Your donation can help schools teach children to read
By Lethbridge Herald on August 28, 2025.
Editor,
Michael Swaagstra (Aug. 23 Herald) shared that “it’s up to parents to lay the foundation for their children’s success by choosing the right school and staying engaged with teachers” and “following the proper channels when you want your concerns addressed.”
Sept. 8 is International Literacy Day. ”Researchers now estimate that 95 percent of all children can be taught to read by the end of first grade, with future achievement constrained only by students reasoning and listening comprehension abilities (Moats).”
Lethbridge teachers need our help to achieve this goal.
Just a few days before Swaagstra’s article was published, I introduced myself to my grandchildren’s school principal offering to volunteer tutor struggling readers.
I knew their school was implementing provincial screening and the evidence and results-based reading program called UFLI Foundations (pronounced “you fly,” for the University of Florida’s Literacy Institute Foundations phonics program). I was aghast when the principal shared that his staff were only using free, online UFLI resources.
They did not have one hard copy of the $100 teacher’s manual which covers the whole K-3 UFLI curriculum.
Out of concern, I took out my cheque book. I encourage other concerned readers to do the same to support our schools implementing UFLI Foundations.
Learning to speak is a natural process; learning to read is not. UFLI manuals help teachers who haven’t had pre-service or professional development in their teaching career to teach what is now called the Science of Reading.
Sadly, Erin Hurkett, Lethbridge School Division’s director of instruction, confirmed that many other elementary schools in the division do not have UFLI manuals in each classroom.
If you are with a service club, or have any philanthropic connection, call your neighbourhood elementary school and see if they need help buying UFLI teacher manuals and/or classroom resources. If the school is in a good position, help another school. Send your tax-deductible, designated UFLI donations to the Lethbridge School Division, Attention, Erin Hurkett, Director of Learning, Lethbridge School Division.*
Let’s ensure that Lethbridge teachers do have reliable and consistent skills and resources to teach 95 percent of our children to read independently!
Fran Blackwood,
Lethbridge
15-14
Why are Alberta schools utilizing an American based phonics program when there are numerous Canadian sources available?
This should be paid for by the Province. Your taxes you pay should cover this. The province follows the dictates of wicked Margeret Thatcherism.
On with the revolution. Defeat the UCP!.