All Ages Read Together (AART)

We’re going to Community Changemakers 2023!

All of us have the power to make a positive impact on our friends and neighbors. Join forces with the small, local organizations helping to make the greater DC region great place to live at Hook Hall on November 8. We're thrilled to be part of Spur Local's annual celebration of local social action alongside our peer nonprofits. It'll be your chance to grab drinks and Timber Pizza slices with our team + learn how we’re making a difference with our free programs.

Learn more at >> dcchangemakers.org

Not able to join us? Learn more about how our programs are shaping our community here >> https://www.givelocaltogether.org/o/all-ages-read-together

It’s that time of year again - Giving Tuesday is right around the corner!

Giving Tuesday celebrates kindness, bringing together people worldwide to give back and celebrate generosity

So save the date for November 28th, and join us in uplifting children across Northern Virginia with nurturing and accessible classes, directly available in the communities we serve.

This year, our goal is to raise $25,000!
We know we can achieve this goal, but not without your support.

Check out our official Giving Tuesday page, and learn how you can share the magic of a good education with a child in our community >> https://www.givelocaltogether.org/o/all-ages-read-together

From all of us here at AART, we’d like to express our gratitude for everyone who made this year’s Halloween Hoedown possible! We had so much fun getting to see new and familiar faces. From our volunteers, to our attendees, to our sponsors, everyone involved made this year’s Hoedown unforgettable.

Our community’s support is invaluable to us, allowing AART to create caring and positive learning environments to nurture our future leaders and changemakers.

Want to know more about what we do and how we serve our community? Come visit us at Spur Local’s Community Changemakers event, taking place on November 8 at 6:00pm in Hook Hall, DC! Get your tickets here >> https://www.dcchangemakers.org/event-info/community-changemakers-2023

Thank you for your support - we’ll see you next year!

🤠Are you ready for a rootin’ tootin’ good time? We sure are!🤠

Doors open TOMORROW at 5 pm for our 11th Annual ~not too spooky~ Halloween Hoedown at River Farm in Leesburg. Grab a buddy and mosey on down to enjoy lots of great local food, games, live music, and dancing, all while supporting access to early childhood education for underserved children across Northern Virginia and supporting local businesses.

🎃It’s not too late to get your ticket! SAVE YOUR SPOT>>bit.ly/aarthoedown2023 🎃

Our fall session classes are in full swing! Here is what our students are…

📖Reading📖
- “Pizza Pig” to learn more about building strong friendships
- “Little ‘Dd’” to review the letter D and all its uses.

✏️Learning✏️
- The letter of the week: Dd
- The alphabet song and rhythm
- Counting to 20
- How to be a good friend (sharing & kindness)

⚽Playing⚽
- Matching games
- Molding the letter Dd with Playdough
- Counting games
- Making and identifying shapes with their hands

🎶Singing🎶
- "My Mother is a Baker"
- "Tootie Ta"
- "Hello, Hello"

Our students have loved dancing along to the songs they’ve been learning to sing, as well as making crafts with their classmates and using magnet tiles to create shapes and structures.

We are so thankful to have such wonderful teachers and volunteers leading our classes and helping our students become more confident and capable every day!

Support our programs and come out to our 11th Annual Halloween Hoedown this weekend, Saturday Oct. 28 in Leesburg! Get your tickets now >> https://bit.ly/aarthoedown2023

Our volunteers make the impossible possible!
One of our valued volunteers is the Claude Moore Community Builders (CMCB). The Community Builders program connects teens with nonprofits, volunteer opportunities, and community events for group service activities. The Builders have partnered with AART to assist in our classrooms and to help host our annual fundraisers.

Jill Weiss, CMCB’s Program Director, is excited to be partnering with AART once again for our annual Halloween Hoedown (🎃tickets available now >> bit.ly/aarthoedown2023 🎃).

“Between the high cost of private preschools and the critical importance of early childhood education, the programs AART provides to families who need them are life-altering for their children” says Jill.

