Malletts Bay School highlights literacy gains, math intervention routines and preschool quality work

Jordan Burke, principal at Malletts Bay School, told the Colchester School District Board of Directors on May 20 that the school's spring report shows targeted changes in literacy and math instruction and positive student feedback from district surveys.

Burke said much of the data in the presentation comes from the 2023-24 school year but included photos and short videos from spring 2025. "This is the 23-24 school year report," Burke said, noting a few 2025 updates. He described a shift in upper-elementary instruction toward explicit word study that includes vocabulary, Greek and Latin roots and building words as part of a 10- to 20-minute portion of a 90-minute literacy block. "There is a lot of evidence base around the importance of explicit instruction in vocabulary," Burke said.

The principal said third grade uses the Phonics to Reading program and that fourth and fifth grades have been working on updated word-study routines. Burke showed a brief classroom clip from a suffix lesson taught by third-grade teacher Catherine Lamoreaux to illustrate students learning to build words.

Burke also described a two-block daily approach to math: an hour-long grade-level math…