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Tuesday, 04 December 2012 12:11

December Superintendency Message

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Lex Puffer, Asst. Superintendent of Weber School District

Since the 2002-03 school year, each one of the 28 elementary schools in Weber School District has had a full-time reading specialist. These specialists are experienced, licensed teachers who are required to have an additional Advanced Reading Endorsement. They are also required to continue to improve their knowledge and expertise through ongoing training and collaboration with other reading specialists throughout the District. Becky Okey, Elementary Reading Specialist directs these dedicated teachers and has done a marvelous job in successfully implementing this essential program.

The primary role of reading specialists in our district is to improve reading proficiency and support reaching the goal of having every child reading on or above grade level by the end of 3rd grade. They provide expert instruction, assessment, and leadership for our schools by working closely with students, teachers, staff and parents. While they focus on early literacy in grades K-3, they impact students at all grade levels. This provides a foundation for future learning in all grades and in all subject areas.

One of the roles of the reading specialists is to support early identification and treatment of reading difficulties. To accomplish this, the reading specialists oversee and administer individual assessments to every student in grades K-3 three times a year as well as ongoing assessments for students who are struggling with reading. At the beginning of this school year, over 9,000 students were assessed using Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) which measures basic early literary skills. They work closely with teachers to determine which students would benefit from additional intervention in reading. The reading specialists then work directly with those students who need intensive instruction by providing early reading intervention in small group settings. Additional staff members are trained and guided by reading specialists and are able to assist in providing support to more students as needed.

Since its inception, until the present time, DIBELS and Criterion Referenced Test (CRT) test assessments have shown marked improvement in reading proficiency. There is also a direct correlation of reading scores to math and science improvement in later grades.

Reading specialists work closely with teachers to support them in providing high quality reading instruction and ensuring student learning in the classroom. As a part of the school literacy team, the reading specialist work to build school capacity to problem solve, analyze data, make informed instructional decisions, motivate students and understand core curriculum. The dedication and devotion our reading specialists demonstrate for improving reading in our schools is amazing. Countless students’ lives have been changed for the better due to the hard work and efforts of these specialists.

Lex Puffer

Read 51984 times Last modified on Monday, 24 October 2016 13:31

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