Another Builder recalls the impact volunteering for AART’s summer classes had on her. She “loved being able to see the progress the young children made during the summer … they knew the alphabet and how to spell their names - and so much more - and were looking forward to starting kindergarten.”

We love engaging with our community and value each and every one of our volunteers who helps to make what we do possible.

Thank you Claude Moore Community Builders!

Dust off your cowboy boots for All Ages Read Together's 11th Annual ~not too spooky~ Halloween Hoedown!

🎃 Save your spot >> https://bit.ly/aarthoedown2023 🎃

Join us for a night filled with fun, friends, great food, and fundraising for AART's mission to educate children in need with free preschool programs in their communities!

🎃 Barbecue from Willard's Real Pit BBQ (vegetarian and gluten free options available) and Virginia wines and brews
🎃 Silent auction with fabulous prizes (like an incredible vacation)
🎃 Mechanical bull rides and a velcro wall *new this year*
🎃 Local artisans sharing their craft
🎃 Live music and square dancing
🎃 Crafts and games for all ages

Tickets available for a limited time >> https://bit.ly/aarthoedown2023

11th Annual ~ not too spooky ~ Halloween Hoedown! 11th Annual Halloween Hoedown Fundraiser! Support All Ages Read Together's mission to provide free preschool classes to children in under-resourced communities by participating in the ~not too spooky~ Halloween Hoedown - AART's largest fundraiser of the year! The ~not too spooky~ Hallowe...

✨Magic happens when we invest in our children’s education✨

All Ages Read Together recently fulfilled a long-time dream of ours to introduce our students to local professionals thanks to the support provided by the Loudoun Impact Fund. We believe that our students benefit immensely from seeing the possibilities available to them - what better way to get students to dream big than by bringing their community to the classroom!

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to friend of AART, Chef Dennis of Bakery, for taking the time to visit with our students! Chef Dennis teamed up with our teachers to share about his career as a baker and business owner, decorate cookies with our students, and learn about the power of saying “please” while reading “May I Please Have a Cookie?”

Our community’s support is invaluable to us. It truly takes a village!

📣 It’s not to late to become a champion for childhood literacy this fall! 📣

Stand with All Ages Read Together for equitable access to early childhood education and become a sponsor for our 11th Annual ~ not too spooky ~ Halloween Hoedown.

This is our biggest fundraiser of the year - 100% of all funds raised go to putting books in our students’ backpacks and making sure our classrooms and teachers are well-prepared to support the next generation of trailblazers and leaders.

Help us meet our goal of raising $25,000!

We have several sponsorship opportunities still available:
🥈 Platinum Sponsorship x5
🥇 Gold Sponsorship x2
🥉 Bronze Sponsorship x3

GET INVOLVED >> bit.ly/aarthoedown2023

Every child in our preschool classes receives a book to take home every week so that they may build their own personal libraries!

We prioritize literacy skills for our students and understand the magic a great story can do.

Our staff also loves to read! Explore some of our favorite children’s books below:

Michelle Sullivan, Executive Director
📚 Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes

Sally Masri, Programs Director
📚The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein

Jennifer Stecklow, Director of Operations
📚Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, by Mo Willems

Monique Duke, Director of Finance
📚Toot & Puddle, by Hollie Hobbie

Lauren Miles, Communications Coordinator
📚The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter

Virginia Turner, Assistant Director of Administration
📚If You Give a Pig a Pancake, by Laura Numeroff

Check out our programs page to learn more about how we encourage reading in the classroom >> https://allagesreadtogether.org/our-program/

We love our teachers!

Meet one of our wonderful preschool teachers, Christa Roan.

Christa currently teaches in a few Herndon classes, where she makes a tremendous impact on her students and her community. She had a desire to teach from a young age and rediscovered her passion for teaching after getting involved in her child’s education.

Read our latest blog post to learn more about Christa and her journey with AART >> https://allagesreadtogether.org/2023/09/28/meet-the-teachers-christa-roan/

Ever wonder what our students are up to in the classroom? Take a look at what you could expect to see in an average AART classroom:

☀️ Introductory Activities: Our students start each day with some time dedicated to interacting with their classmates, whether it’s by reading a book together or playing with a puzzle, to practice motor and cognitive skills through play.

