Confluence Health Volunteers Partner with Mission View Elementary to Boost Literacy Rates

Strong reading skills in early grades are crucial as they form the foundation for all other academic subjects. By third grade, children transition from learning to reading to reading to learning. Students who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. Ensuring that children have strong reading skills in the early grades is essential in preparing them to be future-ready.

Confluence Health has launched a new partnership called Confluence Health Reads, which involves a group of volunteers working alongside Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten teachers at Mission View Elementary to help improve literacy rates. The program aims to provide one-on-one personalized attention to students in a high-need school where parent volunteers are in short supply. The new partnership complements classroom teachers' high-quality structured literacy instruction by providing additional one-on-one reading support for struggling readers. 

The Confluence Health Reads program is an extension of the organization's commitment to supporting local community events. The initiative is inspired by the findings of Healthy People 2030, a Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) initiative that defines national data-driven goals to enhance health and wellbeing by 2030. Organizational & Leadership Development Manager at Confluence Health, Anglea Prater, pitched the idea to Confluence Health leadership as a way to reach the goals of the DHHS report. By supporting schools with the highest needs, this program hopes to impact social determinants of health and set children up for success in their education and future lives.

The program currently involves a team of ten volunteers who spend anywhere from one to 1.5 hours a week reading in kinder and transitional kinder classrooms. Since kicking off Confluence Health Reads in November, volunteers have established a regular routine with teachers and students. “I hadn’t been in a kindergarten classroom in about 25 years, so the kids seemed tiny to me! But I think they all thrive on the one-on-one attention, and we’re glad to provide it,” said Prater.”

"This program aligns with our strategic plan goals of ensuring that all students are reading at grade level by third grade and beyond while also prioritizing partnerships with the community to support student well-being and success. We're grateful for the support of Confluence Health and their employees," stated Wenatchee Superintendent Dr. Kory Kalahar.

Confluence Health employees can give back to their community through the Confluence Health Reads program, which aligns with the organization's mission and vision. Prater expressed her desire to expand the program in the future to involve more schools and districts. While staffing is a concern across the healthcare industry, and Confluence’s main priority is to ensure that they have enough staff to enhance and maintain patient access, they also believe that it is important for employees to have the opportunity to contribute positively in meaningful ways. Prater added, “Ensuring that all children have access to high-quality education is crucial to our organization, as it has a significant impact on our community, regardless of where we live.”
 

WSD Strategic Plan

BIG 6 student outcome # 3 - Read on grade level by 3rd grade and beyond
Priority: Partnerships - Relationships between students, staff, families, schools, and community that enhance student well-being and success.