New Districtwide school reading programs in the Lincoln County School District are getting rave reviews from students and teachers. This is the first Districtwide adoption of the new reading curriculum in approximately 14 years according to Administration. A committee formed last year to select an appropriate and engaging curriculum that aligned with Common Core standards and the choice for K-6 is National Geographic Learning’s Reach for Reading program. The curriculum includes colorful textbooks, classroom sets of novels and picture books, like those available at bookstores, National Geographic Explorer magazines, videos, and computerized literacy games.
For grades 7-10, the adopted program is Pearson myPerspectives literacy program. Pearson explains on their website that, “myPerspectives is a brand new English language arts curriculum for Grades 6–12 that values the perspective of the learner, collectively and individually, and provides next-gen learning experiences that promote higher achievement and develop the competencies needed for college and career readiness.
Interactive learning blends print and technology in a student-centered, teacher-inspired classroom. This dynamic Pearson program creates an interactive, engaging, and relevant learning environment through readings, meaningful activities, and purposeful performance tasks. myPerspectives encourages social collaboration as well as student ownership of learning through goal setting, choice, and reflection.”
Besides fitting in better with Common Core, the District chose the myPerspectives and the National Geographic program because they are multicultural. Dominic Scharp, a Waldport High School English teacher who uses the materials for the secondary students remarked, “The new reading curriculum has a robust selection of nonfiction and informational reading passages from a wide variety of authors, allowing students to experience fresh perspectives."
Marcy Doyle, the Reading Specialist at Crestview Heights Elementary who is also a National Board Certified Teacher and a 2019 Oregon Regional Teacher of the Year and Oregon Teacher of the Year Finalist, “Reach for Reading provides teachers, students, families, and schools with a vital link, a strong connection to powerful learning progressions, all focused on building a strong reading life. Reach for Reading provides teachers and students with a comprehensive curriculum – where our “arrows” are all shooting in the same direction with purpose and accuracy.
Doyle continued, “It provides teachers with an array of strategies and targeted skill work aligned to the Common Core State Standards, infused with collaborative learning strategies, filled with opportunities for student questioning, powerful discussions, and connections to learning, all to assist us in growing our life-long, joyful readers. As a reading specialist, I have the honor of working with classroom teachers as we navigate these instructional resources.
I look forward to utilizing the intervention lessons to help students access grade-level content collaborate with classroom teachers and help to build strong readers and writers. Teachers are working furiously to read, digest, implement and enhance all the learning opportunities provided throughout the Reach for Reading program.”
Shelley Moore, Principal of Sam Case Elementary in Newport reports, “I appreciate the new reading material because it allows us to integrate other subjects together during reading instruction. It also allows us all to align with reading curriculum and with regard to professional learning to our teachers.
"Another teacher who uses the curriculum, Rachel LaMarche, Fifth Grade Teacher and TAG Coordinator for Taft Elementary, added, “NG Reach curriculum offers stories that students can connect with. I also love the fact all my materials are ready to go and easily adaptable to classrooms. This program will provide a rigor and expectation that students will be successful with. I can’t wait to see the growth we will gain as a district in reading.”
The District reached out to Aimee Thompson, Recycling Coordinator for Thompson’s Sanitary Service for suggestion on how best to take care of the old materials. Thompson found a vendor out of McMinnville, AllBooks213, who will be coming to pick up all the old materials at no cost to recycle or reuse them thereby saving the District money, labor, and helping the planet, too.
The total spent on the new materials was $816,000. MyPerspectives (Grades 7-10) was $164,806; $73,668 from the district's State School Fund allocation (general fund) and $91,138 from Measure 98 High School Success funds. Reach for Reading (Grades K-6) is $651,223; $189,590 from the district's State School Fund allocation (general fund) and $461,633 from the district's Federal School Improvement Grant.
Information and photos provided by LCSD