Horse Lake Elementary
On Thursday, October 15, Vice-Principal Posnikoff coordinated a visit from District Literacy Helping Teacher Marianne Okrainetz to Horse Lake Elementary School. During her visit, Marianne supported the administration of kindergarten literacy screenings and provided valuable professional learning opportunities for staff.
At the lunch-hour session, Marianne shared information about the new School District 27 K-3 literacy screeners and introduced teachers to the Acadience Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) and Maze comprehension assessments. Intermediate teachers learned about the option of continuing with the District Assessment of Reading Team (DART) assessment or beginning the transition to these new literacy assessment tools.
Strong assessment practices are essential for informing instruction, guiding classroom planning, and identifying students who may require additional support. At Horse Lake Elementary, all classroom teachers from Grades 1 through 7 attended the session. In addition, Learning Support Teacher Ms. Kreczmer and Librarian Ms. Dittrich participated in the professional learning opportunity.
The session generated thoughtful discussion about literacy instruction, assessment practices, and student support. Staff appreciated the opportunity to learn together and collaborate around best practices in literacy. We look forward to continuing our work with Marianne Okrainetz as teachers begin implementing and exploring these assessment tools throughout the school year.
