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Fairwood Elementary reports early gains from UFLI reading pilot; after-school ELL club offers language support
Summary
Fairwood Elementary staff reported preliminary mid-year reading gains after piloting the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) tier-2 intervention and described an after-school ELL club that provides language practice, snacks and bus transportation for participants.
Fairwood Elementary principal Adrienne Sheer and instructional staff told the board that a tier-2 reading pilot using the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) is producing early signs of student growth, and they described an after-school English-language-learner (ELL) club that adds language practice and social supports.
“We started UFLI in November...we had about six weeks of data for UFLI,” said Abby Drew, an instructional coach involved in the pilot. Drew said the school compared beginning-of-year and middle-of-year DIBELS benchmark data and reported the following proportions meeting average-to-above-average growth in the short window: kindergarten 81 percent, first grade 72 percent, second grade 64 percent and third grade 73 percent.
Drew said the intervention follows a structured phonics approach aligned with the science of reading, is delivered in small groups, and teachers completed a self-paced training regimen and coaching. Tequila Fulham, identified as a state literacy coach, assisted with implementation; the board was told that “with the state of Ohio, we are required to adopt an intervention program,” and UFLI is at the top of the district’s list to consider.
Fairwood’s after-school ELL club, led by teacher Jackie Keesbay, accepts current and former ELL students as well as multilingual students in the building. Keesbay said the club meets twice a week in two rotating groups so each student attends one evening per week; food service provides snacks and transportation staff provide buses to expand participation. Keesbay described club activities that emphasize vocabulary, project-based learning and cultural celebration; students presented short remarks about what they learned and how the club helped them feel more confident.
Principal Sheer said the programs — an evidence-based tier-2 reading intervention plus the ELL club — together create “a comprehensive support system for students at different stages of their learning journey.” Board members asked about frequency and teacher response; presenters said teachers have embraced the structured curriculum and coaching process.
