Mt. Healthy City schools honored as Governor’s Science of Reading champions after multi‑year literacy overhaul

Mt. Healthy City School District officials on April 20 celebrated recognition of North Elementary and the Mount Healthy Early Learning Center as Ohio Governor Science of Reading Champions and outlined the years‑long work that led to the award.

Assistant Superintendent Jana Wolf described how the district began shifting literacy instruction in 2018, when it received a Striving Readers grant, then expanded training and curriculum with a state comprehensive literacy grant. "This recognition really belongs to our teachers, our administrators, and also our students," Wolf said, reading a letter from the Ohio Department of Education praising the district’s work.

Wolf detailed the district’s instructional changes: adoption of a structured‑literacy framework, explicit systematic phonics, use of decodable texts, knowledge‑building curriculum, and a universal screener to track student progress. She said the district instituted a 120‑minute reading block for kindergarten through third grade, layered tiered intervention (Tier 2 and Tier 3), and used coach‑led walkthroughs and progress monitoring to ensure fidelity. "We learned that you can't skip adult learning. The adult is the most important person in that room," Wolf told the board, describing extensive LETRS and Orton‑Gillingham training for teachers and internal facilitators.

Principals who led school programs described how the work looks in classrooms. Jane Godey, principal of the Early Learning Center, told the board the award “reflects the very hard work of our mission” and credited staff for embracing evidence‑based practices. Lisa Smith, principal of North Elementary, said ongoing professional learning and a culture that sees students as readers have been central to the school’s improvement.

Elected officials in attendance praised the district and encouraged future investment. State Senator Louis Blessing III said the schools had achieved the honor "with such a lean operation" and voiced support for an upcoming levy that could expand resources. State Representative Cindy Abrams presented a House commendation for the two schools. Mayor Jennifer Moody noted city and county grant work that supports district efforts and called the recognition a point of pride for the community.

District leaders acknowledged the work occurred amid financial strain: Wolf and others noted that the district entered fiscal emergency in 2024 and faced staffing reductions. Wolf said the grant-funded coaching and local capacity building—training internal LETRS facilitators and a district Orton‑Gillingham trainer—helped sustain gains despite budget cuts.

Board President and Superintendent closing remarks emphasized continued focus: Dr. Wilson thanked staff and volunteers and said the district will extend the work to three additional schools. The award ceremony and the formal board meeting concluded before the board moved into an executive session for confidential matters.

What comes next: district leaders said they will continue professional learning, monitor progress with universal screeners, and seek resources—including a local levy—to sustain expanded literacy supports.