The Scarsdale Public Schools guide, Scarsdale Literacy: A Balanced Approach, is a collaboratively written document with the intended purpose of highlighting and informing our balanced literacy instruction throughout the District’s elementary schools.

District and schoolwide representatives from every elementary grade level, classroom teachers, Learning Resource Center teachers, reading specialists, librarians, administrators, coordinators, and technology teachers gave voice to their departments in the documentation of literacy instruction in our schools.

The Elementary Literacy Guide is intended to be a bank of information that offers:

• • • Understanding of our elementary mission

    • Communication of our beliefs and pedagogy

    • Demonstration of our common approach and technique, with variation and creativity

    • Resources for our Professional Learning Community (PLC)

    • Framework for collaboration

The Committee's Process:

Responding to requests from teachers and administrators, both new and veteran, who were seeking an updated version of our best practices in literacy, a subcommittee of volunteers was formed -- the Balanced Literacy Guide (BLG) committee. With continuous feedback of their process to the District Based Elementary Language Arts Committee (DBELAC), the BLG undertook the task of revising the original Scarsdale Elementary Balanced Literacy Guide, (2006).

After careful review, it was determined that much in literacy instruction had evolved, and that the most efficient way to approach the documentation and information about literacy instruction in the Scarsdale elementary schools would be best served with a new guide.

During the process, the committee reviewed the original Balanced Literacy Guide to determine what remained relevant. They also reviewed other districts' literacy guides for content and format. Most importantly, research into our classrooms and best practices is documented in this guide. The committee then created a guide that they felt reflected the District’s unique and creative approach to literacy.

The guide that exists on the pages of this website is a living document and an ongoing work in progress. The feedback form tab at the bottom of the site’s homepage will always be linked and the comments and suggestions from our teachers and administrators are always welcome. The committee openly welcomes content suggestions, submissions, photographs, files, videos and links. In addition to frequent updates, a newly organized peer review committee will convene annually to look over the site's contents.

We welcome you to use this guide for planning, collaboration, and reference.

The Literacy Guide Committee