📖 Circle Time: Using engaging songs and dances, our teachers guide students through name recognition activities and introduce the book of the week.

⚽️ Get Moving: Students come together for active games that encourage movement and reinforce concepts learned during class.

🖍 Table Time: Arts and crafts help engage students with a variety of concepts, from numbers to shape recognition. Students will often work on projects that relate to the book of the week, with some guidance from our teachers.

🎵 Closing Out: Our teachers will close the day with a final circle time, where students can share their achievements and celebrate another great day at school. After another song to say goodbye, it’s time to head home.

If you’d like to learn more about our preschool programs, check out our website >> https://allagesreadtogether.org/our-program/

Read this blog post for a deeper dive into a day in the life of an AART student >> https://allagesreadtogether.org/2021/07/20/a-day-in-the-life-aart-summer-class/

Here’s to another fantastic Tee Off for Children’s Literacy in the books! We are so thankful to everyone who came out and enjoyed a beautiful day with the AART team and to our sponsors, whose support was absolutely invaluable to our team and our students.

With your support, we raised over $18,000 , which helps us give more children across Northern Virginia the chance to enter preschool and experience the lasting benefits of a good education.

Thank you from the team at All Ages Read Together!

All Ages Read Together’s 11th Annual ~Not too Spooky~ Halloween Hoedown is right around the corner!

Become a champion for early childhood education as a sponsor at our biggest fundraiser of the year. AART’s Halloween Hoedown will feature live music, dancing, games, caricature drawings, mechanical bull rides, excellent local barbecue and libations, and much more at River Farm in Leesburg on Saturday, October 28th, all in support of our free preschool programs.

Northern Virginia has some of the highest rates of income disparity in the country, with regards to preschool enrollment - only 29% of children at or below the poverty line are enrolled. AART’s programs target underserved communities, where accessible and inclusive preschool opportunities are scarce, minimizing the opportunity gap and setting children up for academic and economic success.

100% of funds raised will benefit AART’s classes.

Reach out to our team today, as we have limited sponsorships available:

5 x Platinum Level
2 x Gold Level
2 x Silver Level
4 x Bronze Level

Explore how you or your organization can get involved: bit.ly/aarthoedown2023

Happy first week of school to our fall session students! While we continue to take applications throughout the year, many of our students are officially .

Our dedicated staff of teachers and volunteers are excited to see them grow as they learn foundational skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and more and build relationships with their classmates to last a lifetime.

Want to know what a typical day in an AART classroom looks like? Check out our programs page to learn more: https://allagesreadtogether.org/our-program/

Interested in enrolling your child? Submit your application here: https://allagesreadtogether.org/enroll-inscribirse/
Want to make a change in your community? We’re hiring preschool teachers and assistants! Apply today: https://bit.ly/aartishiring

All Ages Read Together (AART), a nonprofit working to close the preschool opportunity gap in Northern Virginia and is HIRING part-time Preschool Teachers and Assistants for our upcoming school year!

If you are looking to make a difference in a young child's life, we invite you to join our team! Visit https://bit.ly/aartishiring to learn more.

Help us spread the word by sharing this post!!

Meet Sally Coombs Masri , AART’s new Programs Director!

Ever since she was little, Sally knew she wanted to be a teacher. At Marymount University, she studied Psychology and Early Childhood Education. After graduating, she began her teaching career as a teaching assistant at a Special Education Preschool in Fairfax County before going on to teach First Grade and Religion in Alexandria - she also served as their Director of Service Learning. After taking a six year break from teaching, she returned as a Resource Teacher in Fairfax County.

Sally began her journey with AART as a volunteer. After six months, she became a teacher - her “dream job”. Teaching with AART for several years, Sally found her work deeply rewarding.

