Auburn School District No. 408
915 4th Street Northeast, Auburn, WA  98002

11/19/04

NEWS RELEASE
"SWARM" Reading Program
has Kids Buzzing

Dick Scobee Elementary School has created, through its Title I reading program, a SWARM reading program.  The program creates small ability groupings of students at each grade level that focus on teaching reading at the specific levels, targeting specific areas requiring strengthening.  The small groups are created by "swarming" each grade level during the day for a 45-minute period.  For example, during first grade's SWARM time, the grade level is swarmed by six adults (paraeducators, reading specialist, teacher on special assignment (TOSA), literacy specialist, English as Language Learner (ELL) staff, as well as the four first grade teachers.  That is ten adults to work with a small group of students.  All the other grade levels work similarly during their SWARM time.  Every three weeks, there are "pop and drop" meetings to look at assessment data and use it to move students from group to group, if necessary, as they make progress or need to seque to a different group.  In other words, the groups are fluid.

The SWARM program is working very effectively.  Dick Scobee staff are very positive about it and are realizing tremendous growth already in the students’ reading skills.

For more information, contact Dick Scobee Elementary School principal, Greg Brown, at (253) 931-4984.