Literacy at NNPS

NNPS PK-12 Literacy

Part II: Timeline 2023-2023 (Year 2)

Develop strong foundational skills in early learners

Success Measures:

  • Students build phonological and phonemic awareness skills to support literacy development.
  • Students apply knowledge of phonetic principles to read and spell with automaticity.
  • Students expand oral language and vocabulary to enhance communication and comprehension.

Instructional Supports:

  • Expand Literacy Lab to two additional elementary schools - Greenwood and Saunders.
  • Increase access to decodable text and instructional materials that support foundational literacy skills.
  • Refine curriculum instructional routines based on feedback and data.
  • Monitor the implementation of Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention programs.

Professional Development:

  • Refine the implementation of the preschool phonological awareness curriculum through professional learning and PLC work.
  • Implement Year 2 NNPS Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) Division Wide Implementation Plan - all preschool staff, 4-5 teachers, new K-3 teachers, ESL, Interventionists.
  • Refine the SIPPS intervention training for instructional support personnel based on feedback and data.
  • Refine SIPPS observation and feedback expectations for administrators.

Family and Community Engagement:

  • Introduce preschool families to the Ready Rosie family engagement platform to provide a home-school connection.
  • Elevate the Building Character Book Club to provide families information on ways to support literacy and social emotional development at home.

Guarantee equitable opportunities to a viable curriculum, systematic instruction, and resources for all learners

Success Measures:

  • Students will participate in well-rounded, rigorous, and authentic literacy experiences in grades PK-12.
  • Students will have access to high-quality, current instructional materials.
  • Students will engage in appropriate intervention programs that will strengthen their individual skills.

Instructional Supports:

  • Deepen teacher’s understanding of the PK -12 Literacy Model.
  • Develop a three year K-12 curriculum revision plan based on the external curriculum audit findings.
  • Participate in the adoption of a K-5 literacy curriculum.
  • Purchase additional core resources for upper elementary grades.
  • Develop a procedure that supports the policy (to include the creation of a rubric) for reviewing, selecting, and integrating instructional resources into the division curriculum, libraries, schools, and classrooms.
  • Develop a process for reviewing, selecting, and integrating high-quality Tier 2 and 3 instructional programs at all levels.
  • Explore budget implications to increase per pupil amount per school for library books to provide more access to students.

Professional Learning:

  • Provide ongoing professional learning to enhance Tier 1 instruction and pedagogy. 
  • Deepen staff knowledge on the use of Tier 2 and 3 Interventions.

Family and Community Engagement:

  • Elevate existing literacy-based community partnerships with the Extended Learning Department (such as Mayors’ Book Club, Black Child Development Institute, Student Connect Library Memberships) aimed at effectively supporting literacy development and expanding family literacy efforts.

Ensure access to diverse and culturally represented texts and experiences for all learners

Success Measures:

  • Students access text collections representative of the linguistic and cultural diversity of the division.
  • Students have the opportunity through text to
    • see themselves.
    • make connections to their past, present, and future.
    • expand their understanding of other cultural backgrounds and experiences.
  • Students engage in classroom cultures that are inclusive of all learners and have the opportunity to
    • demonstrate voice and choice in text selections.
    • engage in a variety of authentic literacy experiences.
    • direct their learning and experiences.

Instructional Supports:

  • Conduct diversity audits in school libraries.
    • Identify an audit tool and process.
    • Use annual audit results and student enrollment demographics to identify and purchase relevant texts from a variety of perspectives and cultures.
  • Increase access and use eBooks and library services for students and teachers.
  • Revise curriculum to include diverse and culturally representative texts and resources.
  • Develop a curriculum writing protocol that includes the alignment of the written, taught, and assessed curriculum as well as diverse representation.
  • Develop a process to survey students and conduct collaborative conversations regarding curriculum, texts, and resources at the upper elementary and secondary levels.

