Rotarians updated on SAD 29 literacy efforts at elementary school

    Last month, representatives of the Houlton Elementary School were invited to share with Houlton Rotary Club members their literacy work. Steve. Fitzpatrick, superintendent of schools introduced the four school representatives.
    HES Principal Candace Crane informed the members that the Houlton Elementary School had received a Reading First grant approximately three years ago. Crane noted that staff members initially felt overwhelmed as the school implemented this grant. She equated the school’s work with a sports event and stated the HES staff had “won a gold ball” based on their efforts.
    Crane stated that the grant provides for professional development, literacy coaches, and an interventionist.
    Sarah Estabrook described the roles of the literacy coach and her work as a preK-1 coach. Part of the professional development that the staff received included graduate level courses, book studies, workshops, and coaching.
    Janet Murakami, grade 2-3 literacy coach, shared with the members the training that coaches receive from the University of Maine. She acknowledged the hard work of all the teachers in making this initiative successful.
    Sally Cole, interventionist, shared the school’s data from the first year of the grant, by grade, to the most recent data. The data indicated fewer students were in the intensive range and many more students were meeting the benchmark at each grade level. The HES staff displayed a video presentation that demonstrated the students practicing scientifically based literacy practices that are successful in developing students’ literacy skills.
    The presentation ended with a question-and-answer opportunity.
Contributed photo
    LITERACY ADVOCATES — Representatives of the Houlton Elementary School were recently invited to share with Houlton Rotary Club members their literacy work. Taking part in the Nov. 9 presentation were, from left, Rotary President John Tribou, HES Principal Candace Crane, grade 2 & 3 Literacy Coach Janet Murakami, Pre-K – 1 Literacy Coach Sarah Estabrook, literacy interventionist Sally Cole, and SAD 29 Superintendent Steve Fitzpatrick.