RLTA STUDY GROUPS


Rochelle Lee Teacher Award Study Groups are school-based professional learning communities. Study groups develop a goal to guide their learning throughout the school year, and meet monthly to discuss instruction and push their practice to reach their goal. Study Groups allow teachers to have a school-wide impact on student literacy instruction. The application is open from mid-December through mid-March. Awardees are announced late April of each year.

BENEFITS OF STUDY GROUPS

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  • Awardees receive a classroom library grant of $425 per study group member plus the purchase of the group’s professional text.
  • Increased knowledge of professional literature and current researched based literacy best practices.
  • Leadership opportunities and professional development facilitation experience.
  • A professional collaborative forum.
  • Literacy coaching provided three times per year.
Download Study Group FAQs

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR A STUDY GROUP

  • Four to eight teachers from the same school interested in pursuing a self-selected literacy focus.
  • Study Group Leaders who are new to RLTA program will receive additional coaching.
  • There may be more than one Study Group at a school.

Impacting Student Literacy Instruction

The goal of RLTA Study Groups is to empower teachers to become classroom, school, and district-wide literacy leaders. By focusing program design on the needs and goals of educators, WITS provides relevant, effective professional development and networking opportunities that support long-term literacy goals. WITS is proud of the work of the Study Group leaders and members, and we are excited to share some of our Study Group Projects below.

STUDY GROUP PROJECTS

Coles Model for Excellence School: Fostering Students' Love of Reading

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Deborah Banks
Study Group Members: Shirley Bester, Susan Flood, Natali Parenti

Goal

Fostering students' love of reading by implementing a variety of literacy strategies that center on engagement.
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Edison Park Elementary School: Creating Socially Conscious Professional Development

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Nichol Somers
Study Group Members: Christine Pace, Kelly Hayes, Lorraine Nunez, Carrie Stern, Lee Marcheschi

Goal

Creating socially conscious professional development by conducting a multi-day PD where social comprehension strategies are introduced, modeled, and practiced among the staff.
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Frederick Funston Elementary School: Refining Biliteracy Practices

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Meg Tanabe
Study Group Members: Lynaris Rosado, Jovana Madrigal, Gaby Torrenegra, Claudia Munoz, Celina Mosher

Goal

Collaborate to clarify which biliteracy practices we use in each grade level, in each language, with what frequency, and in response to student levels of achievement.

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Biliteracy from the Start: Literacy Squared in Action by Kathy Escamilla, Susan Hopewell, Sandra Butvilofsky, Wendy Sparrow, Lucinda Soltero-González, Manuel Escamilla
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Henry D. Lloyd Elementary School: Social-Emotional Learning Strategies

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Alejandra De La Peña
Study Group Members: Vorlak Phillips, Esmeralda Rios, Mary Villa

Goal

Increase students’ literacy and social-emotional skills by one level on Teaching Strategies Gold by spring.
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McClellan Elementary School: Strategies for Improving Comprehension

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Laura Wojciechowski
Study Group Members: Vorlak Phillips, Esmeralda Rios, Mary Villa

Goal

By the end of the year, struggling readers will be able to demonstrate an improvement in comprehension by selecting a comprehension strategy from a choice board and applying it independently.
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Mount Vernon Elementary School: Engaging Independent Reading

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Mrs. Runaas
Study Group Members: Mrs. O’Neal, Ms. Ma, Ms. Pender-Bey

Goal

Improving and engaging independent reading in students through strategic teacher and student-led reading conferences.

Text

Trusting Readers: Powerful Practices for Independent Reading by Jennifer Scoggin, Hannah Schneewind
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Carson Elementary School: Discussing Behavioral Patterns

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Lilyana Flores
Study Group Members: Jesse Bostic, Virginia Lopez, Amber Newsom, Rogelia Pena

Goal

Measure pre and post-student surveys and implement at least one strategy or approach from the book in our classroom as well as target tiered students based on their SEL needs.
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National Teacher’s Academy: Building Critical Consciousness

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Laura Gluckman
Study Group Members: Jessica Kibblewhite, Melissa Hausser

Goal

Examine our own curricula in order to make changes and include our students in the process through the co-creation of lessons and the development of a toolkit by building critical consciousness.
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Mary G. Peterson Elementary School: Centering Student Identity

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Megan Fair
Study Group Members: Catherine Jarvis, Megan Wales, Sarah Van Wolvelear, Emily Gandolfi

Goal

Empower students as storytellers whose voices should and need to be heard through centering student identity.
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Charles H. Wacker Elementary School: Increasing the Joy of Reading

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: LaConya McKinney
Study Group Members: Caroline Cunningham, Crystal Carmichael, Danielle Washington, Isabella Morales

Goal

Foster students’ love of reading by providing them with an appropriate text and numerous activities that engage them and make reading fun
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Prescott Elementary School: Heightening Student Identity

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Melissa Dippel
Study Group Members: Begona Cowan​, Nick​ Giacobbe, Tayler ​Showalter, Nessy ​Moos

Goal

Increase student discussion skills and connection to school academics and the importance of heightening student identity.
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Newton Bateman Elementary School: Implementing the Math Workshop Model

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Maritza Vazquez
Study Group Members: Priscilla Rowe​, Selene Rivas, Samantha Gage

Goal

Provide the structure and procedures in order to successfully implement the math workshop model.
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Gunsaulus Scholastic Academy: A Balanced Literacy Program

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Laura Miner
Study Group Members: America Cannon, Allie Parker, Meghan Walsh

Goal

Students will increase more than a year in Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System (F&P) and increase their ability to show their understanding of instructional-level texts through writing.

Text

This Is Balanced Literary, Grades K-6 by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and Nancy Akhavan
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Hibbard Elementary School: Building a Community for Learning

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Bridget Heneghan
Study Group Members: Emily Barnowsky, Jin Dokko, Jessica Hodges, Sora Lim, Stephanie Michl

Goal

Provide students with the skills to become independent learners by understanding how culture impacts our students’ ability to learn.
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National Teachers Academy: Culturally Responsive Practices

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Carrie Both
Study Group Members: Taree Jones, Kara Silverglat, Hannah Kreindler, Miray Karabulut

Goal

Reflect on culturally responsive practices, resources, and curriculum.
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Ogden Elementary School: Increasing Students’ Writing Skills

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Sue Stone
Study Group Members: Debbie Sheriff, David Ablao, Joseph Pekarek, Brianna Duniec, Sarah Chang, Kim Albrecht

Goal

Increase students’ writing skills as well as their self-awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses as writers in a post-pandemic learning loss world.
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Sidney Sawyer Elementary School: Culturally and Historically Responsive Teaching

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Abbi Eichhorn
Study Group Members: Niamh Burke, Margaret Steber

Goal

Getting equity for students through teaching practices.
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Walt Disney Magnet School: Integrating the Arts

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Group Members

Study Group Leader: Caroline Mahon
Study Group Members: Lauren Ayala, Katrinka Knerr, Melissa Albarran, MB Ginn

Goal

Enhance literacy instruction through integrating the arts.

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Integrating the Arts Across the Content Areas by Lisa Donovan and Louise Pascale
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Talcott Fine Arts and Museum Academy: Student-directed inquiry

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Group Members

Study Group Leaders: Damaris Cami, Christina Korbakis
Study Group Members: Susan Bohman, Guadalupe Hernandez-Lopez, Marlene Tapia-Garcia, Stella Cambel

Goal

Engage together in reading, implementing, and reflecting on best practice student-directed inquiry.
Learn More