Beaver Public Schools has been selected as one of 10 schools by the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce for the Oklahoma Literacy Initiative--a program to build stronger readers. Ten Oklahoma school districts are participating in the inaugural statewide cohort, including Beaver, Burns Flat, Oklahoma City — W.K. Jackson Leadership Academy, Tulsa, Okmulgee, Meeker, McAlester, Maysville, Ardmore, and Valliant. 

The inspiration for the initiative comes in part from the remarkable improvement seen in Mississippi, where statewide reading scores rose from 49th in the nation to 7th. Building on the strategies that contributed to that success, Oklahoma’s program is designed to provide educators with research-based support and effective instructional methods to help students become stronger readers.

A primary focus of the initiative will be the science of reading and how evidence-based reading practices can best be incorporated into Beaver’s existing curriculum. Educators will receive training, resources and ongoing support as they work to implement these strategies in the classroom.

Camee Cline, a third-grade teacher at Beaver Public Schools, has graciously accepted the lead position for Beaver’s participation in the program. Cline completed two weeks of intensive training at the State Chamber this summer and will help lead the initiative at Beaver Schools.

The leadership team behind the initiative includes former Oklahoma early childhood educators, reading specialists, administrators and consultants who were involved in Mississippi’s efforts to improve reading achievement. These leaders will partner with Beaver Public Schools through professional development and ongoing training while providing educators with valuable instructional resources, including UFLI and Top 10 Tools.

The opportunity to participate in the program first came to the attention of Beaver Public Schools through employees of the Bank of Beaver City. Bank employees learned about the initiative when it was presented at the Oklahoma Bankers Association convention in Oklahoma City and brought the information back to the Beaver community.

Beaver Public Schools is proud and honored to have been selected as a pilot school for this innovative initiative. Through this partnership, the district hopes to equip Beaver Dusters with stronger reading skills that will serve them not only in the classroom, but throughout their lives.

The goal is simple: to help our students become not only better readers, but lifelong learners.

You can read more about the Oklahoma Literacy Initiative here.