Introducing: The Amazing Ms. Jade!

It has been amazing to have the opportunity to be a part of Breakaway Academy and serve at Leataata Floyd this summer. I have been able to be a part of a team that provide students with a space to grow and focus on their reading skills, and this has quickly impacted me since the first day. When we began, I was unsure of how the students would feel coming to a daily reading group. I found joy in the fact that everyday students look forward to coming to the groups. In our groups we have spent time working on foundational reading skills, diving deeper into comprehending the stories, making connections to our lives and the world, and most importantly establishing and building positive relationships with our students. 

The students have brought so much joy and excitement to me everyday. It is a special opportunity to be able to continue reading with students and engaging them in the summertime. It is easy for skills to be forgotten or lost by any student in the few months off. The reality is that many students are not reading at grade level and we want to provide as many supports as we can to made a difference for them. Coming in, I was excited to make an impact on students reading and educational growth. What I did not realize was the community I was so lovingly welcomed into would make the real impact. 

Not only has the Breakaway staff been so kind and supportive, but the school administration and community. Through spending time with the students, staff and community I have learned that Leataata Floyd is a special and amazing community and I am blessed to serve students here. There are so many beautiful people who fully embrace the children and families, and put so much thought and energy into building off of the strengths of the community.

San Francisco Field Trip

Last Thursday, Breakaway Academy partnered with the Boys’ and Girls’ Club to take 80 students to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco! We jumped on two buses and arrived to the Academy of Sciences in the morning. From an earthquake simulator to an aquarium, there were plenty of sights to see! 

We all enjoyed lunch together and walked around the museum a bit more, and then headed back to Leataata Floyd. It was a great day, and it was refreshing for everyone to get out of the classroom and see a little bit of San Francisco. 

Introducing: Fantastic Mr. Sam!

Hello everyone, thank you for reading Breakaway's Blog. 

    My experience at Leataata Floyd Elementary (formerly Jedediah Smith) for the past 9 years (plus the 7 years I went to school here) has been incredibly challenging yet beautiful at the same time. Challenging because I have seen a lot of people go, and I have seen new people come in.  With our students, the need for consistency and "long haul" approaches are necessary.  Our students are in need of relationships outside the home to be loving, sincere, and respectful on a consistent basis.  That is why I have stayed so long.  Our students need someone familiar to come back to because for so many students, Leataata Floyd is, or was, their second home.  

    

Another reason why I am still running around the campus is to help our student's dreams manifest.  Before deciding to become a teacher I had my own dreams of what I wanted to do with my life.  Yet my family enlightened me about the importance of self sacrifice.  At first, sacrifice felt like a wound.  There was this egotistical pain that would lurk when I thought about the word in relation to my dreams. This feeling subsided over time as I began to understand gratitude! Understanding gratitude helped me understand my path.  I will become a teacher and give my all to the students I serve, and to help them progress in life by being a great scaffold to their dreams.  

     

Beautiful, important work happens here. 

M. Floyd

Week Two!

Breakaway Academy is in full swing! 

BURST groups are well underway, and we have seen improvements in each child’s reading and comprehension skills. The kids are consistently excited about attending group each day, and it is a joy to see them.  We also have had our first official assessment, and teachers are confident in the children’s academic growth.

We are throwing a special pizza party every 8 “school days” for the kids who have had perfect attendance so far. Our hope is that the next pizza party will grow and provide an incentive for the kids who are seeing their peers being celebrated for attending reading group every day.

This week we are focusing on science, specifically bubbles! We will be ending the week with a trip to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco! Pictures to come. (:

Week One!

Breakaway Academy week one was a success! 

Our teachers are wonderful individuals who pour their hearts into serving. They are patient and kind, and love to learn and teach. The students are fun and energetic, and are gradually becoming excited about reading.

Students are working hard learning words, reading aloud, and working together in groups. The teachers are able to use their experience in teaching as well as our BURST reading program to create a learning environment that is specific to each child’s abilities. Working in small reading groups is incredibly rewarding as each child shows progress every day. The teachers are going above and beyond in their service, which is inspiring. 

 We have high hopes for the rest of the program, and we truly believe that God is working through our small group time, and through the teachers to impact the lives of each student.

For more information about the BURST curriculum, please follow the link.

Welcome to Breakaway Academy!

Here, the staff of the Academy will share stories, post pictures, and provide updates for readers. Read on to learn more about Breakaway Academy and meet the Academy staff.

What is Breakaway Academy? Breakaway Academy is an academic program for students attending Leataata Floyd Elementary School, which serves Marina Vista and Alder Grove communities within one of the largest public housing developments in Sacramento. The Academy provides 6-weeks of focused instruction to students who are reading below grade level and offers students the support they need to build a strong foundation in literacy. Through a fun and holistic learning environment, the program aims to reduce summer learning loss, increase reading skills, and promote academic success.

With the generous support provided by the Bayside family of churches, and members of the community, the Academy staff is working collaboratively with the Boys and Girls Club to provide an amazing academic program for 40 students.

Who works for the academy? The heart and soul behind the academy comes from staff dedicated to serving the youth of Marina Vista and Alder Grove. Breakaway Academy could not exist with out these amazing individuals. 

The Teaching Team:

Sam Floyd -  Lives in Marina Vista and has worked at Leataata Floyd for over ten years. Next year, he hopes to return to Floyd as a 6^th grade teacher. A fun, little fact, Leataata Floyd is named after his mother “Taata Floyd, ” who is an active leader in the community.

Demetria “Ms D." Stanley-  Received her Bachelors from UC Davis, and recently graduated from the University of Phoenix with a teaching credential. Over the past 6 months, Ms D has been a student teacher at Floyd, and she hopes to return as a teacher in the fall.

Jade Milburn- Graduated from Chico State and has worked for City Year for two years serving in Sacramento. She enjoys spending time with her sisters, dancing, exploring restaurants around town, and her dream is to become a social worker.

The Administrative Team:

Ashlei Hurst- Works for Bayside Midtown and has served the community since 2012. In her spare time, she loves to dance, bike around midtown, watch movies with her husband Grant, and she hopes to graduate with her Master's from UC Davis this summer.

Anastasia Leach- A passionate college student who has served in the community for the past four years. She loves reading, hanging out with kids, and discovering how to improve her corner of the world. 

Gennavieve Carmazzi- Loves Jesus and loves opportunities to develop those around her. She can most often be found at Bayside Midtown, where she worships and works or outside discovering an adventure.

Breakaway Interns:

Tamaya Johnson and Sammarria Hightower both attend McClatchy High School, and over the past year the girls have participated in Project Voice-a youth development program that encourages youth to become community-change agents in their community. 

 Sammarria (Left) is passionate about photography, cooking, and helping others, and hopes to become a nurse after college. Tamaya (Right) is excited about social justice and she wants to become a lawyer.

Thank you for meeting the staff and learning more about our purpose and people. Check back in next week to read more about what is happening at Breakaway Academy! 

Interested in learning more about what is happening in Marina Vista and Alder Grove?

Follow these links to learn more!

Public Housing Redevelopment

Sleeping Beauty comes to Leataata Floyd

Project Voice-The Voices Behind the Bricks