COVINGTON, Ga. - Innovations for Learning is partnering with Newton County School System to bring the unique online reading program, TutorMate, to local first-grade classrooms. 

TutorMate is the nation’s preeminent virtual volunteer program that helps thousands of students learn to read. More than 200 of the country’s most prominent corporations and organizations partner with IFL to recruit an army of volunteers who help young students learn to read. 

The 2018-2019 school year is the first year that TutorMate will partner local corporate and community tutors with Newton County first-graders. Tutors will help their students learn to read through weekly, 30-minute online sessions. 

“We know that reading on or above grade-level before exiting grade 3 is critical to our students’ future successes, and I am excited about this innovative approach to purposefully connect our business, industry and community partners to our students through reading," Samantha Fuhrey, NCSS superintendent, said. "Pairing first-grade students with a caring adult who provides additional reading practice and support will certainly enable our students to develop their reading skills and build their confidence. I cannot wait to get started!”

Deena Sams, Director of Afterschool and Community Affairs for the district is promoting the launch of TutorMate with this call to action: “Literacy lays the foundation for a child's success in school and in life. There must be an investment from the whole community to shape our future leaders. We need businesses, churches, civic groups, non-profits, local government, and others to join us making sure students are reading on grade level before they reach 3rd grade.”

TutorMate is currently seeking corporate and community partners to help build early literacy in Newton County. To learn more, contact Sandy Harper at sandy.harper@innovationsforlearning.org or 770-828-5481. Please click here to hear more about TutorMate from our corporate partners.