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Derry Area School District rolls out ECRI kindergarten reading program at Grandview Elementary
Summary
At a recent Derry Area School District board meeting, Grandview Elementary staff described launching Enhanced Core Reading Instruction (ECRI) for kindergarten using an $18,000 grant and year-long coaching; the program will expand to higher grades in subsequent years.
Grandview Elementary staff told the Derry Area School District Board of School Directors that the school has begun implementing Enhanced Core Reading Instruction (ECRI) in kindergarten this school year, supported by a state grant and ongoing coaching.
School presenters said the district received an $18,000 grant last spring that is funding this year’s launch and associated coaching. Miss McClain, a Grandview staff member, described ECRI as an evidence-based intensification of core reading instruction that aligns with the district’s current WONDERS curriculum and aims to strengthen phonological and phonics components in kindergarten.
Officials said the rollout is systematized: year 1 (this year) includes all kindergarten teachers, Title I ELA staff and special education teachers; year 2 will bring in first-grade teachers; year 3 will include second grade. Training included a two-day intensive session during in-service week and an online ECRI hub for teacher materials. The district plans monthly, job-embedded coaching provided by partner trainers identified in the presentation.
Presenters emphasized that ECRI is intended to align tier 1 instruction with eventual tier 2 interventions so students who do not respond to universal instruction receive interventions consistent with classroom practice. Miss McClain said the work began with an initial faculty overview in February, a March session with partner trainers, grant acquisition in spring, and the in-service training at the start of this school year.
During board discussion, a member asked for clarification about “phonological components.” A Grandview presenter explained the program’s sequence: beginning with phonemic awareness (auditory work on sounds) and progressing to phonics (connecting sounds to written language), with examples and references to programs used in other grades such as Heggerty.
Board members praised the administrative and teacher work that led to the grant and the early implementation. Trustees noted the district’s broader use of universal screening data (referred to in the presentation as “Acadians”) to track students’ response to instruction and to inform when tier 2 supports will be needed.
The presenters asked the board to expect a fuller superintendent report next month with additional details and to direct questions about the program to Miss McClain or the district office.
The board meeting record shows the presentation as an informational item; no formal policy action or vote on ECRI implementation was taken at the meeting.
