Episode 85: Lighting a Literacy Fire Beyond School Walls

About this episode

This episode discusses how a community committee aims to improve literacy rates among third graders by fostering relationships and a culture of reading beyond the classroom.

In Episode 85, we’re joined by Brook Schueller and Amy Simpson, members of a community committee working toward an ambitious goal: 85% of third graders reading at proficient levels. This conversation explores how Spencer Community Schools recognized that literacy growth couldn’t live only inside classrooms. By building relationships, meeting families where they were, and continuously reflecting and evolving over five years, the community helped create a shared culture of reading. This episode...

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Carrie Hepburn

Guests: Brook Schueller, Amy Simpson

Topics covered

• literacy
• education
• community engagement
• reading proficiency
• family involvement

Keywords

• literacy growth
• third graders
• reading culture
• community committee
• education

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Spencer Community Schools

More episodes of Compass PD Podcast with Dr. Carrie Hepburn

• Episode 88: It Takes a Board: The Role of Leadership in Community Literacy · April 12, 2026 · 31 min
• Episode 87: From Guesswork to a Plan: The Power of Resource Audits · April 2, 2026 · 18 min
• Episode 86: Lighting a Literacy Beyond School Walls Part 2 · February 16, 2026 · 43 min
• Episode 84: Uniting Home, School, Community · December 3, 2025 · 39 min
• Episode 83: Beyond the Label: How Churchill Transforms Learning for Students with Dyslexia · October 30, 2025 · 51 min
• Episode 82: Regulate to Educate: The Power of Somatic Practices · September 11, 2025 · 37 min