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Elementary principals report progress on literacy, LETRS training and social‑emotional supports
Summary
Elementary principals and curriculum leaders told the board the district is in year two of LETRS professional development and Savvas MyView implementation, highlighting structured small‑group instruction, ORACY focus, restorative practices, and multilayered supports to raise literacy and SEL outcomes.
Elementary principals and district curriculum leaders presented an update to the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Board on Dec. 1 describing literacy instruction and social‑emotional supports at the elementary level.
Principals described the district’s second year of LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) professional development and the second year of Savvas MyView curriculum implementation. They said LETRS is focused on building teacher diagnostic skill and understanding of the science of reading and that Savvas MyView routines support small‑group instruction, fluency and comprehension. Principals cited classroom examples of teachers using diagnostic tools and supplemental resources (including free materials from UFLI) to target decoding, comprehension and fluency.
District staff also described universal practices for social‑emotional learning, including Responsive Classroom routines, monthly family groups ("dens"/"nests"), restorative‑practices training for staff, and use of full‑time school counselors and second‑step curriculum across schools. The presentation emphasized professional learning communities, principal learning walks using common observation tools, and multilayered systems of support that combine academic and behavioral interventions.
Board members asked about classroom translation of LETRS training, enhancements to writing instruction, mental‑health trends post‑pandemic, and details of transition processes (4K→K and 4→5). Presenters said they are piloting functional linguistics strategies with CESA 2 staff developers and scaling promising practices across schools. Principals noted the district uses AIMSweb Plus and STAR data for diagnostics and progress monitoring and that AIMSweb renorming (Pearson) affected percentile comparisons across years.
The presentation closed with board appreciation for principals and staff; no action items were taken.
