GDOE’s “Continuous Improvement Road Map for Improving Reading Achievement” Endures
Despite the challenges brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Guam Department of Education’s (GDOE) State Systemic Improvement Project (SSIP) in partnership with Guam CEDDERS continues to provide technical assistance and support to the target schools in the area of reading achievement and evidence-based practices. On August 5, an SSIP core team meeting was held to plan the next steps for the new school year. Activities for the new school year include assisting schools in using the district’s universal screener amid a virtual context to collect baseline and progress monitoring data; using evidence-based practices such as explicit instruction; using data to drive improvement models, and scaling up to include math content. The challenge for the upcoming school year is centered on meeting the needs of students through remote learning. However, despite the unprecedented challenges the new school year brings, the SSIP core team is equipped with grit and perseverance to meet the challenges. The SSIP core team is comprised of the following four SSIP principals and an assistant principal: Rose Castro from J.M. Guerrero Elementary, Darlene Castro from Chief Brodie Memorial Elementary, Natasha Dela Cruz from M.U. Lujan Elementary, Elias Tasipic from Price Elementary, and Denise Tiamanglo, an assistant principal from Price Elementary. Other team members include Terese Crisostomo, from GDOE Special Education Division, Joshua Blas, GDOE SSIP Project Director, and Guam CEDDERS consultants Nieves Flores and June Quitugua, and Guam CEDDERS staff June De Leon, Josephine Cruz, and Debra Whitt.
