Warsaw Schools Hopes IREAD Summer Program Helps Students Pass Third Grade
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Third-graders who did not pass the IREAD-3 in March will be under pressure to pass it again this summer during mandatory summer school.
If they don’t, they’ll be retained in the third grade.
Warsaw Community Schools Summer Program Coordinator JoElla Smyth hopes that Warsaw’s IREAD Summer Program will not only get students to learn to read and pass the state requirement, but also that they’ll have fun along the way.
“Warsaw Schools is going to tackle the IREAD legislation and requirement by putting together a solid summer reading program to help each student who did not pass, pass over the summer,” she said Tuesday.
This week, parents with children who did not pass the test and must take summer school will be getting a letter and brochure. Conferences will be held with parents and students about their results and summer school.
The purpose of IREAD-3 is to measure foundational reading standards through third grade. Students must show reading proficiency before moving on to grade four.
Third-grade students who fail the IREAD-3 must be retained in third grade the next school year under Indiana law, unless the student qualifies for one of three waivers or retakes and passes the test in the summer.
WCS’s IREAD Summer Program is open to first- through third-graders from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 6 through June 28.
Literacy coaches Lisa Carpenter and Kelly Meeks are working with Smyth to create the curriculum for the program.
“Our goal will be to have all students who did not pass to improve on their literacy,” Smyth said.
WCS had 18 students who did not pass the IREAD-3. An additional 44 students did not pass but qualified for “good cause” exemptions, but will be required to attend the summer program. Exemptions include students who were previously retained, special needs and English language learners cases.
Smyth said some of the students who did not pass were only a few points away.
From the first day of the IREAD Summer Program, Smyth is looking at ways for there to be a fun factor to it. On the first day, she said the students may be greeted by teachers dressed as characters or authors. “Famous” guests may come in and read to the students, dressed up as the author, subject of the book or a character in the book.
But the goal will be to improve students’ reading skills.
“This is getting creative to make it something kids will have a good time at and learn to read,” she said.
Each student, Smyth said, will have five teachers working with them. The teachers will have an opportunity to collaborate as a team to help each student in their caseload.
Now that schools have seen the IREAD test, Smyth said they know a little more of what to expect and what skills students need. They will know what skills each student needs to work on based on their individual test results.
Test retaking this summer will be by computer.
For the 62 WCS third-graders being required to take summer school, Smyth said they will be clustered based on what skills they need to work on most. However, she said, every student will be rotated through the five components of reading.
First- and second-graders not reading at grade level will be invited to the program. Smyth said they won’t be as prescriptively and diagnostically taught as the third-graders, but also will be grouped based on skills.
The IREAD Summer Program is free, breakfast and lunch will be served and transportation will be provided. The program will be held at Washington Elementary School.
“We have to build a program that is different to get reimbursement,” Smyth said. The state is offering 105 percent reimbursement for programs that are successfully different.
“I don’t think you can find any better tutor out there than what we’re offering,” Smyth said.
On a side note, she said WCS will be offering a program for special needs students in grades four through six who need an extended year based on their Adequate Yearly Progress results. A program on literacy skills for fourth through seventh grade also is available this summer.
For more information, contact Smyth at 574-371-5096 or jsmyth@warsaw.k12.in.us
