Standard D: Resource Management

aa. Lead or participate in a school transition team (K, 5-6, 8-9). Develop a plan and
implement. For this standard, focus on issues in transition related to academics and instruction.
Description:
At our school, we noticed that many students were leaving kindergarten without the skills
needed to be ready for 1st grade. Many students were entering kindergarten without any early
literacy skills; therefore, it was taking students into 3rd quarter to learn all the letters and letter
sounds. However, students are expected to learn letters and sounds within the first month or two
of kindergarten. In order to meet this need, the leadership team determined to offer a summer
literacy program for struggling kindergartners to work intensively on literacy skills to prepare for
1st grade.
What went well?
In order to prepare for this program, I met with the principal to discuss what could be
offered through this program and what funding was available. We determined to use two
teachers and open to 20-24 students. I met with my team of 1st grade teachers to determine what
literacy skills should be focused on to most effectively prepare students for 1st grade. We felt that
we should choose students that were below level, but within reach of getting caught up with a
month of intensive tutoring. We determined that the program should focus intensively on basic
reading skills, and our focus was to be able to raise several students to grade level to lessen the
amount of students that would require RTI the next year.
The other teacher and I that were going to run the summer program met with the
kindergarten team to determine which students would be the best candidates for the program.
We emphasized to the kindergarten team that we wanted students that were within the range of

levels B-D. These were students that knew letter sounds and basic sight words, but needed
additional help with decoding and comprehension in order to perform on a first grade level.
What did not?
The kindergarten teacher sent letters to parents about the program. If the student was
unable to attend or did not return the letter, than another student was invited to attend. We were
given the list of students that were attending before summer began. The list of students did not
meet the requirements that we had set. There were students that were performing on a prekindergarten letter that did not know there letter sounds. There was also a student that was
performing tremendously above grade level. This caused the performance range to be too wide,
and it did not allow us to offer the intensive intervention that we were striving for.
Given the chance to do it again, how would you do it better?
As I prepare for this program for next year, I would like to meet with the kindergarten
team to discuss which students would best benefit from our program. I will then call the parents
to invite them into our program. I feel that if the other teacher and I call and personally speak to
parents, then our turnout will be higher. This will better allow us the opportunity to work with
students that fall into similar academic range.