Spotlight Nola: Sara Woodard

About Sara Woodard

I have a B. A. in English from the College of William and Mary and an M.A. in Literature from American University.  My experience in non-profit administration includes six years as Executive Director of the Mental Health Association in Metropolitan New Orleans and two years as Coordinator of a Women's Commission in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.  Additionally, I have served as a legislative assistant to a Pennsylvania state representative and as Publications Director of the Council of Better Business Bureaus in Washington, D. C.   I have been a contributing writer to New Orleans CityBusiness, New Orleans Magazine and the Times-Picayune.  I have served on the advisory board of First Book-Greater New Orleans and the Friends of New Orleans Adolescent Hospital.  I also have served as an Each One Save One mentor and LEAP tutor.  I moved to New Orleans in July 1996 and consider myself a “local” since I survived Hurricane Katrina!

I have been Executive Director of STAIR since 2003. In this position I manage all the operations of STAIR (main office and 29 after school tutoring locations) supervising a staff of 30 full-time or part-time employees, including a Program/Materials Director, Volunteer Director, Development Director, Administrative Assistant and site directors for each tutoring location.  Additionally, I manage the operations of a 25-member board of directors and a 21-member Advisory Council.

What is S.T.A.I.R.?

Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR) is a 25-year-old children's literacy program whose sole purpose is to insure that the children we reach become proficient readers. We do this by providing free one-on-one after school tutoring in reading and language skills to at-risk second-grade public elementary school students as well as literacy support to family members. Founded in 1985 in New Orleans, STAIR has grown to serve nearly 6,000 young students and their families from the metropolitan New Orleans area.

Want to get involved?  Tutor Training sessions start Sept. 11 and run through October.  No teaching experience is necessary.  For more information, call 899-0820 or go to www.stairnola.org.

The Need for Early Academic Achievement and how S.T.A.I.R. Helps

There are thousands of students in the New Orleans metropolitan area who will not develop adequate reading skills without some type of intervention. At no cost to the students, STAIR works to provide extra help in reading to many children who are in danger of academic failure. STAIR’s focus has always been on students in second grade—a critical developmental year. In the STAIR program, students and their tutors meet after school or on Saturday to work on reading and language skills.  The STAIR program works in partnership with the public schools, supplementing classroom work and catching some of the students who fall through the system’s cracks.

New Orleans Love

I love New Orleans for: its history, food, architecture, live music, oak trees, food, people, Lake Pontchartrain, lifestyle, little traffic, palm trees, coffeehouses, food, festivals, Mississippi River, crape myrtle bushes, brass bands and food!

What’s Next?

In five years and if the board of directors permits, I plan to continue to be Executive Director of STAIR.  After 7 years in my current position, my goals for this organization remain strong: to strive to offer free tutoring in reading to as many at-risk public elementary school students as possible in the greater New Orleans area.  I will do this by ensuring that STAIR has the financial and human resources (reading tutors) to serve this end. In 2010 STAIR celebrated its 25^th anniversary.  I plan to be here to lead STAIR through its 3^rd decade and beyond.

Another long-time and ongoing goal is to continue to advocate for increased public mental health services for children in our area.  Even before Hurricane Katrina, such services were limited.  Now 5 years after the storm, our community still lacks the infrastructure needed to provide children with the health services they need to succeed in school. 

Volunteer Tutors Needed!