Video Available on District Web Site
April 17, 2008
“Closing the Gap”, a 20 minute documentary video, explains our efforts to improve the reading performance of our elementary students. The “Gap” refers to closing the academic performance gap for students. In general, student performance can be predicted by social economic status and ethnicity; students in homes qualifying for free or reduced lunches and/or minority students perform lower in school. This level of performance is reflected nationally, state-wide and locally. The gap between the different ethnic groups in Gering has closed during the past four years and, in some cases, has disappeared completely. These factors must not prevent our students from performing well in schools and afterward.
We planned the direct instruction reading program for an entire year prior to implementation. We are currently completing our fourth year of direct instruction. The student performance data we receive through our comprehensive assessment program continues to prove the program is having a positive effect. We implemented the program in phases so the current senior class is the only class that has not had direct instruction. The sophomores and juniors received one year of the program during their 8th and 9th grade years; our freshmen and junior high students received two years of the program; 5th and 6th students are in their third year of the program; 4th grade students are in their four year of the program, and 3rd grade through kindergarten have experienced direct instruction since entering our school.
We have continued this program long enough to see the positive impact it has had on our students. Sustaining the program will have a huge impact on our students as they move through our system. Our administrative team will manage the program beginning in 2008-2009. The majority of our students will have the necessary reading skills to be successful in upper level courses so teachers can provide a much more rigorous curriculum knowing students have the reading ability to read and comprehend material assigned.
We also implemented a K-6 math program this year with a goal similar to our reading program. It has the potential to provide every student with skills needed for success. Our goal is to ensure every student enters high school at or above grade level in reading and math skills. Students not at grade level by the end of the sixth grade will be given the opportunity to improve their skills in both reading and math during their junior high years.
Please watch the video, share it with family and friends and take pride in the hard work and accomplishments of our staff and students to make Gering Public Schools one of the best districts in the state of Nebraska.
