Read to Succeed Buffalo Adds Early Literacy Intervention Specialist to Support Literacy Programs

Read to Succeed Buffalo (RTSB) today announced the addition of Karen Van Alstine as an Early Literacy Intervention Specialist. In collaboration with Say Yes Buffalo and the Little Scholars program, Van Alstine will enhance language and literacy skills for three-year-old children.
Karen will implement RTSB's embedded literacy coaching and assessment model, Community Alignment for Reading Excellence (CARE) Preschool in three Say Yes Little Scholar classrooms serving three-year-old children. In her role as an Early Literacy Intervention Specialist, Karen will be responsible for coaching and training Little Scholar teaching teams with the goal of creating high-quality, literacy-rich environments and interactions that research shows are critical for young children on their journey to 3rd-grade reading proficiency.
“Read to Succeed Buffalo believes that through exposure to high quality, intentional literacy instruction and language-rich environments from birth through 3rd Grade, all children, regardless of economic or social challenges, can achieve success. We are so grateful for the opportunity to partner with Say Yes and its Little Scholars program as it plays such a critical role in the continuum of a child’s developmental journey,” said RTSB Executive Director Anne Ryan.
Prior to joining RTSB, Karen was a lead teacher with Head Start for six years and served as a site director for nine years. She earned a master's degree from Canisius University and holds a New York state certification in Childhood Education 1st – 6th Grade and Deaf Education.
Karen will be responsible for providing day-to-day embedded professional development through data-informed coaching support for teachers and teaching assistants across three Little Scholar classrooms.
She currently resides in Kenmore.