Across Martin County, educators, community organizations and educational partners are working together to strengthen early literacy and give children the foundation they need for academic success.
The Martin County School District recently welcomed Florida Sen. Gayle Harrell, representatives from the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning, and local community partners to Port Salerno Elementary School to see how those efforts are supporting young readers.
During the visit, these literacy leaders observed UFLI Foundations in action, a research-based literacy instruction program developed by the University of Florida Literacy Institute and implemented in District classrooms to help students develop essential reading skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, and decoding.
But strong literacy outcomes depend on more than classroom instruction alone. Across the District, organizations are helping extend that work by investing in early learning, supporting educators and strengthening children's readiness for kindergarten and beyond.
Several of the community partners who joined the visit are already helping strengthen early literacy across Martin County. In Indiantown, United Way of Martin County helps fund the Early Learning Coalition of Indian River, Martin & Okeechobee Counties' literacy coaching program, strengthening early language development and kindergarten readiness. At Port Salerno Elementary, the Children's Services Council of Martin County and the Education Foundation of Martin County support Project STELLAR, which provides literacy coaching for kindergarten and first-grade teachers. The Children's Services Council also supports early childhood specialists through the Early Learning Coalition, while Hobe Sound Community Chest invests in early childhood education through its Strong Start initiative. Sen. Harrell has also supported statewide literacy efforts through legislation focused on identifying reading difficulties early and providing students with additional instructional support.
Educators also benefit from specialized professional support. Uncomplicate ED provides professional learning, instructional coaching and resources to help teachers and school leaders strengthen their practices and support student learning.
Together, these efforts reflect what is possible when schools, state leaders and community organizations share a commitment to children's success. Through evidence-based instruction and partnerships that extend learning beyond the classroom, the Martin County School District continues to build strong foundations for its youngest learners.
As a back-to-back A-rated District, MCSD knows that Martin Means More than what happens within our schools. It means working alongside the partners who help our students, educators and communities thrive.
Watch the video below to see early literacy and community collaboration in action.