Coles Celebrated for Being Driving Force for Reading Recovery

Twenty years of Reading Recovery in the state, led by the University of Maine, will be celebrated May 3 at the Cole Land Transportation Museum on 405 Perry Road in Bangor.

Suzanne Cole and the Galen Cole Family Foundation will be honored for their support of the program’s teachers and students at the 1–3 p.m. event, which will also include readings, reflections and refreshments.

The Galen Cole Family Foundation provides grants to schools in Maine to provide Reading Recovery training and professional development.

Reading Recovery is an early intervention, prevention initiative for first-grade students experiencing difficulty reading and writing. A trained teacher works one-on-one with students for 30 minutes weekdays for 12 to 20 weeks to help them attain grade-level proficiency.

Under the leadership of Mary Rosser, director of the University Training Center for Reading Recovery, the University of Maine provides instruction for Reading Recovery teacher leaders around the state. In Maine, nearly 200 trained Reading Recovery teachers are providing early intervention to 5,000 first-graders. Since its inception 20 years ago in Maine, more than 32,400 youth have benefited from the initiative.

It is broadly recognized that teacher quality is the single-best predictor of student learning. Thus, the support of the Galen Cole Family Foundation for teacher training and professional development directly influences the quality of teaching that children receive and ensures continued success for children, according to the “Impact of Galen Cole Family Foundation Funding for Reading Recovery 2001–2012 Report.”

Contact: Beth Staples, 207.581.3777