Beth Wyman President at Oshkosh Area School District | Official Website
Beth Wyman President at Oshkosh Area School District | Official Website
The Oshkosh Area School District (OASD) initiated the Summer LIFT literacy intervention program in July to support elementary and early middle school students. This initiative was part of the district's equity plan, targeting students needing additional help to meet grade-level literacy goals for the 2024-2025 academic year.
The six-week program provided small group instruction, offering personalized attention. Students engaged in reading and writing exercises with one-on-one teacher assistance and participated in various educational games and activities.
Teachers reported significant improvements among regular attendees, noting enhanced reading fluency, phonics skills, and increased confidence. Jennifer Kautzer, an OASD literacy instructional support teacher (IST) involved with Summer LIFT, remarked on the students' growing confidence: “Students grew in their confidence as readers. They were excited when they were able to apply what they learned at one station to their reading and writing of continuous text.”
Amy Sippert, another OASD IST who taught during the program, observed similar progress: “Watching the students gain confidence, find their agency, and discover the joy in learning were the greatest areas of growth in my observation.”
Beyond literacy skills improvement, participants appreciated the supportive environment. Ms. Kautzer noted that “students that attended the entire program felt safe to try something new,” highlighting their connection with teachers and reluctance for the program to end.
This initiative is a component of OASD’s broader strategy to enhance early literacy education. Dr. Sam Coleman, OASD assistant superintendent of instruction, emphasized this commitment: “As a district, we have set rigorous literacy goals in policy to establish high expectations of student achievement in reading, and create a direct connection from the boardroom to the classroom.” He further stated that "literacy is our number one academic priority," aiming for substantial improvements across all student groups.
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