June 28th, 2024

We’re working together to help ensure the students we serve have the support and resources they need to learn to read.

During the last two years, Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) staff members met with government and community organization staff members and discussed how we could best support students and their families in the Region. Together, we identified three priority areas, but one stood out as a key social determinant: learning to read by the end of Grade 2.

Literacy is a human right, as reinforced by the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (OHRC) Right to Read inquiry report. Across our sectors – from public education, to public libraries, to municipalities – we have a responsibility and an opportunity to make things better for those we serve. We will all benefit when we support literacy for students and their families in Waterloo Region.

As a region, we have the chance to address this gap through our shared knowledge and expertise. As a region, we can do this, together.

A Region That Reads Together

As we prepare to close schools for Summer break, we at WRDSB are thinking about how we can continue to support families. There are so many resources across the region to help families and all it needs is us to help families learn about them and access them.

Currently, all government bodies and many local community organizations invest in wonderful literacy programming, some of the most engaging and innovative taking place at libraries and community centres across the Region. As Summer starts we are looking to help families learn of all the programs available. Reading loss can occur while students are out of school, so the initial focus will be to improve participation and increase awareness of existing resources and services.

We can start by providing families a location to find program information, so please share your reading and literacy program details with us at community@wrdsb.ca.

As a region, we have the chance to address this gap through our shared knowledge and expertise. As a region, we can do this together.

About A Region Together

We believe it takes a village to raise a child. We need many villagers across the Waterloo Region to help families raise their children. We believe that to significantly improve student achievement and well-being, we must partner and engage with the wider community.

For our efforts to be effective, we need to maximize our relationships and networks like the Early Learning & Literacy Alliance of Waterloo Region, the Child, Youth and Planning table and the many community, cultural and religious organizations that work to support families across the Region from cities to townships.