Empowering Families to Support Student Success Annual Report 2015

“[Learning Leaders] empowers parents to come in, and see, and learn.”

Dear Friends, The past school year was a productive time for Learning Leaders. Through our programs, over 8,000 public school parents became actively engaged in their children’s education. Through 350+ family education workshops, we empowered 4,039 parents with the knowledge and tools to be their children’s first teachers. We trained 1,664 new Learning Leaders and supported 2,522 renewed volunteers who contributed tremendous resources to their children’s school through small group work, reading with children, helping to run libraries, and much more. The importance of these statistics is not the numbers themselves, but the people they represent—the parents and community members 1

whose passion and dedication is making an impact on students every day. Take for example Averil Mason-Scantlebury who credits Learning Leaders programming for helping her succeed both as a parent and a professional. She began volunteering when her son started at PS 221 in Brooklyn. Nine years later, she works as a teacher’s assistant at the same school. “Even though I work full-time at the school,” she says, “I am still a volunteer. Why? Because the Learning Leaders’ community is crucial to my son’s school. A lot of parents don’t know what’s going on in the school and everything they can do at home to help their child. [Through Learning Leaders] they have a better understanding of what to do.” There are currently fifteen volunteers at PS 221, but Averil wants to grow this group.

“Teachers need the extra help,” she says. “We need more parents to become involved.” Averil watched her own son improve in school by working with a Learning Leaders volunteer. He struggled with independent reading, but two years working one-on-one with a Learning Leader has improved both his vocabulary and comprehension skills. Averil continues to attend family education workshops with other parents of children in her son’s school. She’s especially grateful for help in critical subjects like reading and math. Learning Leaders’ programming, says Averil, “empowers parents to come in, and see, and learn.” Learning Leaders is about engaged families, and we value the support of caregivers, volunteers, neighbors, donors, and New Yorkers

that makes our work possible. This community already empowers student success in 220 schools (85% receiving Title I funding designating high poverty schools) across NYC, but even more students and families are waiting for our help. Almost sixty years ago, we started in a single school. We’ve come a long way, and we intend to keep going. We’re proud to partner with so many people to make that happen—to make academic success a reality for our city’s underserved children. Sincerely,

Jane Heaphy, Executive Director

Jeremy Koch, Chair, Board of Trustees 2

By the numbers

220

Schools

Programs Learning Leaders is the largest and most experienced organization in the City dedicated to engaging families and communities to support student success. Across the five boroughs, we work with energy and passion to meet the high demand for structured programming to engage parents as partners in public elementary and middle schools.

Volunteers 90% are public school parents

4,039

Family Workshop Participants

25% are recent immigrants to the U.S. 3

94%

Family Capacity-Building Learning Leaders facilitates hands-on workshops that help parents increase their knowledge about the school system and use new strategies to be more actively and effectively involved in their children’s education. Workshops are conducted in English, Bengali, Chinese, and Spanish and additional languages as needed.

BookTalk BookTalk is a literary discussion group program that gives students confidence to have substantive discussions about themes, characters, and literary choices, honing their critical thinking skills and ability to support their viewpoint with evidence from the text. Two Learning Leaders volunteer facilitators are paired with a group of 10-12 students in third, fourth, or fifth grades for weekly sessions.

Volunteer Program Learning Leaders recruits, trains, places and coordinates parent and community volunteers who bring critical resources into budget-strapped schools. The impact of this is multiplied when our parent volunteers use their skills and knowledge gained in the classroom at home with their own children. Volunteers provide academic and other school-based support as well as lead enrichment programming.

Book Buddies Book Buddies promotes an appreciation of reading and helps students develop interpersonal communication skills. Volunteers at sponsoring corporations serve as literary pen-pals to the children, engaging in written conversation related to a chosen book. At the culmination of the program, students and volunteers meet for a celebration.

85% are designated poverty level (Title 1)

4,186

Making a difference of parent workshop participants who now understand the importance of their children’s development of good study habits and the role of the home environment in fostering these skills.

27%

is the amount of additional time Learning Leaders spend on average reading with their children compared to those in the control group.

89%

of parents in Learning Leaders programs have increased their participation in school events (e.g. parent-teacher conferences, student performances).

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Donor List

Learning Leaders gratefully acknowledges the generous support of our donors who gave during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015.

