The Wood County Board of Education recognized educators in the district who completed the Wilson Reading System 1 Certification. The lessons train educators to implement intensive, multisensory reading and spelling interventions for students with dyslexia or significant word-level deficits. Pictured from left to right: Stacy Johnson, Sarah Flanagan and Stevie Cavander. The board also heard attendance updates, how the merger with Hamilton and Jackson middle schools is going, and a bond update. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

PARKERSBURG – The Wood County Board of Education met in the Jefferson Elementary auditorium Tuesday night where it recognized educators in the district who completed the Wilson Reading System 1 Certification.

The lessons train educators to implement intensive, multisensory reading and spelling interventions for students with dyslexia or significant word-level deficits.

“It requires our participants to complete a comprehensive course on intensive instruction for struggling readers and to conduct a supervised practicum involving at least 65 one-on-one instructional lessons, detailed lesson planning, multiple formal observations with their proctor, diagnostic testing and a comprehensive documentation for all their student growth,” Ashlee Beatty, director of curriculum and instruction, said.

The board also recognized educators who completed the LETRS program.

“It is a significant and sustained commitment to deepen their understanding of the science of reading and advancing literacy instruction across our district,” Beatty said. “LETRS is rigorous. It’s research‒based professional learning, and it spans two volumes, and it’s delivered to them over the course of two school years.”

Beatty said these kinds of programs advance professional learning and not only improve teacher practice, but also underscore the district’s broader literacy goals.

“Ensuring that every student receives the high quality instruction that they deserve,” she said.

The board also heard an update from Hamilton and Jackson middle schools on how the merger with former VanDevender students is going. Students from VanDevender were split between the two middle schools after closing its doors for good at the end of the last school year.

“At first, it was hard,” Hamilton teacher Stephen Tupitza said. “”I did start to notice a shift at the end of September… the students started to feel more comfortable in classrooms.”

He said while the adults created structure, it was the students who created the community.

“Yes, the administration, teachers and staff have worked really hard to make it seamless, but really it’s our students that have made it work,” he said. “The Hamilton students going out of their way to try to make their fellow peers feel comfortable, and the Vandy students finally feeling safe and realizing, ‘Hey, this is home too.'”

The board also heard an update on attendance and an update on bond finances.

After concerns about project budgeting were addressed, the board decided it would hold a public working session before the next board meeting to go line-by-line through each project, including which funding sources were originally expected to cover specific components.

“We need more specifics,” Board President Justin Raber said.

That session is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. next Tuesday.

Read more from Tuesday’s meeting in the Thursday edition of the News and Sentinel.

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com