7/17/2025
Meeting Every Learner Where They Are: A Principal’s Perspective on Literacy Transformation
See how Principal Jennifer Gorr of Monticello Central School District championed a holistic approach to literacy that begins with creating a safe, inclusive school culture. In this testimonial video, she explains how building trusting relationships and honoring student backgrounds sets the stage for academic success and empowers all learners to grow as readers.
Discover how Monticello’s leadership team engaged teachers in science of reading-based professional learning that deepens understanding of phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies. Gorr outlines priority steps: Meeting families, learning individual student interests, and front-loading literacy skills in preschool and elementary grades to prevent the dips that often occur in third and seventh grade.
Learn how Lexia® Core5® Reading played a critical role in individualizing instruction. Core5 adapts lessons to each student’s level, highlights skill gaps, and delivers targeted support without adding to teacher workload. Teachers can share on-screen snapshots of progress dashboards, celebrating milestones and motivating students with digital certificates.
Gorr explains how the administrator’s toolkit helped in driving sustainable change: Offering college-level courses, creating common planning time, and providing ongoing coaching for staff. Gorr’s firsthand account shows how rolling up her sleeves alongside her teachers helped build trust and strengthen her school’s science of reading implementation.
Watch this video to gain actionable insights about cultivating a responsive literacy model, equipping your team with research-backed tools, and shaping a school culture where every student feels safe, heard, and ready to read.