Bayshore High School is proud of its School Literacy Leadership Team (SLLT) which has been active since 2000.  The team meets on a regular basis to examine student data and plan for professional development to meet the needs of both teachers and students. 

This past year, Bayshore initiated a TAG (Targeted Assistance Group) Team initiative which included 30 teachers who were identified as have the highest number of students in the bottom quartile for reading assigned to their classes. The teachers involved teach reading, English, science, social studies, math, JROTC, ESE, ESOL, and business courses. Administrators also participated in the training. The teachers and administrators attended two professional development sessions which were held during the school day. Substitutes were provided to cover the classes so teachers could attend. The 1st training explored research comprehension strategies and with an emphasis on questioning before, during, and after reading. The follow-up professional development took that a step further by reviewing the behaviors good readers use and targeting those behaviors with the before, during, and after questions.  

The plan was developed by the Data Study Team, a subgroup of the SLLT as follows:

Step 1: The Data Study Team compiled information on students in the bottom quartile and identified teachers of those students. They presented their results to the School Literacy Leadership Team.

Step 2: The School Literacy Leadership Team reviewed the plan, proposed changes, determined tasks for reading coaches to support the plan, and sought administrative support. Reading coaches began the assigned tasks of creating lists of TAG Team teachers, their students, and data about those students as well as supporting documents.

Step 3: Communicate the plan to the teachers involved. This step included:

• Principal calling a meeting of TAG Team teachers to introduce the proposal, distribute teachers’ list of students, and seek support
• Teachers were invited to participate in small group staff development to review student data about TAG students, and explore strategies for supporting those students. Groups of the 4 teachers in each core content who have been identified as having the most TAG students attended a half-day training with a substitute provided for their classes. 
• Evaluation of the training after the initial session was conducted. 
• A follow-up session in the spring was organized to build on first session successes.

Step 4: Coaches were available to demonstrate the before, during, and after reading strategy in classrooms.

Step 5: Summative evaluation of the training using a Quia online survey of teachers who participated in the training as well as a random sample of teachers and students to gather data on the 15-minute reading/writing activity that is to begin each 90-minute block. Data will be reviewed by the Data Study Team and shared with the SLLT.

Additionally, the SLLT have created a series of podcasts to help teachers enhance classroom literacy instruction. Principal David Underhill, Reading Coaches Caroline Jamroz and Marcia Hill, and the entire SLLT is to be commended for their efforts.