October 22nd, 2015

Strong Start® offers a literacy program called Letters, Sounds and Words, which has been specifically designed to help young children who need extra practice when learning essential early reading skills. As a registered Canadian charity, Strong Start® is supported through financial donations from charitable foundations, service clubs, corporations, individuals, community groups and school board fees. Strong Start® works closely with its school board partners to ensure that the Letters, Sounds and Words program aligns with the best practice initiatives of school systems and current educational priorities of the province.

This high quality program provides the opportunity for schools to engage trained community volunteers to work one-on-one with children. All materials, training and administrative tools needed to implement the program in a school are provided by Strong Start®. About the Program The Letters, Sounds and Words program is a unique 10-week program for 5-7 year-old children delivered by trained community volunteers. Originally authored in 2001 by a retired educator from Waterloo Region, today it is used in over 200 schools in six school boards. The program uses carefully designed, short games/activities that, through repetition, help young children recognize letters, their sounds, practice phonemic awareness and sound-blending skills and learn words by sight. Volunteer Coaches work with one child at a time and follow prescribed activities using the materials and manuals provided. The program and training sessions enable volunteers to deliver the program independently.

If you are interested in being a volunteer with Strong Start® at Crestview P.S., please call the school at 519-570-1140.