MPS Literacy News

October 2024

📖 That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.

Grammar School Library Update

Over the next three weeks, there will be big happenings in the grammar school libraries! In each school, shelving will be installed, thousands of new texts will be delivered, and teams of librarians will weed, catalog, and organize the collections. We look forward to our refreshed libraries being accessible to students soon!

Support and Enrichment in WIN and Reading Success

Students in Grades K-8 are scheduled for a 'What I Need' (WIN) block. During this time, students access support from teachers, engage in enrichment activities, and/or receive services or interventions. Students focus on ELA and other subject areas.

Students in Grades K-4 are also scheduled for a Reading Success block. During this time, students work on literacy skills that pertain to their specific needs as determined by their benchmark testing. Students are grouped with peers who are working on similar skills. Progress monitoring and additional benchmark testing inform teachers of when students should be regrouped to focus on different skills.

Encourage Your Student to Access These Literacy Tools at Home (via Clever)

Reading Plus (gr. 3-12)

This adaptive literacy solution improves fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, stamina, and motivation. Twenty minutes per day in this program could improve reading by 2+ grade levels.

newsela ELA (gr. K-12)

This program offers articles with annotation features, interactive videos, graphic organizers, and quizzes. It also includes text sets that complement our ELA curricula.

OPENeBOOKS (gr. K-12)

This elibrary offers offers thousands of free ebook titles for students read. High-interest elementary, middle, and high school collections are available!

Lexia Core5 (Gr. K-5)

This research-backed program accelerates the development of literacy skills for students of all abilities, helping them make the critical shift from learning to read to reading to learn.

Lexia Power Up (Gr. 6-12)

This program accelerates literacy gains for students in grades 6-12 who are at risk for not meeting grade-level standards. Students can make multiple years of growth in a single academic year.

BrainPOP (gr. K-8)

BrainPop JR (K-3); BrainPop (3-8); BrainPOP Science (6-8)

This resource provides opportunities for students to build grade-level content knowledge, vocabulary, and comprehension skills aligned to various subjects.

Veteran's Day Essay Contests

Please encourage your student to take part in the VFW's essay contests. Entries must be submitted by October 31, 2024.

Students in Grades 6-8: VFW Patriot's Pen Essay Contest (written essay)
Students in Grades 9-12: VFW Voice of Democracy (audio essay)

Humanities Supervisors

Did you know each grammar school has a humanities supervisor to oversee English Language Arts and Social Studies? Feel free to reach out with any questions!

CGS: Kathleen Dunlevy, kndunlevy@methuen.k12.ma.us

Marsh: Jennifer Connolly, jrconnolly@methuen.k12.ma.us
Tenney: Carolyn McHugh, cnmchugh@methuen.k12.ma.us

Timony: Shannon Gilligan, sngilligan@methuen.k12.ma.us

Lisa Golobski Twomey, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning lagolobski@methuen.k12.ma.us