Selma Elementary Gets National Recognition--Again SELMA-- The Literacy First Program at Selma Elementary School has been so successful, it has garnered additional national attention for the school. Robin Herridge, Principal at Selma Elementary School, was one of only two educational practitioners from across the country invited to present at the annual Literacy First Leadership Institute on July 13 and 14 in Orlando, Florida. This national conference brings together public school educational leadership teams from 18 states to participate in professional development focused on improving student achievement. Literacy First is a three year commitment that involves reforming the processes that educators use to teach literacy. The ultimate goal of the Literacy First process is to have a minimum of 85 percent to 90 percent of all students reading on grade level. Seven Title I elementary schools in Johnston County*Cooper Elementary, Corinth-Holders School, Four Oaks Elementary, Micro-Pine Level Elementary, Selma Elementary, South Smithfield Elementary, and West Smithfield Elementary*have implemented Literacy First into their curriculum for kindergarten through fifth graders. Herridge was asked to share how this program has impacted her school. She attributed gains in student achievement in both third and fourth grades to Literacy First. "Last year, students in 3rd and 4th grade went from 73% to 80.6% proficiency. This was the highest percent gain in the county. Early results indicate a 9.4% increase in reading with an overall proficiency of 80.9%," she said. Getting all the staff trained in the Literacy First process, including the administrators, was critical to its success. "Principals need to know as much about reading as the teachers so they will know specifically what to be looking for when they are making classroom visits," said Herridge. Tracking student performance, using the software program My Data First, and discussing the results with teachers individually and in team meetings helped the staff feel a sense of success for all their hard work. The data allowed them to pinpoint instruction to each student's needs, said Herridge. She stressed the importance of having a strong Literacy Resource Specialist to help keep everyone optimistic. She challenged the audience with the following: "Never give up, never lose your sense of humor, and never lose your PASSION." Dr. Timothy Rasinski, Professor at Kent State University, author, and national presenter, called Herridge's presentation "outstanding." Selma's academic program has gained recognition from Education Week national newspaper and CNN news. The school was also one of only four schools statewide to be named by the NC Department of Public Instruction as a Distinguished School for Closing Achievement Gaps.
