Application Cover Letter for
New Applicants for Reading Champions

Thank you so much for your interest in the Reading Champions Program. Our tutors work in eight elementary schools and three after-school programs. Our program, however, is very different from many volunteer reading programs because we follow a specific curriculum that has been designed by the Literacy Specialists in the Greenwich Public Schools. Consequently, the purpose of our program is not to read to the children but to build the students' fluency skills. Our volunteer tutors are trained to participate in one of three different programs which are:

1. Fluency Coaching - Grades 1-5. In this program the Reading Champion Fluency Coach;
   1. Works with three children in individual coaching times that last 20 minutes per child.
   2. During that time, the Fluency Coach follows a lesson plan that includes reading selected passages with the child and then reviewing difficult word/phrases. The Fluency Coach and student also discuss the meaning of the passage and then the Fluency Coach times the student as the student reads the passage. The Fluency Coach then helps the student complete a graph which shows the reading speed/fluency (number of words per minute). The student reads the same passage three times, and each time the Fluency Coach times the student and graphs the student's performance. Passages and timers are provided by each school.
   3. The Fluency Coach also helps the students master the Fry words which are the 600 sight words that the student must know and read automatically.
2. Kindergarten Tutor - in this program the tutor works in the kindergarten classroom with small groups of students (3-5) using a lesson plan prepared by the teacher. Usually, there is a rotation of groups during the one-hour session, and the tutors work with 3 to 5 small groups repeating the lesson with each group.
3. After-School Program - This program meets between the hours of 3-4:15 and the tutors;
   1. Are either assigned to three students and works individually with each child for 20 minutes. The time is used for homework completion.
   2. Or, the tutor is not assigned specific students and helps students who request the tutor's help. Again, the time is used for homework completion.

As a volunteer with Reading Champions the volunteer commitment is from Mid-October until the last week in May. If you think you will miss more than three consecutive weeks due to travel/vacation, please do not apply.

Volunteering at the Greenwich United Way and with Greenwich Public Schools is at will. This means that volunteers have the right to terminate their relationship with or without cause, and the United Way and GPS have the right to terminate the volunteer relationship with or without cause.

Volunteer placement will be contingent upon background and reference checks.

Download the application form (.doc), save it to your computer, and return the completed application via email to jbyxbee@unitedway-greenwich.com or via regular mail to:

Jenny Byxbee
Greenwich Youth Services Coordinator
c/o United Way of Greenwich
1 Lafayette Court
Greenwich, CT 06830

Or fax to: 203.869.0808.