioritized mobilizing around this new requirement, advocating for WCCUSD to develop a robust implementation plan. Key priorities include:
- A clear process for family engagement around the screener, including transparency about results and their practical application.
- Supporting the district in selecting and implementing one of the four state-approved screeners (a decision that must be made by June 2025).
GO’s Director of Policy and Data, Molly Moloney, has represented the CLC on the district’s literacy taskforce, which is currently reviewing the state-approved screeners to make a final recommendation.
Stay tuned for updates on the district’s progress with the new screener implementation and other literacy initiatives in future newsletter. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to Molly Moloney.