Preschool teachers tell East Grand Forks board LETRS training is reshaping early literacy instruction

Nicole Pekka, a preschool teacher with the East Grand Forks Public School District, told the board that district preschool staff are implementing LETRS, a professional development program based on the science of reading, and are already using parts of the training in classrooms.

Pekka said LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) focuses preschool instruction on alphabet knowledge, phonemic awareness and executive-function skills — the building blocks staff said are needed before formal reading instruction begins. "Reading is not natural ... You have to be taught how to read," Pekka said, describing why teachers are shifting classroom practices.

Board members were told the district is delivering LETRS training that was developed specifically for early childhood educators rather than adapting elementary-level training. Ashley McMahon, a preschool teacher at New Heights, said teachers meet every other Wednesday during early-out time so staff from three sites can work together for longer, uninterrupted periods. "What these early-out Wednesdays allow us to do is be together for a good hour and a half of quality time working together," McMahon said.

Presenters described a classroom practice in which preschool teachers select three students for short, targeted interventions and track progress from fall to winter; they said they are already seeing measurable growth in those children. Staff also described at-home work and classroom assessments tied to the LETRS modules.

The presenters emphasized that LETRS is not a scripted curriculum but a training framework that guides instruction and classroom routines. They said the training has prompted changes ranging from the items teachers place in classrooms to how small-group instruction is organized so students enter kindergarten with more consistent pre-reading skills.

Board member Holly (last name not specified) praised the training after the presentation: "LETRS is a really awesome training, and I'm excited to see how it pans out in our district." Board Member Matt (last name not specified) also thanked the preschool teachers for their work and noted families and survey responses highlight teachers as a district strength.

Presenters said the district will continue implementing LETRS into kindergarten and elementary instruction so early gains can be reinforced as children progress through the system. They requested continued board support for the professional time and collaborative schedule that allows cross-site planning.