BLISSFIELD — Blissfield Elementary School has taken a major step toward improving student literacy by dedicating the entire 2024 through 2025 school year to professional development focused on the Science of Reading.
The initiative, supported by a 35j grant from the State of Michigan, included seven structured sessions designed to help teachers understand how the brain learns to read and how to apply that knowledge in the classroom.
Led by Robyn Francis, Director of Literacy and Title Programs at Blissfield Community Schools, and Gina Gemalsky, Literacy Coach with the Lenawee Intermediate School District, the professional learning series was designed to support adult learners as well as young readers.
Every staff member—from classroom teachers to art, music, PE, and STEM instructors—was engaged in evidence-based instructional practices aligned with Michigan’s Literacy Essential Instructional Practices.
Small group sessions and full staff meetings allowed for differentiated learning, while follow-up coaching brought strategies directly into classrooms.
A key feature of the program was the opportunity for teachers to observe modeled lessons with their own students.
One teacher, Emily Loar, appreciated how the practices could be integrated into the existing curriculum, telling the LISD that her students, “became more confident and independent readers.”
The 35j grant also allowed the district to purchase high-quality student materials and professional development books for classrooms.
Francis called the funding a dream come true in a press release, saying, “We were able to purchase classroom books and instructional tools we couldn’t have accessed otherwise.”
The district now plans to build on the success of this initiative through ongoing Professional Learning Communities, where teachers will continue to reflect, collaborate, and refine their practices.
Gemalsky said the effort is already producing long-term benefits, adding, “That kind of systematic approach will ultimately benefit every student who walks through the doors of Blissfield Elementary.”