Setting the Table: Advancing Literacy in DeKalb Together

Setting the Table: Advancing Literacy in DeKalb Together

Come join us for an exciting event focused on advancing literacy in our DeKalb community! This in-person gathering will be held at the DCSD Administrative and Instructional Complex Board Room, 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd.

DeKalb Schools Educational Foundation, working with Becky Evans as GA Reads Ambassador, DCSD Curriculum and Instruction, DeKalb County, Piedmont Technical College, Reach Out and Read, and United Way Greater Atlanta, invites DeKalb organizations and individuals involved with literacy to engage with us. To tackle the literacy crisis, we must all join the team! The Schools cannot do it alone.

Literacy is an ecosystem, from birth to adulthood. Working with a facilitator from the Institute for Performance Improvement, we will come together to discuss ideas, share resources, identify barriers, and align our efforts to promote literacy for all in DeKalb. Our goal is to construct an ecosystem of universal literacy in our DeKalb community, infusing evidence based language and literacy instruction (also known as the Science of Reading or Structured Literacy) throughout all programs, from birth to to adulthood.

Encouraged Pre-Requisite: Listen to "Sold A Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong" podcast by Emily Hanford of American Public Media. There are 14 episodes, so it will take seven hours. If that is too much, prioritize episdoes 11 - 14.

This meeting is part one of two meetings. A second Strategic Planning Meeting will be held in February/March of 2026.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with others who are passionate about improving literacy skills in our DeKalb community. See you there!

Info: Arrival & Social Learning Warm-Up/

Welcome & Setting the Stage-

Future Story: A Vision for Literacy for All/

Overview of State Literacy Efforts/

Introduction to Experts/

How Humans Learn to Read /

The State of Literacy in DeKalb Schools /

Bright Spots/

Social Learning Breakouts - The Big Rocks/

Sharing Out/

Building Capacity & Recruiting Allies/

Closing

Also check out other Meetups in Stone Mountain, Kids events & activities in Stone Mountain.