Catholic, public schools join to improve literacy

Diocese of San Bernardino works with IE county schools on a reading program

A new partnership between the local Catholic diocese and Inland Empire schools will promote early literacy and address other academic issues in private Catholic schools.

Bishop Alberto Rojas, of the Diocese of San Bernardino, has joined with San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Ted Alejandre and Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez to launch the effort.

Rojas, who took over the diocese that serves Riverside and San Bernardino counties in 2020, met separately with the two schools chiefs last year.

“What emerged was a shared desire to give families the tools they need to help their children get off to a good start in their educational journey,” a news release states.

The diocese agreed to promote and make available the Footsteps2brillance early literacy program offered by both county schools offices across its Catholic youth and educational ministries, the release states.

“We frequently hear from our Catholic families about their desire for resources at home to help their kids succeed in school,” Rojas said in the release. “By collaborating with Dr. Gomez and Mr. Alejandre, we can offer a great program that helps our little ones learn to read on time.”

In San Bernardino County, Footsteps2brilliance has been offered for free since 2017, and 6 million books have been read, Alejandre said in the release.

“Together, with Bishop Alberto Rojas and Dr. Gomez, we are thrilled to expand access to this reading platform to even more families through our collaboration with the diocese,” he said in the release.

The two superintendents signed letters with Rojas pledging to work together on issues of mutual concern, the release states. Other issues cited in the letters include mental health, college enrollment and high school graduation rates.

The partnerships began in the fall.

St. Hyacinth Pre-school in San Jacinto is one site where educators are using Footsteps2brilliance.

“It’s an early visual,” Preschool Director Karla Cortez said in the release. “A lot of the students are really starting to see those words. And it’s a fun game for them. They really seem to enjoy it.”

Rojas