As the new school year approaches, a local literacy program is undergoing a change in leadership.
Starting in July, Gretchen Tregoning will become the new director of Book Buddies, a volunteer-based tutoring program for second and third graders in the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp.
Tregoning has been with the Book Buddies program for almost 10 years.
“I was looking for a way to volunteer at a school, because I had been a teacher,” she said. “And my kids were at Southside. And so I heard about the Book Buddies program and started volunteering there.”
She served as a volunteer for two years and then was the site supervisor at Schmitt Elementary School for seven years. Outgoing director Debbie Lindauer, who is retiring, said that Tregoning has been a “key part in continuing development and growth of Book Buddies.”
“She has great ideas,” Lindauer said. “She’s very passionate about literacy, very knowledgeable about it.”
The two women said the director’s duties include overseeing the volunteer programs in 11 elementary schools, recruiting and training volunteers, providing “staff support” for site supervisors and working with community partners.
Lindauer, who has been Book Buddies director for 10 years, said she expects the transition to go smoothly. She does not have any “immediate plans,” but expects to spend more time with family and hopes to do some volunteer work.
She volunteered at Riley Hospital pre-COVID and has also done contractual work for the catholic church through the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in the past, said Lindauer. Tregoning also expressed hope that she might return to Book Buddies as a volunteer.
Both women expressed excitement about the future of the program.
“I think it’s the most wonderful program that we have, and it’s so well developed,” Tregoning said. “I’m excited about looking forward to things hopefully returning to normal and our volunteers getting back in the schools and working with our kids.”
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
