Teachers and students tell Mechanicsburg board CKLA literacy program is building early skills and vocabulary

Claire McDonald, a first‑grade teacher at North Side Elementary, told the Mechanicsburg Area School District Board on Dec. 9 that the district’s newly adopted CKLA program is giving students a “structured, engaging, and supportive foundation in both reading skills and world knowledge.”

McDonald described CKLA’s two parts — skills (phonics, decoding and daily decodable readers) and knowledge (vocabulary-rich thematic units such as the human body and astronomy) — and said the materials provide intentional scaffolds that make advanced content accessible to diverse learners. “The decodable readers themselves have been a real highlight,” she said, adding that partner reading and frequent practice have improved students’ confidence and comprehension.

Principal Dr. Rutesil framed the presentation as a refresher for newer board members and explained that pilot work and teacher committees led to the adoption of CKLA. Teachers and grade‑level teams meet monthly to share what’s working across buildings, Rutesil said, and staff report consistent gains in students’ speaking, listening and writing.

Students accompanied the teachers and gave the board a window into classroom learning. One first grader said, “I like how you guide us through it,” and other students volunteered examples from the human body and astronomy units. First graders also described hands‑on activities such as a “doctor day,” and third graders read writing samples demonstrating vocabulary use and a short riddle that illustrated disciplinary knowledge in practice.

Third‑grade teacher Mrs. Mckenni emphasized vocabulary development as a major benefit: CKLA intentionally introduces and activates background knowledge so students encounter words and concepts before reading texts that use them. She said the program’s daily reading and writing routines — ‘‘reading, reading, reading’’ — help students move from learning to read to reading to learn by third grade.

Board members asked about rollout and classroom impact; teachers said structured lessons, daily writing and teacher collaboration have eased implementation and led to stronger student talk and writing. The presentation closed with teacher and student thanks to the board for supporting the literacy initiative.

What happens next: The presentation was informational; no formal vote was required. Teachers said they will continue monthly cross‑building collaboration and report classroom outcomes to the board at future meetings.