School board hears about reading and intervention programs
MARSHALL — Carolyn Fuller and Beth Ritter presented the Marshall Public School board members information regarding reading and intervention programs at Park Side and West Side Elementary at the regular school board meeting on Tuesday.
Reading Corps, Title I and WIN (what I need) are in place at both sites. The 40 Book Challenge and One School One Book are also implemented at West Side
“Depending on the grade level, it can look different,” Fuller said. “Of course, in kindergarten, they’re working on those basic literacy skills. The fun thing about our WIN program is that we’re able to use three classroom teachers, a Title teacher and an EL teacher.”
Fuller continued, saying that within those three classes, they divide the students using a screener and classroom assessments depending on what they’re working on.
“So our neediest kids can work in our smallest groups,” she said. “That’s been really effective to help cement those early literacy skills.”
Ritter said WIN at West Side looks a little different than it has in the past.
“We have 30 minutes set aside for third and fourth grade, and we have an entire time when all of third grade is in WIN and we have another 30 minutes when all of fourth grade is in WIN,” Ritter said. “What we base it on this year is our essential standards that the teachers have identified as essential.”
After a common assessment, the students are based on whether or not they need reteaching.
“Reteaching will happen in smaller settings, usually with one of our Title teachers or one of the reading teachers,” Ritter said. “We also have students that, if they pass that assessment and are just maintaining all of their other assessments, they’ll be put into a DEAR (drop everything and read) group. They’re reading books at their level, as well as the teacher in the classroom is reading those books.”
Students who, at a minimum, are one grade level ahead on all of the universal screeners are put into an enrichment group.
“That’s so we can really challenge those students and meet their needs by challenging them,” Ritter said. “So depending on how students do on the assessment, they will either be placed in a WIN group, a DEAR group or an enrichment group.”
Reading staff also discuss the reading and intervention programs during PLC time.
“We talk about what our common assessment is going to be and how the kids are doing on it,” Ritter said. “The teachers were struggling, trying to find a time for that reteaching piece, and they felt like they were getting further and further behind.”
The presenters then spoke about the success of the 40 Book Challenge and the One School One Book experience, followed by questions and positive comments from board members.
“I’m very passionate about reading,” board chair Jeff Chapman said. “Reading is the key to all education, especially if you want to be a continuous learner.”
Newest board member Bill Swope told Ritter and Fuller that he thought their presentation was excellent.
“It’s exciting what’s going on,” he said.
Superintendent Scott Monson noted some of the highlights from the many administrators’ reports, followed by a facilities/referendum update.
“We always get some new ideas in terms of what is on people’s minds when we give those presentations and we continue to update those versions or drafts, if you will, as we go along,” Monson said. “We have been updating the website periodically. We’ll certainly continue to respond to questions and inquiries.”
Monson added that the district was continuing to progress through the legal requirements necessary to have the referendum on the ballot. Nearly all the election judges have been put in place as well, he said.
“We’ll just continue to emphasize that certainly space is a major reason for the referendum on April 18, but also very much about safety and being able to do some things relative to career and technical education, early childhood and just continuing to focus on high-quality education,” Monson said. “It’s not just about space. There are also other aspects, too.”
Board member Dion Caron asked Monson to clarify for the public why the decision was made to go with two referendum questions.
“I think it’s important for the public to know that because of the impact on our community either way,” Caron said.
Monson replied, revealing that survey results were the main reason for the separate questions that will be put on the upcoming referendum. The second question is regarding the renovation of the unused swimming pool area.
“I want to say it’s about 6,500 square feet that would be impacted and to be converted to a multi-use, multi-purpose space with potentially some dividers and really, a lot of flexibility for doing different things in there,” Monson said. “That is a second question because there was a certain level of support for that in our resident survey, but nowhere near the level of support there was for safety and security, class sizes, career and technical education and everything else.”
“Would we do good things with that space, and would it help us maintain quality of education? Yes. Is it absolutely necessary? Maybe not. But because we knew that it wasn’t as widely supported as other things, it’s become a second question,” Monson added.
Swope encouraged the public to come take a look at the school buildings when they’re in session.
“Then they can see how things are in terms of space, West Side and Park Side in particular,” Swope said. “It’s nice to eyeball what’s going on in our schools rather than speculate.”