In May 2008, St. Stanislaus Kostka School formed a partnership with The Reading Institute of Williamstown, MA to launch a Literacy Initiative.  This endeavor represented a researched-based teaching method that incorporates multisensory, structured language methodologies to be used in the school's curriculum.  The Reading Initiative addresses the five areas of Reading instruction identified by the National Reading Panel: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.  Each component is directly and explicitly taught throughout the grades using a structured, multisensory approach to reach all learners.  The Reading Initiative also includes assessment, writing, and technology components.

Teachers, Pre-K through Grade 6, have received upwards of 150 hours of training through The Reading Institute.  They attended workshops prior to launching the Initiative and as ongoing professional development during its implementation. The Reading Institute has purchased a cutting edge Reading Curriculum, Project Read materials, and assessment tools to support students in the development of their skills.

Through the support of The Reading Institute, Saint Stanislaus School now enjoys the resources of a full-time Reading Specialist, a part-time Reading Coach, and a part-time Speech and Language therapist.  The goal of our Literacy Initiative is to ensure that all students read at or above grade level by Grade 3 and to have all students continue to read above grade level with excellent comprehension in Grade 4 and beyond.

The Literacy Initiative uses the Three Tier Model to address the needs of every learner.  This model uses assessment data to guide instruction, provides layers of instruction anticipating and responding to student needs, and allows collaboration among staff to ensure that all students' needs are met.

In summary, the resources provided by The Reading Institute and the commitment of the administration and staff at Saint Stanislaus Kostka School will ensure that our graduates are achieving to their highest potential.