Professional Development:

  • Extend students’ and teachers’ understanding of SORA.
  • Develop understanding of culturally responsive instructional practices.

Family and Community Engagement:

  • Extend partnerships aimed at effectively supporting literacy development and expanding family literacy efforts.

Embed the expansion of literacy skills across all content areas and grades

  • Staff and students use common literacy vocabulary vertically and horizontally.
  • Students apply vocabulary strategies and literacy skills to access content and make connections to their learning.
  • Students engage in a variety of authentic literacy learning experiences that integrate the four strands of reading, writing, communication, and research.
  • Students engage with a variety of supplementary literacy resources and strategies that support content-area standards.

Instructional Supports:

  • Activate the use of common literacy vocabulary across contents.
  • Elevate the use of the NNPS Literacy Playbook of high-yield strategies.
  • Elevate the use of blended learning experiences.

Professional Learning:

  • Continue to provide professional development for staff on the use of high-yield strategies across the curriculum.

Family and Community Engagement:

  • Extend partnerships aimed at effectively supporting literacy development and expanding family literacy efforts.

Improve consistency in the use and analysis of assessments

  • Staff utilizes common literacy assessment vocabulary vertically and horizontally.
  • Cross-departmental collaboration on the balanced assessment planning process.
  • Students set individual goals and track progress.
  • Staff engages in timely and guided analysis of data for intentional instructional decision making.
  • Student and division performance data is accessible to all stakeholders.

Instructional Supports

  • Incorporate a balanced assessment plan in grades PK-12 to include a calendar for assessments and reporting.
  • Activate the understanding of Mastery Connect as a tool for use and analysis of student learning.

Professional Learning:

  • Deepen understanding of the purpose of diagnostic assessments.
  • Develop the capacity of stakeholders to leverage data to guide instructional decisions.
  • Provide initial professional development and pilot of Mastery Connect.

Family and Community Engagement:

  • Elevate notification to families regarding district assessment schedules.
  • Elevate communication with families regarding on-going student progress.
  • Communicate new updates regarding PALS Assessment with families.

Part II: Timeline 2021-2022 (Year 1)

Develop strong foundational skills in early learners

  • Students build phonological and phonemic awareness skills to support literacy development.
  • Students apply knowledge of phonetic principles to read and spell with automaticity.
  • Students expand oral language and vocabulary to enhance communication and comprehension.

Instructional Supports:

  • Implement phonological awareness curriculum in preschool
  • Implement SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words) with identified K-2 students who do not meet the PALS (Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening) benchmarks
  • Place PALS tutor at every elementary school and an additional instructional assistant at every Title 1 school
  • Expand Literacy Lab to two additional elementary schools - An Achievable Dream Academy and Newsome Park

Professional Development:


Family and Community Engagement:

  • Introduce preschool families to the Ready Rosie family engagement platform to provide a home-school connection
  • Develop "The Literacy Ledger" quarterly update to provide families information on literacy research, best practices, and ways to support literacy at home

Guarantee equitable opportunities to a viable curriculum, systematic instruction, and resources for all learners

  • Students will participate in well-rounded, rigorous, and authentic literacy experiences in grades PK-12.
  • Students will have access to high-quality, current instructional materials.
  • Students will engage in appropriate intervention programs that will strengthen their individual skills.

Instructional Supports:

  • Use current research to adopt a PK-12 literacy model.
  • Participation in an external Tier 1 curriculum audit during fall 2021.
  • Develop a process (to include the creation of a rubric) for reviewing, selecting, and integrating instructional resources into the division curriculum, libraries, schools, and classrooms to ensure the alignment of:
    • High-yield strategies across content areas
    • Access to diverse texts and resources across content areas
  • Develop a process for reviewing, selecting, and integrating high-quality Tier 2 and 3 instructional programs at all levels.
  • Participate in the adoption of a K-5 literacy curriculum.
  • Explore budget implications to increase per pupil amount for library books.