$50,000 or More IBM* New York Community Trust The Pinkerton Foundation Time Warner Cable* $25,000-$49,999 Brooke Astor Fund for New York City Education/ The New York Community Trust Lucius N. Littauer Foundation Rona Jaffe Foundation $10,000-$24,999 Anonymous (2) Genie & Bob Birch Dr. Lauren Blum & C. William Merten Capital Counsel Maureen Carr & Walter Nollmann Phyllis A. Chernin Citi Colgate-Palmolive Company Joan Ganz Cooney & Peter G. Peterson Catherine Davison Disney Worldwide Services Nancy B. & Hart Fessenden Friends of Rodeph Sholom School Dr. David and Sally Heaphy Katherine Humpstone & Jeremy Koch Hyde & Watson Foundation Mickie & Bob Kerson Ellen & Ike Kier Jill & Peter Kraus Lisa Kunstadter & Nicholas A. Stephens Latham & Watkins LLP Miyoung Lee & Neil Simpkins Bernadette Levandowski & Andrew Chipok Marjorie & Michael Loeb Marc Haas Foundation Mary W. Harriman Foundation Cayre & Alexis Michas Ellen L. & George A. Needham Needham & Company, LLC 5

Dr. & Mrs. Russel H. Patterson, Jr. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Pfizer, Inc. Penguin Random House* Carol & Joseph H. Reich Rite Aid Foundation Judith Rivkin & George P. Davison Joanna S. & Daniel Rose Joan Blum Shayne Simon & Schuster, Inc. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Associates United Federation of Teachers $5,000-$9,999 Blackstone Charitable Foundation BorgWarner Inc. Office of New York City Council Member Fernando Cabrera Diane & Kevin Connolly Office of New York City Council Member Robert Cornegy The Eden Foundation Jan Fullgraf Golann Golden Family Foundation HBO Henry Nias Foundation, Inc. Laurie & David Hodgson Holland & Hart LLP Office of New York City Council Member Peter Koo John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation MacMillan Family Foundation Caryn L. & James I. Magid New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Dominique Schulte & Darren Seirer Paul D. Schurgot Foundation, Inc. Pepsi Co. Inc.* Pine Tree Foundation of New York Scholastic, Inc. Shearman & Sterling, LLP

$2,500-$4,999 Arnhold Foundation Melissa & Daniel Berger Office of Manhattan Borough President Gale R. Brewer Beth & Samuel Chapin Charina Foundation, Inc. Office of New York City Council Member Margaret Chin Office of New York City Council Member Laurie Cumbo Office of New York City Council Member Inez Dickens First Book* Arlyn & Edward L. Gardner Alice Geller & Scott A. Levine The Gilder Foundation Great Island Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Edward Hyman Dilara & Gun Keresteci Kupferberg Foundation Office of New York City Council Member Mark Levine Litwin Foundation, Inc. Metzger-Price Fund April & Nassos Michas Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation, Inc. New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Office of New York City Council Member Annabel Palma Carolyn & William C. Patterson Tatianna Pouschine & Richard Stroller Office of New York City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez Libby & Seth D. Rosen Office of New York City Council Member Helen Rosenthal Venable LLP JoAnn Fox Weingarten & Allen Weingarten $1,000-$2,499 Lucie & Seth Aidinoff Elsie & Bernie Aidinoff Elyce & Andrew Arons Laura & Sharyar Aziz

Mr. & Mrs. James J. Baechle Louise & Sid Banon Caroline Franklin Berry Eric T. Bischof Brim Fund Foundation Sarah Cogan & Douglas Evans Flobelle & Henry Davis Kristina & Henry Davison Page Dickey & Francis Schell Tracy Dockray & Mark Rudd Olivia Douglas & David DiDomenico Cynthia Greenleaf Fanton & Jonathan Fanton Burton M. Freeman G & A Foundation General Mills* Betsy Gotbaum Helen & Peter Haje Barbara & William Haney Thomas Hartman Jennifer & Stephen B. Hauge Mary W. Heller Sara & John Hendrickson Ann & Peter Herbst Barbara Hill & M. David Zurndorfer Sarah Hines & Ronald Abramson Hiscox Foundation USA Ellen Jewett & Richard Kauffman Kealy Family Foundation Carol Kellermann & Mark O’Donoghue George Labalme, Jr. Helen Lautenberg & Stephen Judlowe Melissa & Marc Lawrence-Apfelbaum Mary D. Lindsay F. Allison Maddox & Charles McCurdy Paula & Eric Madoff Beth Maher Diane & Adam Max Brian Matthews Audrey & Greg Meredith Susan & John Michaelson Leslie & Mitchell J. Nelson Neuberger Berman LLC Gina Sanders Newhouse & Steven Newhouse David Nolan Foundation 6

