YOUNGSTOWN — While schools are closed to slow coronavirus spread, Youngstown City School District educators are at work, sharpening their vocabulary instruction skills through Keys to Literacy.

East High School launched its online professional development and coaching Wednesday, with 9th- through 12th-grade teachers meeting virtually for the first time in teacher-based teams about the Key Vocabulary Routine. Other schools will follow using a virtual meeting platform as all sixth- through 12-grade teachers have been a part of the literacy initiative initiated this school year.

“Aside from the engaging discourse, witnessing the camaraderie of the East staff being reunited, department-by-department, with their building leaders, was very heartwarming,” said Maria Pappas, YCSD’s chief of core curriculum.

Keys to Literacy is a leading provider of literacy teacher training, curriculum, ongoing coaching and materials for educators across the country. When used across multiple grade levels, students benefit from a consistent approach to vocabulary instruction as they move from grade-to-grade and subject-to-subject.

Improving students’ literacy is one of the early goals CEO Justin Jennings set as he began to craft his strategic plan for YCSD. Building background knowledge and vocabulary was the first step.

“Every teacher is a teacher of reading,” Jennings said.

East Principal Jeremy Batchelor lauded his staff for adapting to the challenging circumstances.

“Obviously, we were not expecting to have to move to this mode of training,” he said. “However, our staff has been extraordinary in adjusting. Their professionalism and engagement in working through the state-mandated closure has been second to none.”

Christine Sawicki, the school district’s chief academic officer, agreed.

“Improving literacy instruction for all of our scholars has been the district’s main focus this year,” she said. “All of our staff members have been involved in ongoing literacy professional development sessions throughout the year. In order to continue this level of support and learning for our staff members during the mandated school shut down, we have scheduled several virtual professional development sessions for them.”

Schools shut down March 17 under Gov. Mike DeWine’s state-wide order. YCSD educators prepared packets of lessons that were sent home with scholars to last for three weeks and the district is preparing for another distribution of assignments in case the shutdown is extended beyond that time.

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