By Susan Conklin, Title I Teacher/Coordinator

Strong reading and writing skills are key to student success in all academic areas, so Lewiston schools work hard to develop the literacy skills of all students. To keep our literacy program strong and effective, our educators continue to learn new approaches supported by research. In March, six Lewiston educators from McMahon School attended the conference Supporting Strong Literacy Programs Through Effective Literacy Teams in Orono, Maine. The first day of the conference, attended by Title One Coordinator Susan Conklin, focused on planning a comprehensive literacy program and effective methods to support classroom instruction.

Five teachers – Teri Latlippe, Kim Roux, Melissa Michaud, Chris Savignano, and Deb Parsons – joined Conklin for the second and third days of the conference, which featured Bruce Wellman, a nationally known author and consultant on educational change. As a team, the Lewiston educators examined ways to use data to inform decisions about literacy strategies, and explored how to coach and mentor teachers as they implement literacy instruction that improves student performance. These educators returned to Lewiston with new ideas to implement and with plans for further professional development to benefit the district.

Copy the Story Link