White River High School teachers Pamela Stern and June Shattuck are seeing positive results from the first-year reading program they are using.
“The exciting thing is this is one of the first we’ve found geared to high school students,” Stern said as she explained the program to White River School Board members at their regular meeting Nov. 12.
The research-based, data-driven program is called Language! and White River teachers piloted it in the spring. It emphasizes work in phonics, grammar and written language for general and special education students in grades 9 through 11. It also aligns, the two pointed out, with the district’s established elementary and secondary reading programs.
“It’s available to all kids who have reading concerns,” Stern said.
So far, about 55 students are participating in the program, which is funded through the district’s Response to Intervention grant.
Like a sport, they noted, reading takes practice. Regular assessment and monitoring keeps students moving through the program as their reading skills improve.
“We don’t expect students to stay in the program very long,” Stern said. “The goal is to get them to move up and out.”
In other business, the board:
• announced Friday through Tuesday will be early release days for conferences. Nov. 26 will also be an early release day for all students and Nov. 27 and Nov. 28 there will be no school in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
• set 6 p.m. Dec. 10 for its next regular board meeting in the district conference room.
• heard from White River High School Associated Student Body leaders, who presented the board with a financial report, an update on interhigh school activities and an outline of past, present and future programs and assemblies.
• approved a $6,000 donation from the Mountain Meadow Elementary School PTA to the school to purchase seven laptop computers.
• approved the 2008-11 International Union of Operating Engineers transportation bargaining agreement and the White River Extacurriculum Association bargaining agreement.
• accepted the resignation of Glacier Middle School educational assistant Carol Hogan and bus driver Concetta Scott-Masterjohn.
• hired bus driver Kellie Albrecht, Elk Ridge Elementary School food service worker/cashier Lisa Hansen, Collins Alternative long-term substitute teacher Kyle Hood, Foothills Elementary School instructional paraeducator Jennifer Koch and WRHS long-term substitute food service worker/cashier Desiree Shaw.
