School Reading Plan

At Eagle Nest Elementary, reading instruction for PreK-5th grade students is grounded in a comprehensive approach that integrates key components of literacy: oral language, phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. These elements are essential in supporting students' ability to comprehend texts and meet the grade-level English/Language Arts (ELA) standards outlined by the state.

Oral Language development is the base of communication. Teachers foster this essential component through rich discussions and collaborative activities, which allow students to build the vocabulary and the expressive skills necessary for understanding texts. Teachers also use questioning techniques, read-alouds, and peer interactions to enhance students' spoken language abilities, which in turn strengthens their reading comprehension.

Using UFLI phonics, our code instruction is systematic and explicit, with a strong emphasis on connecting letters and sounds to help students decode words. With the UFLI curriculum, students engage in phonics activities that align with their developmental needs, ensuring they can read words accurately. We use screeners and diagnostic assessments to determine if students are learning the skills needed to decode written language or if additional phonics support is needed in a small group Within our HMH curriculum, there are fluency passages for students to practice reading. Teachers can monitor student progress and provide timely feedback to ensure this important skill is being developed.

Vocabulary development is woven into all aspects of our reading instruction. HMH Into Reading emphasizes explicit vocabulary instruction, helping students acquire new words through direct teaching and context clues. Because knowledge of word parts aids in comprehension, we place emphasis on the study of morphology to understand the meaning and origin of words in the English language. As students build their word knowledge, they are better able to access and understand complex texts.

Comprehension strategies are integrated throughout the curriculum and spiral throughout the school year. Students learn to make predictions, ask questions, summarize, and infer meaning as they read. Teachers guide students in using these strategies both during and after reading to enhance their understanding of texts. This scaffolding is key to ensuring that students can access grade-level materials and meet the state’s ELA standards.

To ensure instruction meets each student's needs, we use a variety of assessments. AIMS Web, 95% Phonics and PAST screening tools help us monitor foundational skills such as phonological awareness and decoding in the lower grades, while MAP assessments are used school-wide to gauge overall reading proficiency. Common assessments on the FORMATIVE platform provide teachers with actionable data on students' progress in literacy components, and the results are used to adjust instruction as necessary.

By integrating all these elements— phonological/phonemic awareness, oral language, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—our reading program is designed to address critical literacy skills with the goal of our students not only meeting but exceeding grade-level expectations in English/Language Arts.

Eagle Nest Elementary School utilized Pre-K on My Way curriculum for PreK students, it aligns with the Science of Reading by emphasizing phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and concepts of print through a print-rich, story-based, and play-oriented approach that includes explicit instruction in literacy components

HMH Into Reading is a comprehensive literacy program designed to support reading development for K-5th grade students. It incorporates a variety of strategies and assessments focused on word recognition, aligning with effective literacy practices to foster foundational skills. The comprehensive word recognition framework emphasizes the importance of foundational literacy skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency.

A variety of assessment options are available within the HMH Into Reading curriculum. Diagnostic assessments identify students’ strengths and weaknesses in word recognition and other literacy skills, thus enabling educators to tailor instruction to meet individual needs. Formative assessments are integrated throughout the curriculum, allowing teachers to monitor student progress in word recognition and providing data to inform instruction. The program includes structured routines and reinforces word recognition through interactive read-alouds, guided reading, and independent practice. Into Reading provides explicit, systematic instruction that directly addresses the phoneme-grapheme relationships, which is crucial for developing word recognition skills. Engaging activities help students build their sight word vocabulary and enhance automaticity in reading.

HMH Into Reading effectively utilizes a structured approach to word recognition assessment and instruction for K-5th grade students. By integrating ongoing assessments, explicit instruction, engaging materials, and differentiated strategies, the program aligns with best practices in literacy education. This comprehensive framework ensures that all students develop strong word recognition skills, laying a solid foundation for reading success.

Eagle Nest Elementary uses universal screeners and diagnostic assessments to determine targeted pathways of intervention.

Students in Prek are given the myIGDI’s. This assessment is individually administered by the teacher to support the identification of preschool children requiring additional diagnostic assessment or levels of intervention in oral language, phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and comprehension. This assessment can be used to measure developmental gains and inform instructional needs of individual children. 

Students in grades K-2, AIMS Web are given to assess letter naming fluency, letter sound fluency, nonsense word fluency, phoneme segmentation and oral reading fluency. Students are also given the Foundational Skills Survey quarterly to assess early literacy skills, such as phonological awareness, phonics, letter recognition, sound-symbol correspondence, and basic decoding skills. If a student is struggling with foundational decoding skills, they will then be given the PAST assessment to determine if they have phonological awareness. Based on the data, interventions are put in place to target the specific deficit.

