The Penfield Central School District serves approximately 4,900 students across 4 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school located in the suburban town of Penfield, NY. The district achieves high graduation and regents diploma rates. Literacy instruction emphasizes guided reading, RTI, and the 6+1 writing traits model. The surrounding community supports literacy through the public library, parks programs, local newspapers and businesses.

1. Penfield Central
School District
District Community
Information Information
Literacy
References
Instruction

2. Basic Information- District
• Located in Suburban Rochester
• Covers 50 Square Miles
• Serves Approximately 4,900 Students
• Four Elementary Schools (K-5)
– Cobbles
– Harris Hill
– Indian Landing
– Scribner Road
• One Middle School (6-8)
– Bay Trail
• One High School (9-12)
– Penfield High School

3. District Map

4. Achievements
• 90% of Penfield Students Graduate
• 91% with a Regents Diploma
• Competitive SAT Scores
Penfield NYS
Math 575 516
Reading 537 501
Writing 531 492

5. Achievements
• Penfield School District named to 2011
Advanced Placement District
Achievement List
• Bay Trail Middle School recognized as
“School to Watch”
• Harris Hill Elementary recognized as a
“Blue Ribbon School”
• Scribner Read Elementary among the top
five schools in New York State for math
and reading scores

6. Community Connections
• Parent Organizations
– PTA for each of six schools
– Penfield SEPTA (Special Education PTA)
– PACE (Parents Advocating for Challenge in Education)
– Penfield Booster Club
• Community Input in Budget Decisions
– Focus Groups
– Community Forums
– Resident Surveys
– Advisory Committee
• Urban Suburban Program

7. Literacy in the Schools
Click on one to learn more.
Suggestions
Reading Writing for
Improvement

8. Reading Instruction
•Guided Reading Program
•Students grouped according to
reading level
•Response to Intervention (RTI) Blocks
•Looking for an Anthology Series
-Learn more about one option being
considered here:
Storytown by Harcourt

9. Reading Assessments
Northwest Evaluation
Association (NWEA)
The Northwest Evaluation Association is a
computerized national assessment
program used to track student growth
throughout the year. This assesses
reading only through the answering of
multiple choice questions.
The Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) is
a set of individually administered criterion-
referenced reading assessments for students in
kindergarten through Grade 8. Modeled after an
informal reading inventory, the DRA is intended to
be administered, scored, and interpreted by
classroom teachers.
Developmental Reading
Assessment (DRA) 2

10. Celebrating Literacy at PCSD
Dogs as Reading Buddies
Read Around the School

11. Writing Instruction**
• 6+1 Traits of Writing
A writing model of instruction and assessment that provides a common
language for teachers and students to communicate about the
characteristics of good writing.
- Ideas (the main message)
-Organization (internal structure)
-Voice (personal tone of author’s message)
-Word Choice (vocabulary chosen to convey meaning)
-Sentence Fluency (rhythm and flow of the language)
-Conventions (mechanical correctness)
-Presentation (how writing looks on the page)
** Not as much emphasis on Writing as there is on Reading, according
to teacher and parent in the Penfield School District

12. Suggestions for PCSD
Work with
More emphasis community to
placed on organize
Writing Provide more literacy
instruction opportunities celebrations
for authentic and events
reading
experiences
Explain and Workshop
show literacy method for
assessments Reading and
to parents Writing

13. Basic Information- Community
• Monroe County
• Suburb of Rochester, New York
• Population of 36,242
• Covers 37.9 Square Miles
White Asian African Native Pacific
American American Islander
93.48% 3.05% 2.11% 0.12% 0.02%

14. Basic Information- Community
• 13,144 Households, 34.9% with
Children Under Age 18
• Average Age is 40
• Median Income of Families is $74,959
• 2.3% of Families, 3.7% of Population
Below the Poverty Line

15. Literacy in the Community
Penfield Public Library
http://www.libraryweb.org/penfield/

16. Literacy in the Community
Penfield Parks and Recreation
o Town Trails
o Programs for Children and Families
 Book Making, Writing and Illustrating
 Summer Musical
 Art, Music, Sport, Outdoor,
and Science Camps
 Family Movie Night

17. Literacy in the Community
Penfield Post

18. Literacy in the Community
Grocery & other stores

19. Literacy in the Community
Post Office

20. References
• "American FactFinder". United States Census
Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
• www.penfield.edu
• www.penfieldbusiness.org
• http://www.natalierathvon.com/images/DRA_Re
view-08-25-2006.pdf
• http://educationnorthwest.org/traits
• Interview: 5th Grade Teacher, Cobbles Elementary
• Interview: 1st Grade Parent, Harris Hill Elementary