Page 13 - Superintendent Annual Report 2023-24

Supporting Teachers to Accelerate Reading
The Supporting Teachers to Accelerate Reading (STARS) initiative provided teacher training on research-based instructional
strategies to improve literacy instruction for K-2 students. The program also provided coaching and strategic support by
building capacity around whole and differentiated small-group reading instruction with kindergarten teachers, first-grade
teachers, second-grade teachers, coaches, single school culture coordinators, and administrators. The program provided
targeted planning to support whole and small-group reading instruction. STARS was implemented at Orchard View ES,
Pine Grove ES, Crosspointe ES, Diamond View ES, and Highland ES.

Norton Museum of Art Literacy Initiative
The partnership between the District and the Norton Museum of Art began in 2018 as a pilot with five elementary schools.
This program allowed second-grade students to infuse visual thinking strategies, vocabulary, and encourage deeper content
connections in the English Language Arts (ELA) classroom. In FY24, 16 schools participated in this initiative. The theme,
“Stories in Art,” encouraged students to take a deeper look by inviting them into the artist’s space. Students strengthened
their oral language and literacy skills by discussing how artists use art to discuss their cultural heritage, understand
multiple perspectives, and tell a story. The second-grade ELA teacher leaders and one Visual Arts teacher from each school
convened at the Norton Museum for a curriculum writing day. The professional learning session challenged teachers to
incorporate academic vocabulary and skills learned during a literacy lesson into a discussion about art. Teachers walked the
galleries and experienced discussions incorporating art and literacy connections in action. They chose artwork that would
evoke students’ interests and collaborated with peers to write a lesson plan that would be used as a pre and post-museum
visit lesson. The students’ visit included an inquiry-based tour by a docent who elicited art and storytelling connections.
Afterward, the students created their artwork in the Norton classroom.

Grade 3 Tutorial: Foundational Literacy Instruction Tutoring Enhancement Grant (FLITE)
In support of the District’s Strategic Plan, and with funding from the Science of Reading Literacy and Tutoring (SoRT)
grant, the FLITE program provided grade 3 students in our state-identified elementary Reading Achievement Initiative for
Scholastic Excellence (RAISE) schools the opportunity to improve overall reading ability and achievement. This initiative
was supported by a science of reading-aligned approach concentrating on developing foundational literacy skills.

B.E.S.T. Elementary Literacy Professional Learning
To assist schools and teachers with effectively implementing Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.)
ELA Standards and instructional materials, the Department of Elementary Education offered a series of professional
learning sessions to all teachers. The session topics included:
• Introduction to the K-5 ELA B.E.S.T. Standards
• Deep Dive into the Florida B.E.S.T. K-2 Literacy Standards
• Exploring the ELA B.E.S.T. Communication Standards (K-2)
• ELA B.E.S.T. Communication Strand: Supporting Writers in Grades 3-5

Elementary Literacy B.E.S.T. Teacher Leader Cohort and Literacy Instructional Coaches Cohort
In FY24, the Department of Elementary Literacy continued its B.E.S.T. ELA teacher leader and coach cohorts designed
to develop and support teachers and coaches become in-house experts and lead the implementation of Florida’s B.E.S.T.
Standards for ELA on their campuses. Our B.E.S.T. ELA teacher leaders and coaches had the opportunity to deepen their
understanding of the Reading, Communication, and Vocabulary Strands of the B.E.S.T. ELA Standards with a focus on
the Foundations Strand. The Foundations Strand includes the following skills: print concepts, phonological awareness,
phonics and word analysis, and fluency. Our B.E.S.T. ELA teacher leaders and coaches also deepened their understanding
of how rigor and high expectations of all students impact teaching and learning with the use of the core components of
the PreK-5 Practice Profile (explicit instruction, systematic instruction, scaffolded instruction, corrective feedback, and
differentiated instruction). The department supported teacher leaders in connecting these aspects through interactive
practice, text-based discussion, and curriculum planning. B.E.S.T. ELA teacher leaders and coaches were equipped with the
tools necessary to lead professional learning at their school site as a model of ELA coaching and support.

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