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Literacy Convening

The Lastinger Center has a Vision for a Literate Florida that represents stakeholders, including families, learners, educators, coaches and administrators.

The Center, through its Flamingo Literacy Initiative and with partners in the Greater Tampa Bay area, has developed an early learning to third grade approach that combines literacy supports at home, job embedded support, and high quality early learning and K-3 professional development programs.

Our goal is to share these efforts and work with educational leaders in the Greater Tampa Bay area to create a systematic plan to increase reading rates in the Greater Tampa Bay area.

With gratitude to our partners…

Pinellas Education Foundation, Helios Education Foundation, Vinik Family Foundation, Pinellas County Schools, Hillsborough County Public Schools, Florida Department of Education, Just Read, Florida!, Division of Early Learning, Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County, Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County, and the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning.

Purpose

A Vision for a Literate Florida

At the Lastinger Center, we envision a world where all children have access to supports and educational practices that are proven to help them learn to read and love it.  The Greater Tampa Bay Area Literacy Convening will bring together school board members, early learning coalitions, and other education partners to hear directly from teachers about what’s working and what supports they need through classroom visits and an Educators Panel. Attendees will then have the opportunity to collaborate in small groups to debrief and create a concrete plan for working toward the Vision for a Literate Florida in the Greater Tampa Bay area.

Progress

The road so far…

Below are projects currently underway. These projects provide a basis for our thinking and planning for A Vision for a Literate Florida.

  • Hillsborough Early Learning Network (HELN)
  • Pinellas Early Literacy Initiative (PELI)
  • Leadership for Early Educators in Pinellas (LEEP)
  • Pinellas Leaders in Early Literacy 
  • Florida Literacy Coach Endorsement

Schedule

Greater Tampa Bay Area Literacy Convening
Wednesday April 27, 2022

7:45 am

Introductions, Defining Our Work for the Day
A light breakfast will be provided. 

8:45 am

Classroom Visits 
Group 1: Early Learning
Group 2: Kindergarten-2nd Grade

10:30 am 

Educator Panel

11:45 am

Lunch (provided)

1 pm

Debrief, Brainstorm, Small Group Work, Next Steps

2:30 pm

Adjourn

Map

Fairmount Park Elementary School
575 41st St S, St. Petersburg, FL 33711
(727) 893-2132