2016 Education

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Page 22 2016 EDUCATION MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY March 1, 2016
How bad was it?
We saw the need to begin our Authentic Literacy
Program when we identified that Hartsburg-Emden
C.U.S.D. #21 (Hartem) students had been performing
very poorly on standardized achievement tests in
reading and math,. To put things into perspective, a
website, ranked 774 school districts
in the State of Illinois. Hartem was ranked number
764.
Making a plan
Once these results were identified, coupled with the
fact that no movement was made to transition into
the Common Core Standards (the new Illinois State
Standards), the process of researching potential options
to address the issue began (i.e. colleagues, internet
searches, professional organizations, etc.).
Interest in an Authentic Literacy Program developed
after we saw the data behind it, specifically in regard to
components, past results/proven track record, contacts,
etc. We did this with the Common Core Standards in
mind. This led us to observe a presentation by Christy
Moore and Ryan Glaze, in Chicago, IL. A follow-up
with several emails outlining specifically the issues
facing Hartem, and a more detailed analysis about our
students, staff, community, etc. were given to Christy
and Ryan. A face-to-face meeting followed and an
action plan was developed.
The plan included identification of our problem/
issue, goals, professional development, timelines, and
budget. At this point, the staff was not included in the
process because the previous years’ test scores were
so low we felt we needed immediate action and it was
summertime. However, we quickly began the process
of bringing all stakeholders on board to help foster a
sense of collaboration and a sense of shared purpose.
A written evaluation plan created a shared
understanding of the purpose, fostered transparency
to stakeholders and decision makers, which increased
buy-in and acceptance of the program. Sharing the
plan facilitated a smooth transition, and much more.
Turning things around takes shape
Our teachers and staff bought in to the Authentic
Literacy Program quickly. The key component in our
implementation was the professional development
provided to our staff. This came in various forms -
team leaders, group presentations, individual meetings,
site visits, book studies, chat room sharing, etc. The
administration and the team leaders also had a week of
training during the summer months.
Hartsburg-Emden students scores
soar with new literacy program
Hartsburg-Emden Superintendent Terry L. Wisniewski
tells the story of a bad mark - research - and a new plan
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