“I wholeheartedly believe in the mission of All Ages Read Together, and I'm thrilled to be stepping into a new role as Programs Director, where I look forward to supporting our board, staff, and families to ensure our students are developmentally, socially and emotionally prepared to meet success in Kindergarten.”

Sally Masri

We welcome Sally into her new role and are excited to see what she does next!

Northern Virginia Preschool by the Numbers:

- Roughly 29% of children at or near the poverty line are enrolled in preschool in Northern Virginia, making the area 2nd to last in preschool enrollment rates among the top 50 metro areas nationwide (Insight Region - Community Foundation for Northern Virginia)
- Low-income families in Northern Virginia would need to invest up to 43% of their household income to place a child in a high quality preschool program (Insight Region - Community Foundation for Northern Virginia)

The numbers don’t lie - Northern Virginia is falling behind on preschool, and its underserved communities are feeling the effects. Research shows that children benefit from high quality preschool programs in a variety of ways, from better academic performance to maintaining higher-paying employment as an adult (Insight Region). Without access to these opportunities, the cycle of poverty continues.

Learn how you can support AART’s mission to provide preschool to all at https://allagesreadtogether.org/support-us/

Registration for our preschool classes is still open!
>> https://allagesreadtogether.org/enroll-inscribirse/

Enroll your child in one of our accessible preschool classes located across the Northern Virginia area, where they will learn with skilled educators in a safe and welcoming environment. Your child will benefit from instruction in basic reading, writing, and math skills, and the opportunity to learn and grow alongside their peers.

Sign up today and message us to learn more!
>> https://allagesreadtogether.org/enroll-inscribirse/

Tickets are now on sale for AART’s 11th Annual ~ not too spooky ~ Halloween Hoedown! Join us for live music, dancing, games, caricature drawings, mechanical bull rides, excellent local barbecue and libations, and much more at River Farm on Saturday, October 28th!

Doors open at 5:00pm - we encourage you to wear your finest western wear or come in costume! We will be hosting a Halloween costume contest, as well as a silent auction, where guests will have the chance to win a variety of fabulous prizes, including a once-in-a-lifetime vacation!

All funds raised will benefit AART’s preschool programs, putting more books in backpacks and smiles on our students’ faces.

Save your spot >> bit.ly/aarthoedown2023

Interested in volunteering with AART? Fill out this form to be a part of our Hoedown crew >> https://bit.ly/aarthoedownvolunteer23

11th Annual ~ Not too spooky ~ Halloween Hoedown! 11th Annual Halloween Hoedown Fundraiser! Support All Ages Read Together's mission to provide free preschool classes to children in under-resourced communities by participating in the ~not too spooky~ Halloween Hoedown - AART's largest fundraiser of the year! The ~not too spooky~ Hallowe...

Northern Virginia has the highest income disparity regarding preschool enrollment in the entire country, with only 29 percent of low-income children enrolling compared to 67 percent in higher-income households (Hughes, 2021-23). >> https://tinyurl.com/39enb75c

This needs to change.

This , AART is celebrating our efforts to close that gap for children across the greater DC region! We provide a critical opportunity for academic and social development for our students and motivate parents to be actively engaged in their child’s education for better results. And we couldn’t do it without our wonderful teachers and volunteers!

By supporting access to preschool, we can provide greater academic and professional opportunities later in life for our community’s children, helping to break cyclical poverty and lay the path for economic development.

Learn how you can be a champion for early childhood education >> https://tinyurl.com/4yjkyhzw

Join us for our 12th Annual Tee Off for Children’s Literacy >> https://bit.ly/aartteeoff2023

We’ve been recognized >> https://tinyurl.com/586mzmsz

Happy !

Our staff at AART is dedicated to building a community of book lovers! We provide students with a new book every week and make reading a priority to help them build their vocabulary and phonics skills, improve concentration, encourage creative thinking and develop social and emotional skills inside the classroom and at home.

"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader” - Magaret Fuller

AART’s students are officially kindergarten ready!

Our teachers work with parents to establish the importance of continuing their child’s education over the summer throughout their early elementary years and beyond.

