Mr. Josh Ischy, Woodsfield Elementary’s Principal, believes literacy in reading and mathematics is key to helping students succeed. That is why he and his staff are implementing unique, individualized programs to move each student along their own literacy continuum.

For reading, the Lexia reading program is proving highly beneficial in identifying students’ specific areas of need and providing the opportunity for students to learn at their own pace. However, Mr. Ischy and staff don’t stop there: they supplement this powerful system with an individualized intervention program, tracked by day and month, to ensure all students are on track to reach next year’s reading level by the end of this current year.

For instance, when the year began, fewer than 30% of kindergartners were on track to reach a Grade 1 reading level by the end of the year. At the end of November, however, Mr. Ischy says 97% of them were at least where they should be, if not higher.

“The Lexia program tells us exactly where each student is struggling,” he describes, “and our teachers use that intervention period to address those specific needs for each student. By taking direct action from the data, we are able to help students make significant gains every day.”

In addition, Woodsfield kindergarten teacher Mrs. Hooper has been piloting a new math program that uses a variety of options – including manipulatives, different visual approaches, and other methods to help students solve problems that are traditionally believed to be too complex for kindergarten.

Mrs. Hooper demonstrates how 5- and 6-year old students can add, subtract, and even multiply by using approaches that fit their own cognitive styles. For instance, one problem she presented students was to figure out how many more hats there are, if Joe has five hats and Mary has eight. “Students used a variety of methods to show that Mary had three more hats than Joe,” she explains. “One student took blocks and counted out eight blocks for Mary, five for Joe. He was then able to see there was a difference of three. Another student drew circles on the page. Another student made a chart. I encourage them to use any creative option to help them see and understand the problem in a way that makes sense to them.”

The program has been so successful that all math teachers will receive training this semester and include the approach as appropriate at each grade level.

Mr. Ischy feels passionately that approaches like these are key to ensuring all students are ready to move on to high school work when they leave Woodsfield: “We are getting better and better at using the data we collect on each student to guide our work and plans,” he says. “We are digging deeply into the information we have, and we can see significant progress by encouraging students to explore and understand their own unique learning styles. It’s so rewarding for our students and our teachers when they can see improvement and know they are accomplishing on a daily basis.”