Laying a strong educational foundation starts the day students walk through the doors the very first day of kindergarten, and if this year’s reading scores are any indication, T.G. McCord Elementary is doing a great job of preparing this year’s kindergarten and first graders for success in the classroom.
Based on ratings from the STAR 360 Renaissance reading assessment program, 50 kindergarten students are reading at the first-grade level or above, and 28 first graders are reading at the third-grade level. The assessment program provides teachers with what grade level their students are reading at, along with their instructional reading level. This information helps teachers design their reading instruction for their classroom.
It also helps the teachers identify students who need help with their reading skills.
“Our students who score in the bottom 25 percent are placed in our reading intervention program where they receive help in building their reading skills.” McCord Principal Katrina Price explained.
Teachers are also able to separate their students into different reading groups based on their ratings, with each group’s reading lessons geared toward their level.
“In one classroom there may be students in an intervention group, students in an at-level group, and students in an enrichment group during their reading time,” Price said. “By breaking them out into groups, the students stay engaged in learning and are excited about it. There aren’t students who get bored because they already know what the lesson is about, and there aren’t students getting frustrated because they don’t understand what the lesson is about.”
The students are tested every six weeks, so when their reading level improves they are moved to the next group. The results from the tests also help teachers in the classroom.
“The ratings on the tests help our teacher’s gauge what is working and what is not working, and where they may need to tweak what they are doing in the classroom,” Price said.
When asked, all of these students said they love to read. There are several who have already read 100 books this year, and kindergartener Annabelle Beebe has read 400 books.
The following is a list of students who are reading above their grade level. The list is broken down by teacher.
KINDERGARTENERS READING AT 2ND GRADE LEVEL
Twaleena Weddle Class: Foster Bell and Grace Jansa
Misty DeLaune Class: Khari Briggs
KINDERGARTENERS READING AT 1ST GRADE LEVEL
Ana DeLaGarza Class: Zion Modesto, Connor Cayce, Anibal Medina, Emma-Lynn Adams, Miguel Cuadra Mendez, Jovani Lopez, Khadija Madugi, Zaylee Vasquez, Jeremy Hernandez-Padilla, Cynthia Carranza, Kimberly Paw
Twaleena Weddle Class: Brodi Andrew, Andie Chilton, Claire Gilot, Averi Ortiz, Tanaka Mubvumba, Harris Lee, Jaylah Lee, Addax Schur, Ruth Lehman
Emily Duncan Class: Emilson Murrillo Mendez, Jerald Gray, Rhea Snow, Mackynzee McDonald
Braci Morris Class: Zaiden Gardner, Barrett McBroom, Kash Espinoza, Christina Denny, Arya Coleman, Jayden Bryant
Madison Smith Class: Niko Zuniga, Elida Riojas, Salis Rahe, Cameron Minor, Tomas Gilley, Kaleb De Guzman, Jayden Burke
Jennifer Newcomer Class: Sah Wah, Annabelle Beebe, Ivan Clemente, Weekonehsu Myint, Sarah Hall
Misty DeLaune Class: Scarlett Lowry, Anthony Burns, Kynli Butler, Grace Vasquez, Jonathan Gilley
FIRST GRADERS READING AT 3RD GRADE LEVEL
Mandy Kajs Class: Averie Bavousett, Adalynn Boyd, Mason Hollis, Kynlee Coley, Raelynn Gonzalez, Gavin McFall
Whitney Fryman Class: Yonis Ayala, Rose Say, Jonas McLaughlin, Nathaniel Miller, Lillie Hawkins, Lincoln Kimmey, Luis Quintero
Jana White Class: Macelyn Patterson, Weston Rosalez, Jaxton Ballard, Zerinadee Carrego, Ava Grace Williams
Ana Clemente Class: Anna Genson
Audrey Wrinkle Class: Neytiri Ortiz, Mariana Pack, Zoey Mefford
Molly Lemon Class: Anabell Perez, Doralicia Vaughn, Braylin Ewan, Luke English Bee, Orin Parra
Melissa Singleton Class: Landri Isenhower and Grayson Northcutt