In grades K – 5, the NWEA MAP is a computer based adaptive screener that assesses vocabulary, informational text comprehension and literary text information. For students in grades k-2, the information is used in conjunction with AIMS Web to identify the student’s needs and create an intervention plan. For students in grades 3-5, NWEA MAP data is used to place students in the Read 180 intervention program.

Read 180 uses the MAP Growth assessment as a universal placement and a progress monitoring assessment to ensure that students are appropriately placed within the Read 180 program. MAP Growth is administered three times during the year to identify current student reading levels and track reading growth. Students with RIT/Lexile results that indicate they are candidates for foundational literacy skills (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency) will complete a screener called the Code Placement Assessment. The assessment measures both the accuracy and speed of students’ responses of letter recognition, high-frequency word recognition, decoding, and morphology.

Students who are between the 31^st and 60^th percentile in grades 3-5 are not served by Read 180 but are still performing slightly below grade level expectations are given an oral reading fluency assessment to identify reading deficits. If the students are reading below grade level, they will be given the 95% phonics assessment. The teacher will then provide tier 2 instruction based on their needs.

Parents are given ways to support their students through grade level parent meetings, parent-teacher conferences, weekly newsletters, the parent and family engagement center, and monthly parent events.

Parents on Duty monthly meetings allow parents the opportunity to do reading activities with their students and receive tips on how to continue learning at home.

Parent Power Hour is a monthly parent session that focuses on one grade level a month. Parents receive information about how to support their students in reading, math, writing, or how to prepare for state testing.

Literacy Nights provide families with valuable opportunities to learn effective strategies for enhancing reading and writing at home while fostering a deeper connection with the school community. Outside community members like the library and Sodexo participate in these events as well. During these events, we provide literacy manipulatives such as sound boxes, letter cards, and books, enabling families to practice the strategies they’ve learned.

Parent-teacher conferences serve as a platform for providing targeted strategies tailored to each student’s needs, ensuring that families are equipped with the tools to support their little learners effectively.

Finally, our support system is enhanced by digital resources, including access to e-books and student digital learning programs, providing families with even more opportunities to foster a love of reading and writing at home.

Regular assessments are given throughout the school year to monitor reading achievement and growth. These assessments include NWEA’s Reading MAP assessment (K-5) AIMs Web (K-1), Foundational Skills Survey (K-2), District-level Common Assessments (2-5), UFLI Progress Monitoring tool (K-2), HMH comprehension assessments (K-5), and HMH Foundations assessments (3-5).

Assessment data is tracked and analyzed at the student-level, class-level, grade-level, and school-level to look for trends in both student achievement and student growth. Teachers collaborate during weekly PLCs to discuss assessment results, share insights, and modify instruction. At monthly Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) meetings, data-informed decisions are made based on the most current data. Every student receives Tier 1 high-quality classroom instruction.  Students who demonstrate the need for small-group interventions based on screening data receive Tier 2 small-group intervention in addition to their Tier 1 instruction.  For those students who require more intensive interventions due to significant challenges, Tier 3 intensive intervention is added to the Tier 2 and Tier 1 instruction.  Specific, measurable goals are set for each student receiving interventions.  Additionally, these students receive regular progress monitoring to assess their growth.  The Reading Coach maintains records of interventions provided to each student, including the type, duration, and frequency of support. The MTSS team then hosts monthly meetings for teachers and staff to analyze data collaboratively.  During these meetings, individual student progress is discussed, trends are identified, and instructional strategies are adjusted as needed. 

This data-drive approach allows Eagle Nest Elementary to make efficient intervention decisions.

Eagle Nest Elementary invests in ongoing literacy professional development for staff to ensure the implementation of best practices. Currently, all Prek-5 reading teachers, special education teachers, literacy interventionists, ML teachers, and administrators are participating in LETRS training. This is a professional development class for teachers that provides knowledge and tools based in Science of Reading research to help students become proficient readers. The skills acquired in this PD can be applied to any reading curriculum.

 In addition to our LETRS training, we also utilize our on-site Reading Coach to work with teachers in their classrooms, modeling effective strategies and offering real-time feedback. Our coach also trains teachers on how to effectively use the curriculum and materials that align with structured literacy. Furthermore, our curriculum Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are established as a time for teachers to engage in reflective practices, collaborate, discuss best practices, and assess their instructional methods and the impact they have on student learning.

By systematically implementing these strategies, Eagle Nest Elementary ensures that all teachers are well-equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively support literacy development in all students from PreK to 5th grade. Furthermore, by providing a comprehensive, research-based training program, LETRS ensures that teachers in PreK-5^th grade are well-prepared to support all students in developing strong literacy skills. The focus on structured literacy, the science of reading, and practical application empowers educators to make a significant impact on their students’ reading and writing proficiency.