New York City, March 5, 2020 - The Reading Team has named Dana Points as its executive director. Ms. Points will lead all aspects of the Harlem-based organization–from program operations, administrative, and financial management to fund-raising and communications. She also will provide strategic vision and leadership to drive the Reading Team’s growth and impact. Ms. Points succeeds Maureen Rover, Reading Team Founder. Ms. Rover will stay on as a member of the organization’s board of directors and remain active in fund-raising and outreach, serving as a key ambassador.
Ms. Points is the former editor-in-chief of Parents and content director for the Meredith Corporation’s Parents Network brands. Prior to joining Meredith, she was a journalist and editor specializing in women’s health. A longtime advocate for children and families, Ms. Points has also worked as the Associate Director of Development at the nonprofit Child Mind Institute, which focuses on children’s mental health. She has served as a member of the national board of trustees of the March of Dimes and on the board of Safe Kids Worldwide.
“Reading is the key to unlocking opportunity,” said Ms. Points. “Children who master reading are more likely to stay in school and attend college. I am delighted to be joining the Reading Team, with its proven teaching method led by highly trained instructors. Our students arrive each day excited to learn because the process is fun. They clearly enjoy the feeling that comes from becoming a stronger reader, writer, listener and speaker.”
The Reading Team, a Harlem-based nonprofit organization, is dedicated to enabling young children who are at high risk of reading failure to become strong and enthusiastic readers, writers, listeners, and speakers and to develop the skills, habits, and behaviors that will support their success in school and in life. Since opening its doors in 2001, the Reading Team has grown from serving 72 children at a single site to more than 600 children a year from Pre-K through 5th grade at six Harlem locations. Its programs have helped more than 12,000 children to achieve substantial and lasting academic success. Reading Team children gain on average two grade levels in reading ability in their first year in the program and progress to top-tier nationwide reading levels in their age group. The vast majority of Reading Team children pass the New York State English Language Arts Exam, which is administered annually to children in Grades 3-8 statewide.
