With February being I Love to Read Month, it’s the perfect time to highlight the incredible work Saint Peter Public School teachers are doing to enhance their reading instruction. According to South Elementary Principal Jana Sykora, educators across the district are engaged in rigorous training to ensure every student receives high-quality literacy instruction.
(PICTURED ABOVE) Mrs. Rouillard works with a small group of her first-grade students at South Elementary on a reading lesson during a recent classroom session.
Minnesota’s READ Act, signed into law by Governor Tim Walz on May 24, 2023, sets a clear goal: every Minnesota child reading at or above grade level each year, starting in kindergarten. The law also prioritizes support for multilingual learners and students receiving special education services, ensuring they reach individualized reading goals and meet grade-level proficiency.
"I think it’s important for our community to know how we’re using our professional development days,” Sykora said. “Our teachers are deeply engaged in strengthening foundational literacy instruction. It’s challenging work!. Sykora goes on to explain, “We are fortunate because our teachers have been working to enhance foundational literacy components in our curriculum for more than three years. It’s inspiring to see how these efforts are making a difference in student learning.”
Saint Peter Public Schools is implementing the READ Act in two phases, as directed by the Minnesota Department of Education, over the next couple of years.
Phase 1 is currently underway, focusing on foundational literacy instruction. Educators participating in this phase include PreK-3 classroom teachers, reading interventionists, K-12 multilingual learner educators, K-12 special education teachers responsible for reading instruction, and curriculum directors. Media specialists and administrators selecting literacy materials are also involved.
Early childhood educators are participating in training through the Early Childhood LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) program, while other elementary teachers are engaging in training through the Online Language & Literacy Academy (OL&LA). This comprehensive professional development ensures that educators at every level are equipped to provide strong literacy instruction. Phase 1 training must be completed by July 1, 2026.
Phase 2 shifts the focus to secondary education and will begin in January 2026. This phase will include educators responsible for teaching the Minnesota ELA Standards in grades 6-12, as well as those working with students in the graduation incentives program (K-age 21). The graduation incentives program (K-age 21) refers to programs designed to support students who are at risk of not graduating from high school. In Saint Peter, this includes programs like Rock Bend Area Learning Center.
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) will also pilot training modules for paraprofessionals this spring, with plans to make training sessions available to all paraprofessionals sometime next school year. This training will help paraprofessionals support reading instruction even more effectively by covering important topics like phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, and culturally responsive teaching strategies. Once fully available, it will ensure that paraprofessionals are equipped with the skills they need to support our students’ literacy growth.
While we know that early release days and days off of school for professional development can be an inconvenience for families, the work our educators are doing during these days is both important and meaningful. These professional development opportunities are designed to enhance the quality of education our students receive by ensuring that our teachers and staff are equipped with the latest knowledge and best practices in teaching.
(PICTURED BELOW) South Elementary kindergarten students in Mrs. Powell’s classroom are actively engaged during a reading lesson earlier this month.