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OREM — Nearly every one of Northridge Elementary's 721 students now reads at grade level. At the celebration assembly hosted by KSL's Read Today initiative, the principal praised students.
"I'm so proud of you and this journey we've started," said Principal Eric Woodhouse.
The "journey" is a shift in focus, to drill down on each student's needs and weaknesses and provide interventions. And in a short time, this journey has taken them places.
In 2015, 78 percent of students were proficient readers. At the end of 2016, nearly 93 percent read at grade level.
"It's a big deal," beamed Woodhouse.
The centerpiece of their success hangs in the reading office, a huge bulletin board with a picture of every student, where they stand and their progress.
Will Rasmussen's picture shows he just barely moved into green or "proficient" status. "I'm super excited," said the second-grader. "I worked on my site words and my phrases and stuff."
Kindergartner Max struggled at the start of the year, until teachers and para professionals found an intervention suited just for him.
"Max just didn't like the regular books we had to read," said teacher Karen Jensen. So she and Max's mom scoured the school for age-appropriate, nonfiction books that he loved.
Educators say the tracking board is a constant visual reminder. And weekly data gives them timely feedback whether interventions are working.
"So at a glance, we can walk through and say, 'Oh, this student is doing to great!' Or, 'Shoot, we're still not there,'" said para professional Julie Argyle."
The individual pictures also remind the entire staff that children, not just statistics, are what's at stake.
"If we can't measure student learning and can't make sure students are making progress, then what are we doing?" asked Woodhouse. "We need to make sure every one of our students is making progress."
To that end, they're still working get every picture on the bulletin board into the green.