Richard & Jane Novick Philanthropic Fund Jane & Jim O’Connor Valerie & Jeffrey Paley Louise Parent & John Casaly Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler LLP Sarah Dudley Plimpton Point Gammon Foundation Laura & Robert Peabody Catherine & John Pouschine Peggy and Peter Pressman Family Foundation Susan & Jeffrey Pribor Catherine Kuehn Price & Malcolm Price Alexander J. Roepers Marilyn A. Rivkin & David W. Rivkin Sayles and Winnikoff* Linda Schupack & David Good Jolie Schwab & David Hodes Betsy & Bart Schwartz Brigid C. Sheehan & Winifred Breuer Natalie & Jonathan Silverstein Marjorie Smith, Esq. Geula & Joshua Solomon Susan & Peter J. Solomon John A. Sprague Stop & Stor Charitable Fund Virginia K. Stowe Sulzberger Foundation Marian S. Heiskell Giving Fund Maggie & Amor Towles Mr. & Mrs. Hans Utsch Andrew Wallach Jane & Douglas P. Warwick Abigail Wender & Rohan S. Weerasinghe John Werwaiss Katherine & Bill Young Anne Zaccaro $500-$999 Mary & Troy Alexander 7

Jonathan Alter Anonymous Margaret & Jay Axelrod Kristine Baxter Rein Kim Bendheim Camilla Campbell & Oliver Platt Leona & Winthrop Chamberlin Marlene & John Childs Murray Cohen Marissa & Jesse Comart Marianne D. Cooper Jill & Charles Crovitz Jane Davison Constance & Corson Ellis Marcy Engel & Stuart Cobert Robert Evans III Haliburton Fales Brian Fallon Dana Foote Charlotte Ford Jan & Tom Geniesse Go Project Grace Church School Parents Association Barbara & Lawrence Green Karin Greenfield-Sanders Brian Griffith Jane Heaphy & Patrick Howell Rodney Hobbs Edwin Huddleson Mr. & Mrs. Richard Jaffe Kingsberg Foundation Catherine M. Klema & David L. Resnick Rachel Kless Sarah Ann & Werner H. Kramarsky Sandra Lazo & Donald H. Layton Rose Lynch Mr. & Mrs. John G. McGoldrick George McNeely Amy & John Melican Brigid & Mark Merriman Katarina Mesarovich James Neff Travis O’Brien

Adrienne Opalka & Bert Orlov Mrs. Barry Osborn Pamela & Vincent Pagano Brian Parr Samuel Peabody Sanford Pelz Mark Pennington Rhonda & Rick Press Scott Sabbagh Anthony Scioli Alexandra Scott Mrs. C. Sidamon-Eristoff Silda Wall Spitzer Deborah A. Stewart & James B. Mintz Hume Steyer $250-$499 Janet & Laurence Band Sarah Bareau Susan & Michael Barr Bank of America Donna Bascom & Paul Biddleman Rajiv Basu Deborah & David Boillot Robert L. Cahill, Jr. Candlewick Press* Carol Collet Kim Comart Virginia Connor Sara Cutler & Rob Shaw Anne Davis Nanette Davison & Endicott Davison, Jr. Frances A. & David F. Eberhart Ilene & Barry Farber Susan Feitler Kristin Gamble Flood & Charles Flood Dr. & Mr. Charles T. Foley Elizabeth C. & Christopher Forster General Electric Foundation Alva Greenberg Freda Harris Patrick Heaphy

