Salem City Literacy Newsletter

November 26th, 2024

Salem City Schools Literacy Newsletter

Vision for Literacy Excellence

At Salem City Schools, our commitment is to provide every student from kindergarten to grade five with core literacy instruction grounded in scientifically based reading research and evidence-based literacy practices, as defined in the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA). For students in kindergarten through grade eight who do not meet literacy benchmarks, we ensure evidence-based supplemental instruction and intervention through individualized student reading plans.

Our literacy vision includes:

Vocabulary and Knowledge Building: Offering students consistent opportunities to broaden their vocabulary and knowledge through complex texts on diverse topics.
Engagement with Text Evidence: Encouraging students to use text evidence to understand complex texts, both in writing and speaking.
Foundational Reading Skills: Providing explicit instruction and targeted practice in foundational reading skills for grades K-3 using a structured phonics approach. Students in grades 3-12 will also receive phonics instruction as part of supplemental/intervention programs.
Equitable Learning Opportunities: Ensuring all students have equitable opportunities to engage in cognitive work and receive targeted support as needed.
Family Involvement: Offering online resources for families to support literacy development at home and opportunities to participate in developing their child’s reading plan if benchmarks are not met.

Quarterly Progress

VALLSS Progress

Benchmark Achievement: In Kindergarten 22% met benchmark, in first grade 40.2% met benchmark, in second grade 36.4%met benchmark.
Interventions: Our reading specialists and teachers completed 280 Student Reading Plans for students scoring in the High Risk Band of VALLSS.

Imagine Learning Tier One Instruction

Students engage in a consistent instructional routine centered around content-rich modules with compelling real-world examples. Students move from building background knowledge to extended reading and research and finally to extended writing. Each lesson and unit follow a cycle designed to give students time to process a text.

Supplemental and Intervention Instruction

As we continue our commitment to enhancing literacy instruction, we are excited to share updates on the implementation of the Reading Horizons Discovery program. This engaging curriculum is designed to support our students in developing foundational reading skills through systematic phonics and multi-sensory strategies. In conjunction with this, we are also incorporating UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute) and SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words). UFLI provides evidence-based practices that empower teachers to deliver effective instruction tailored to diverse learners, while SIPPS offers a structured approach to phonics that ensures all students master essential reading skills. Together, these programs create a comprehensive framework that fosters a love for reading and equips our students with the necessary tools for academic success.

Professional Development

Our district-wide professional development day was very informative. Representatives from Virginia Literacy Partnerships shared strategies for analyzing VALLSS data to drive literacy instruction. Lexia representatives worked with reading specialists to assist with student reading plans. Also, Renaissance Learning provided training on interpreting reports from the new STAR Reading assessment in grades 3-5.

Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: As the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) states, teachers/reading specialists have a new requirement of creating Student Reading Plans and monitoring progress for this school year. Solution: Partnered with Renaissance/eduCLIMBER to create reading plan templates and monitor plan/progress throughout the year.

Action Items

Teachers: Continue to implement Imagine Learning.

School Leaders: Facilitate professional development focused on evidence-based literacy strategies.

Families: Engage with online resources and participate in school literacy events