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District unveils 'Golden Ticket' reading incentive with Taylor Farms, and wins Wallace Foundation partnership for after‑school work
Summary
Greenfield trustees heard two program announcements Oct. 9: a reading incentive funded by Taylor Farms that will pay $250 to third graders who demonstrate grade-level reading per CAST, and selection as one of seven districts to receive Wallace Foundation (via Bright Futures) support for out‑of‑school programming.
Greenfield Union Elementary School District officials announced two student-focused initiatives at the Oct. 9 meeting: a Taylor Farms‑funded reading incentive for third graders and a multi-year partnership supported by the Wallace Foundation (via Bright Futures) to enhance out-of-school programs.
Vice President Smith described an arrangement with Taylor Farms under which third-grade students who read at grade level — as measured by the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAST) — will receive a $250 check. Smith said the district is preparing a memorandum of understanding with Taylor Farms and that checks for qualifying students will be handed out at the start of the next school year if the number of eligible students requires timing beyond the current school year. "My recommendation to the parents is before you deposit it, make a copy of it and put it in a frame because that will be that child's first paycheck," Smith said.
Superintendent Laura Cortez said the district is working with Taylor Farms on an MOU and will launch assemblies for first, second and third graders to introduce the initiative. Cortez emphasized the district intends to support all students — including English learners — in reaching reading proficiency.
Cortez also announced that Greenfield was selected by Bright Futures (a Wallace Foundation grantee) as one of seven districts to receive support focused on out‑of‑school programming. She said the award is a portion of Wallace Foundation funding; Greenfield will participate in a roughly five‑year effort to develop sustainable after‑school and mentoring opportunities, conduct student interviews to shape programming, and build partnerships with city and community partners. Cortez said the award is not a single $1.5 million grant to the district but that the district will receive part of the Wallace Foundation effort routed through Bright Futures.
Both items were presented as informational. No board vote was required at the Oct. 9 meeting; staff said further details and program timelines will be shared as plans are finalized.
The district said it will recruit community partners and hold assemblies and kickoff events to publicize the reading incentive and to begin planning the Wallace-supported out-of-school program work.
Quotes from the meeting: Superintendent Cortez: "That doesn't mean that we are getting the $1,500,000 but we are getting a portion of this. That's right. To work with our out of school spaces." Vice President Smith: "…make a copy of it and put it in a frame because that will be that child's first paycheck."
