New books, playground at PV

Much of the excitement about the new school year at Panther Valley Elementary has been about the gleaming new playground.

But some big changes are taking place in the classroom, where students are getting a new reading curriculum for the first time in 10 years.

The Fountas & Pinnell Classroom is a new K-3 book series which will be taught in the district this year.

Principal Robert Palazzo said a lot has changed in 10 years. The new program will address the needs of individual students. Unlike in the past, a whole class won’t take the same reading or spelling test in the same week.

“It’s designed to address the needs of each student. Not all students are taking the same test every week. Not all students have to memorize the same spelling words,” Palazzo said.

Instead of traditional weekly tests, teachers will conduct “formative assessments” where they provide feedback on students’ reading and writing skills.

The conventional wisdom in teaching has been to teach a skill for a week and then test the students on it, Palazzo said.

But more and more research shows that reading is the result of blending skills, not just individual skills taught in order.

“We need to understand students’ reading behavior, and by understanding their reading behavior, you can help them make the growth they need, and that growth looks different for every kid,” he said.

There was some uncertainty about how the district would pay for the new books. Funding was cut from the 2018-19 budget in June. The board ultimately voted to approve a 36-month loan for $100,000 to cover the cost of the books. The interest rate is 3.5 percent fixed.

Board members said they hope to use the new books for seven years.

“That’s what we should be spending the money on, education,” board member Irene Genther said.