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District leaders describe “Sawyer” instructional model, micro‑credentials and expanded literacy support
Summary
District administrators presented a year‑long effort to boost engagement, equity and empowerment — dubbed the Sawyer experience — that includes a portrait of a graduate, teacher micro‑credentials, project‑based learning pilots and expanded Wilson Reading support for students with reading disabilities.
District instructional leaders presented a broad update on curriculum, literacy and teacher professional learning at the June 10 board meeting, describing a multi‑year effort the district calls the "Sawyer experience."
The presentation, led by the district administrator identified in the record as Doctor Rohrbach, laid out three core priorities — engagement, equity and empowerment — and described classroom‑level changes, professional development and student outcomes the district is tracking. Rohrbach said the district finalized a portrait of a graduate (listing competencies such as global awareness, content literacy, critical thinking, communication, civic responsibility and resilience) and created an engagement continuum to clarify what “investing” and “driving” learning look like in classrooms.
Rohrbach described a number of specific investments and programs: professional learning tied to the Blueprint for Excellence and science‑of‑reading work; restorative practices; MTSS (multi‑tiered systems of support); project‑based learning pilots; and a teacher micro‑credential program that offers teachers up to 35 in‑service credits for completing modules on engagement, equity and writing instruction. She said about 80% of students had completed the i‑Ready diagnostic at the time of the presentation.
A district reading specialist, Hope Craft of Riccardi Elementary School, described work with the Wilson Reading System and curriculum mapping. Craft said the Wilson training is intensive and year‑long and that students receiving Wilson instruction showed measurable growth on the program’s step‑based assessments; she said the Wilson program is targeted at students with language‑based difficulties such as dyslexia. Craft also summarized takeaways from a Grading for Equity module and said the district‑run micro‑credential training has been directly applied in her classroom.
Rohrbach and staff said the district expanded reading specialist coverage so that each elementary building now has a reading specialist, and they framed literacy screening, targeted interventions and alignment of assessments as the work for the upcoming summer. The presentation highlighted student presentations of learning in the junior high and a science research program at the high school run in partnership with the University at Albany.
Teachers and district leaders said they are using learning walks, coaching and shared professional agendas to create common language and expectations across buildings. The presentation included classroom examples such as first‑grade students who set daily learning goals and peer feedback routines and a first‑grade peer feedback video shown to the board.
No formal action was taken; the presentation was informational and intended to document progress and set priorities for the district’s instructional work next year.
