During the month of May, our district celebrated the impact our educators and staff have on students. Our families have shared numerous impact appreciation statements. In this month’s principal’s spotlight on learning, I want to share my appreciation and highlight how Wildwood educators are serving as leaders in education in Minnesota.
This year, educators at Wildwood are using their increased understanding of research-based literacy instruction to make shifts in their teaching. Wildwood implemented a new literacy resource program this year called UFLI that teaches students the foundational skills necessary for proficient reading. It is being used in all K-2 classrooms to deliver decoding and spelling skills to every student. Wildwood also adopted a new handwriting resource this year. The resource, Handwriting Without Tears, teaches students letter formation and aids in reading comprehension.
Our work last year and this year, an accelerated approach to implementing the Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) Act, has not only caught the attention but also sparked curiosity among other school districts, legislators, and advocacy groups. Alongside Mahtomedi School Board member Dr. Lucy Payne and Literacy Coach Judy Livingston, we will be presenting on an educator panel this summer at the Leading in Equity, Action, and Diversity Conference to share our successes with the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional development coursework.
The last two years have involved considerable time and dedication by our educators, who have shown a strong commitment to being lifelong learners and providing our students with excellent learning experiences. I’m immensely proud of the work of our educators and the significant impact this makes for our students today and in the future.
In partnership,
Principal Scott Briske
This Principal's Spotlight originally appeared in the May 30, 2024 Wildwood E-newsletter.