“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. Its not.”-Dr.Seuss

As I sit down to pen this message, children across San Antonio are donning their “first day of school” outfits, carefully placing new school supplies (to include those fabulous untouched crayons – the box of 64 if you are lucky) into book bags to begin a new year of school. This ritual has been repeated generation after generation and is more representative of the hope of new beginnings than few others. Every new school year, teachers place their hope in the belief that children are, as John Locke posed in 1693, Tabula Rasa -“blank slates,” on which they can leave their mark. But as influential as educators are in the educational process, we must never minimize the role of caring adults in a child’s life. The statement that, “a child doesn’t care what you know unless they know that you care.” has never been so important. Our exceptional teachers get this and demonstrate it everyday in their classrooms. But, we all know that teachers can’t do it alone, nor should they. Enter Reading Buddies! The Reading Buddy curriculum is all about helping children to become better readers, and providing another caring adult in their lives, which is a necessary piece of the equation.

So, as we begin again, we invite you to be a part of writing on a child’s slate. Instill forever in the minds our young charges the belief that there are many who care and support their journey. Go to saylonline.wpengine.com and sign up to be a Reading Buddy.

In partnership,

Deborah Valdez, Ed.D.

Executive Director