Professional Development:

  • Provide ongoing professional learning to enhance Tier 1 instruction and pedagogy.
  • Deepen staff knowledge on the use of Tier 2 and 3 Intervention Programs

Family and Community Engagement:

  • Create common resources for families to reference regarding literacy support PK-12 (multilingual and multimodal)
  • Elevate existing literacy-based community partnerships (such as Mayors' Book Club, Black Child Development Institute, Student Connect Library Memberships)
  • Extend partnerships aimed at effectively supporting literacy development and expanding family literacy efforts.

Ensure access to diverse and culturally represented texts and experiences for all learners

Success Measures:

  • Students access text collections representative of the linguistic and cultural diversity of the division.
  • Students have the opportunity through text to
    • see themselves.
    • make connections to their past, present, and future.
    • expand their understanding of other cultural backgrounds and experiences.
  • Students engage in classroom cultures that are inclusive of all learners and have the opportunity to
    • demonstrate voice and choice in text selections.
    • engage in a variety of authentic literacy experiences.
    • direct their learning and experiences.

Instructional Supports:

  • Conduct diversity audits in school libraries.
    • Identify an audit tool and process
    • Use annual audit results to identify and purchase relevant texts from a variety of perspectives and cultures.
  • Increase access and use eBooks and library services for students and teachers.
  • Revise curriculum to include diverse and culturally representative texts and resources
  • Develop a process for internal reviews of curriculum, texts, and resources with staff
  • Administer surveys and facilitate collaborative conversations with students regarding curriculum, texts, and resources

Professional Development:

  • Develop students' and teachers' understanding of SORA
  • Develop understanding of culturally responsive instructional practices

Family and Community Engagement:

  • Partner with community organizations to sponsor student participation in book fairs.
  • Partner with Newport News Public Library and other community partners so students can access eBooks and other online resources
  • Elevate and celebrate the culture and traditions of families through shared literacy experiences.
    • Celebrate Me
    • One Book, One Division

Embed the expansion of literacy skills across all content areas and grades

  • Staff and students use common literacy vocabulary vertically and horizontally.
  • Students apply vocabulary strategies and literacy skills to access content and make connections to their learning.
  • Students engage in a variety of authentic literacy learning experiences that integrate the four strands of reading, writing, communication, and research.
  • Students engage with a variety of supplementary literacy resources and strategies that support content-area standards.

Instructional Supports:

  • Develop common literacy vocabulary
  • Implement a Literacy Playbook of high-yield strategies
  • Engage learners in a variety of blended learning experiences through mentor texts, paired passages using Newsela simulations, virtual field trips and innovative strategies that build skills of the Virginia 5Cs and the NNPS Profile of a LEARNER.

Professional Development:

  • Develop teacher understanding of small-group/station rotations to meet the needs of all students .
  • Provide professional development for all teachers on the use of supplemental literacy resources to support content-area standards.
  • Integrate and utilize high-yield strategies across the curriculum.

Family and Community Engagement:

  • Develop and share an overview of the NNPS Literacy Plan with families, businesses, and community partners.
  • Collaborate with family and community partners to support students in accessing NNPS online literacy resources.

Improve consistency in the use and analysis of assessments

  • Staff utilizes common literacy assessment vocabulary vertically and horizontally.
  • Cross-departmental collaboration on the balanced assessment planning process.
  • Students set individual goals and track progress.
  • Staff engages in timely and guided analysis of data for intentional instructional decision making.
  • Student and division performance data is accessible to all stakeholders.

Instructional Supports

  • Incorporate a balanced assessment plan in grades PK-12 to include a calendar for assessments and reporting
  • Implement division literacy diagnostic tools to personalize instruction

Professional Development:

  • Deepen understanding of the purpose of diagnostic assessments

Family and Community Engagement:

  • Provide notification to families regarding district assessment schedules
  • Inform families about student progress
  • Provide score reports and explanations throughout the year

Timelines: 2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025 will be developed and refined annually.