Addressing Academic Challenges
The Jason Taylor Reading Room, located at New Renaissance Middle School and presented by StevenDouglas, is a FREE, comprehensive after-school program designed to address academic challenges among educationally disadvantaged youth, particularly in the area of literacy. Middle school students participate in the program for two hours per day, throughout the school year, and are navigated through a rotating academic focus calendar with assistance from a full-time Educational Director, certified teachers and teachers’ aids. The program’s curriculum addresses vocabulary development, reading comprehension, language arts, creative writing skills, oral reading fluency and novel study, as well as ninety minutes of weekly math instruction per grade level. The Reading Room also provides individualized computer assisted learning opportunities and homework support.
Working Directly With Students
In addition, the program’s Case Manager works directly with the students’ schools and their parents to track academic progress, observe in-school performance and address behavioral patterns as they relate to both the in-school and after-school settings.
Through the Jason Taylor Foundation’s continuing partnerships with other community-based organizations, additional extra-curricular activities are made available to Reading Room students that include a week of activities in Song and Dance, Theater and Poetry, Robotics and Arts & Crafts.