We host summer classes for a few great reasons:

1. AART’s summer programs may be a student’s last opportunity to build critical academic and social skills before heading off to kindergarten.

2. The routines and structure of an AART class prepare students for the rhythm of a kindergarten classroom setting.

3. All students who participate in AART’s programs receive books free of charge, which can facilitate hours of learning and fun at home!

We would like to say a big thank you to Friends of the Reston Regional Library for supporting our programs!

As a recipient of the FRRL 2023 Literacy Grant Award, we will use this grant to help close the gap in early childhood literacy skills through accessible and fun school readiness programs for our friends in Reston and beyond.

“The proposed programs, both long-established and new, will bring much needed literacy support to participants. The results will last a lifetime. We’re honored and privileged to be able to be a part of it.”

- Brian Jacoby, FRRL Board President

We are excited to share that we are a part of the 2023 Spur Local class of critical local nonprofits!

It's an honor to be selected for the 2023 class based on the positive impact our programs have on our community. With this support, we will continue to make a difference in the lives of students and their families.

Thank you to the community members and volunteers that support our programs and to Spur Local for recognizing our efforts.

On June 14, 2023, All Ages Read Together will host the 12th Annual Tee Off for Children's Literacy Golf Tournament at the beautiful Raspberry Falls Golf & Hunt Club in Leesburg, VA! The 18-hole course was designed by golf legend Gary Palmer, one of only five players to win all four masters!

100% of the proceeds will go to All Ages Read Together, a 501(c)(3) that is dedicated to educating children in need with free preschool programs in their communities!

Learn more at https://bit.ly/aartteeoff2023

12th Annual Tee Off for Children's Literacy Golf Tournament Join AART for a fun day of golf, friends, and fun!

Did you know that AART uses in-kind donated space for our free preschool classes? Yes, it's true!

➡️ This allows our program to be right in the community we serve.
➡️ It reduces overhead costs, so more money goes directly to our program.

Wesley Housing has been our partner for many years, and we cannot thank them enough for their generosity!

We are so thankful for your support, Madison Wealth Management!! ❤️❤️❤️

The Madison team continues to be an active participant and proud supporter of the Loudoun Impact Fund (LIF).
* LIF is a giving circle comprised of philanthropically-minded people and businesses focused on supporting Loudoun County, Virginia nonprofits through grant-giving.
* LIF provides an ideal way for members to give in a targeted and well-informed fashion with tools to measure the impact of their efforts.
* Madison first joined LIF in 2014 to further our philanthropic commitment to the communities in which we work and live.

Through the group’s collective efforts of approximately 50 community leaders and businesses, LIF granted $112,000 to 14 nonprofit organizations!:

- A Farm Less Ordinary to support packaging, food safety training, and management of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in finished goods and employment training program
- All Ages Read Together (AART) to support free, quality preschool and in-class community experiences for preschool-aged children residing in Loudoun County
- A Place To Beto support therapeutic social groups for youth and young adults with disabilities
- Crossroads Jobs to support job search training, job placement and post-placement support services for low-income Loudoun County residents
- Dulles South Food Pantry to support infants and seniors in Loudoun County who are facing food insecurity and other needs
- LAWS Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services to support trauma therapy and advocacy services for child victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Loudoun County
- Friends of Loudoun Mental Health to support homelessness prevention program providing housing subsidies to Loudoun County residents in mental health treatment
- Legacy Farms Virginia to support workforce training for neurodivergent individuals with disabilities 16 and older in Loudoun County
- Loudoun Cares to support emergency financial assistance and referral program for low-income families with children and seniors facing instability
- Loudoun Hunger Relief to support emergency grocery program for low-income senior adults in Loudoun County
- Loudoun Education Foundation to support in-school food pantries for low-income students in need in Loudoun County
- Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers to support services for aging in place, including assisted transportation and supportive services
- The Arc of Loudoun to support people with disabilities and their families in Loudoun County who need emergency financial relief
- The Ryan Bartel Foundation to support for FORTitude series of youth su***de prevention programs for teens and parents