Laurie & Britton Jones Katherine S. & Richard Kahan Sally & Gregory Keller Brittany King Shingmin Lai & Doug Skrypek Franklin Levine Elizabeth & Rohit Manocha Victoria & Greg McLaughlin Eliot & Wilson Nolen Kathy Nyrop & Stephen Koch Marie Nugent-Head Marlas & James Marlas Gina Montalbano J. Ritchie Patterson Physique 57* Caren & Barry Roseman Susan & Rick Rowland Bonnie Johnson Sacerdote Foundation Ellin Saltzman Andrea Scheidt Iris Weinshall Schumer & The Honorable Charles E. Schumer The Ruth & Jerome A. Siegel Foundation Stephanie X. Stamas Tricia Stone & Chapin Koch Alberta & Peter E. Stringham Barbara Sullivan Helene Swedowsky Lara Thackeray John Tiesi Third Avenue Management Private Foundation Stephanie Van Hassel Laurent Van Hassel Walkers Shortbread, Inc.* Dr. Joyce Weil Susan L. West Jonathan Young *GIFTS IN KIND

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Financial Satement

Staff & Board of Trustees

Year Ending June 30, 2015

Audited Balance Sheet

Audited statement of activities

ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $ 232,249 Certificates of Deposit 275,414 Investments 2,633,609 Contracted services receivable 221,750 Contributions and grants receivable 78,100 Prepaid expenses and security deposits 95,619 Prepaid rent $Fixed assets net of depreciation 271,877

OPERATING REVENUES AND OTHER SUPPORT Contracted services $ 308,000 Contributions - Corporations and grants 372,827 Contributions - Individual Giving 227,609 Grants from New York City agencies 60,894 Donated services 344,781 Value of in-kind contributions 156,433 Special Events 515,566 Less direct costs of special events (175,462) Interest and dividends 50,275 Other $-

Total Assets $3,808,618 LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Assets Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 43,178 Accrued payroll and vacations payable 7,875 Deffered rent $Security deposit payable $Total Liabilities



Net Assets Unrestricted Temporarily restricted Permanently restricted

$

$ 1,933,449 587,203 1,236,913

$1,860,923

OPERATING EXPENSES Program Services Workshops $ 660,731 Elementary School 1,191,769 Middle Schools 376,097 Total Program Services

51,053

Total Net Assets $3,757,565 Total Liabilities and Net Assets $3,808,618

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Total Operating Revenues and Other Support



$2,228,597

Supporting Services Management and general $ 369,249 Fund raising 233,559 Total Supporting Services

$ 602,808

Total Operating Expenses

$2,831,405

Change in net assets from operations Loss on disposal of fixed assets Net realized and unrealized gain on investments Change in net assets Net Assets - Beginning of year

$ (970,482) $ (238,677)

Total Assets

$3,757,565

$ 421,440 $ (787,719) $4,545,284

EXECUTIVE STAFF Jane Heaphy, Executive Director Catherine Brandli, Director of External Affairs Andrew Chipok, Chief Financial & Operating Officer Guy Reavis, Director of Programs EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Tánea Bakare, External Affairs Assistant Claire Campbell, Social Media Manager Julia Gilliam, Deputy Director of External Affairs Louise Weaver, Public Relations Consultant PROGRAM OPERATIONS Andrea Jordan, Director of Volunteer & Data Management Tanya Kelly, Manager of Data Operations Omayra Velez, Manager for Program Operations PROGRAM STAFF Karen Alleyne, Program Manager Richard Lopez, Program Manager Alexandra Palacio, Program Manager Marion Pomeranc, Program Manager, Literary Programs Andrea Roberts, Director of Educational Services (Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island) & Family Literacy Marilyn Shimon, Program Consultant Akanke Small, Program Manager Beth Wells, Program Manager Felicia Wilson-Ocasio, Director of Educational Services (Bronx and Manhattan)

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Officers Jeremy B. Koch, Chairperson George P. Davison, Vice Chairperson & Secretary Lauren Blum, Treasurer Members Phyllis A. Chernin Jesse Comart Marianne Cooper Cynthia Greenleaf Fanton Betsy Gotbaum Carol Kellermann Mickie Kerson Ellen Kier Marc Lawrence-Apfelbaum Caryn L. Magid Cayre Michas Ellen Needham Walter G. Nollmann John Redpath Iris Weinshall Schumer Marjorie M. Smith M. David Zurndorfer Honorary Trustees Elsie V. Aidinoff Kitty Fisk Ames Nancy B. Fessenden Arlyn S. Gardner Alice L. Halstead Mary W. Heller Julie Patterson Marge Scheuer Joan Blum Shayne

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75 Maiden Lane, Suite 801, New York, NY 10038 www.learningleaders.org 212.213.3370