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South Windsor presenters outline shift to structured literacy and expand K–5 Bookworms program
Summary
The district's K–12 literacy lead told the Board of Education the district is expanding a structured literacy approach grounded in the 'science of reading,' expanding the Bookworms K–5 program, continuing targeted interventions and professional development, and limiting student use of external AI tools for privacy reasons.
Mrs. Simino, speaking on behalf of the district's K–12 literacy department, told the South Windsor Board of Education on March 24 that the district has shifted toward a structured literacy approach informed by the "science of reading" and is expanding the K–5 Bookworms program across elementary schools.
The move emphasizes five components — phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension — and pairs grade-level texts with scaffolds so all students access complex material, Simino said. "The science of reading is based off of decades of research and it really just highlighted the importance of teaching things in an explicit and systematic fashion," she said.
The presentation said the district is strengthening literacy interventions through research-based protocols and adding professional learning for teachers. Simino noted the district employs literacy consultants and interventionists: "At the elementary level, we have four literacy consultants," she said, and "12 literacy interventionists and six literacy para educators that provide literacy support to students." The district also favors an "acceleration rather than remediation" model intended to close gaps more quickly.
Board members asked how the approach affects classroom practice. Simino said teachers continue to use novels and complex literature in secondary grades and that Bookworms lessons include shared reading, partner reading and daily writing. She described Bookworms modules that combine interactive read-alouds and genre-based writing and said the program requires intensive teacher planning and sustained professional development.
The presentation addressed artificial intelligence in instruction. Simino said the district has adopted a primary AI tool it can manage and monitor for student privacy rather than allowing unrestricted use of public consumer models. "It is our primary AI tool that we've invested in as a district because there are a plethora of controls that we can have on the back end as opposed to... chat GPT," she said, adding that student information is not used in those public models.
The literacy lead also identified near-term priorities and staffing needs: increasing the volume of reading and writing at all levels, completing a comprehensive ELA curriculum analysis for vertical alignment, and adding an additional interventionist at the secondary level if funding allows. In response to a board budget question, Simino said additional money could support experiences such as author visits and another secondary interventionist.
Student representative Sydney offered a student perspective on high school English offerings: "I took AP Lang last year... I've never felt more prepared for college," she said, praising the department's approach to rigorous coursework.
The board discussed communications to families and continued professional development; no formal vote followed this presentation. The district plans continued implementation of Bookworms, ongoing PD for staff, and curriculum review to ensure consistent literacy progression across grades.
