Pandemic-Related School Disruption Solution
Partners in Education and Mosaic Family Zone are excited to announce the launch of Nature +, a comprehensive afterschool pilot program for early elementary students in the Old South End of Toledo, Ohio. The initiative is being jointly developed in collaboration with The Toledo Zoo, The Toledo Museum of Art, and the Metroparks Toledo.
Nature + will focus on working with kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students in the Old South End to provide additional reinforcement as they prepare to take the vital 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee exam. Literacy will be the primary focus of the program, and students will be tutored in all aspects of reading comprehension.
With research showing the detrimental impact pandemic-related school disruptions have had on student academic and social growth, especially in low-income areas, this afterschool initiative intends to address these issues head on by providing numerous supplemental educational activities as well as a wide selection of enrichment opportunities through our partners.
“We couldn’t be more excited to launch the Nature + pilot this fall,” said Brooke Schlageter, CEO and Executive Director of Partners in Education. “This program is a great opportunity for partnerships with organizations in the Toledo community and it is vital to addressing pandemic-related learning loss and social emotional health deficits.”
Partners in Education and Mosaic Family Zone designed the Nature + program based on the Forest School model, a child-centered learning process in which students visit natural outdoor spaces as a means of facilitating the improvement of their social emotional health and a means of building their confidence and problem-solving skills.
“The Forest School model has been successful in numerous communities all over the country,” said David Kaiser, Executive Director at the Mosaic Family Zone. We are thrilled to bring this program to students who rarely have access to an experience like this. Low income families often have far less childhood experiences and educaional opportunities. Our objective is to change that”
“We are hopeful,” Schlageter added, “that by working together we can make a significant impact and provide a positive learning experience for Toledo students”
Nature + is scheduled to kick off on October 3rd, and while the program has received funding from the City of Toledo and Mosaic donors, the organizers will continue to pursue additional contributions in hopes of expanding the initiative to reach even more students.
To learn more and to see how you can get involved, contact David Kaiser at Mosaic Family Zone, (419) 344-5844 or [email protected], or Jessica Ray at Partners in Education, (419) 242-2122 or [email protected].
About
The Mosaic Family Zone, created by Mosaic Ministries, focuses on the Cradle to Career Pipeline initiative, which aims to break cycles of generational poverty in the Old South End of Toledo, Ohio through early childhood education, life skill training for parents and young adults, and increased access to additional assistance and resources.
Partners in Education is a nonprofit organization that develops and fosters partnerships between area schools and northwest Ohio businesses, government agencies, organizations, and churches. Funded by contributions from businesses, individuals and the community, Partners in Education aims to leverage the community’s most important investment – the education of its children.
Press Release Contact Name: David Kaiser & Brooke Schlageter
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected] & [email protected]
Press Release Contact Phone: 419.344.5844 & 419.242.2122
Organization Name: Mosaic Family Zone & Partners in Education
Website or Link: mosiacfamilyzone.com & partnerstoledo.org
Organization Address / City / State: 1842 Broadway St, Toledo, OH 43609 & 500 N. Superior St., Suite 306 Toledo, OH, 43604