by Heather MacDonald
Volunteer and Community Engagement Director
Successful readers at Granger Elementary were able to earn a brand new bike donated by Rio Tinto Kennecott. Rio Tinto employees assembled 254 bikes as part of a team building exercise during their annual safety training and 15 were given away during a 4th – 6th grade assembly at Granger.
Amber Clayton, Granger Elementary principal, played videos of fans singing Real Salt Lake chants while students filed into the assembly where they would find out which student in each class had earned a brand new bike for showing the most improvement in their DIBELS testing scores.
DIBELS stands for Dynamic Indicators of Early Basic Literacy Skills and is a set of procedures that measure for early literacy and reading skills. Students can improve their outcomes on DIBELS testing through small group and classroom instruction, practicing reading on their own with a parent or older sibling, and by working one-on-one with volunteers who listen to the students read and practice other language skill drills with them.
The students that earned a bike reflected the diversity of Granger Elementary. More than half of the students are English language learners, 22 percent are considered limited English speakers, and 10 percent are currently receiving special education services.
Students were thrilled to hear from RSL player Cole Grossman. Cole spoke along with Principal Clayton, Granger Community School Director Scott McLeod, and Piper Rhodes of Kennecott. They all emphasized the importance of continuing to learn and staying focused on achieving goals.
Congratulations to all the students who worked so hard to earn their bikes and to all the other students that made improvements in their test scores. Principal Clayton summed up this exciting event best:
“This is a time to celebrate not only the success of these students, but the entire Granger family. Our students, staff, parents, and community partners are working together to make sure every student at Granger can read and write at or above grade level.”
If you’re interested in supporting students in reading, math, or college/career preparation, visit uw.org/read to find out more about how you can be a Read. Graduate. Succeed. volunteer in the 2014-15 school year. One hour, once or twice a week, is all it takes to make a difference in the lives of students who need your support to reach their potential.
