Kim Ballantyne, left, READ Act Administrator with Jeffco Schools, receives a certificate commemorating 25 years of partnering with OASIS Tutors from Jan Clover, OASIS Coordinator
On Monday, May 2nd, OASIS Tutors and the Jefferson County Public School District celebrated 25 years of partnership in helping young readers improve their reading skills and build confidence in their classroom work. Kim Ballantyne, READ Act Administrator for the district, was present to receive the certificate commemorating the partnership.
“Families can be very busy. Finding time to read with their children may not be possible on a regular basis. OASIS tutors provide a vital resource for children, that connection to books. When an OASIS tutor makes that link with a child and shows them the value of reading, that value sticks with those children for the rest of their lives,” Ballantyne said.
The first four years of elementary school are the most important years for learning reading skills. Studies show that students who are not reading at grade level by third grade continue to struggle for the rest of their school years. If they can’t read well by this time they have trouble reading and understanding assignments in later years, falling farther and farther behind every year.
The OASIS Intergenerational Tutoring Program pairs adult volunteers with students who are struggling with reading skills. Tutors are trained to use various techniques to engage the children in reading, writing and listening activities that will promote a love of reading and learning and give them an opportunity to experience success in the school setting.
OASIS has over 60 volunteers working with more than 100 students in 19 different Jeffco elementary schools. Tutors work one-on-one with students in Kindergarten through 4th grade. A typical session is 30-60 minutes long once or twice each week where the tutor combines enthusiasm and individual attention with fun activities to reinforce reading skills and learning.
Many tutors return to the program year after year because of the rewards of seeing students improve and gain confidence in their abilities. Jan Clover, Coordinator for the group, recognized tutors who have been with the program for five years, giving each of them a starfish pin and telling the story of its significance. Even though a tutor may only work with one or two students a year, the impact they make on those students can change the lives of these struggling students and mean the difference between success and failure in school.
Anyone interested in joining the OASIS Tutoring program can learn more by going to the national OASIS website at www.oasisnet.org or emailing jclover@oasisnet.org. Training will be offered in mid-September for the 2016-17 school year.
OASIS Tutors honored for 5 years of service, from left, Marianne Towey, Lynne Gadd, Annette Lana, Diana Beck, and Kerry Colchin. Not pictured are Catherine Reiter and Carol Skoff.