In a nutshell, the Intervention Team supports students by:

• • • Identifying the needs of our students and intervening as early as possible

    • Using research-based interventions to target specific reading and math skills

    • Closely monitoring student progress and growth

What is the Intervention Program?

Students in the Intervention Program receive extra support in the areas of reading or math.  This  support takes place in a small group setting with one of the intervention teachers.

Who are the Intervention Teachers at Washington?

The Washington School Intervention Team is comprised of Mrs. Colleen DeWitt, Mrs. Sara Slimak, Mrs. Marie Cahill, and Mrs. Jennifer DeLuca. Special education teachers, speech and language pathologist, or other staff may assist the intervention teachers in addressing the reading and math needs of students.  Students may have one or more of these teachers throughout the school year.

How are students chosen to participate in Intervention Program?

Students are chosen for the Intervention Program based on reading assessments and input from classroom teachers. Reading assessments include Illinois Snapshots of Early Literacy (ISEL - kindergarten only), benchmark reading and math assessments, Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), and Fountas & Pinnell leveled reading assessments. Additional screening assessments may be administered by the Intervention teachers to determine eligibility for the program. Assessments such as individual reading inventories or running records, phonics surveys, phonemic awareness assessments, and sight word inventories can provide additional information needed to fully understand student strengths and needs.

Will my child receive Intervention services for the whole year?

The Intervention Program is designed to target areas of need and to provide intervention until proficiency is reached. Ongoing progress monitoring determines a child's continuing education status in the program. The Intervention Program is meant to be flexible.  Students may enter and exit the program at anytime during the school year as their individual needs change.

How often will my child receive Intervention services?

Interventions are typically thirty minutes in length. Students generally receive support four to five days per week.

What do students work on during Intervention class?

Students work on any of the skills that make up the five big areas of reading:  phonemic awareness, phonics, reading comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary.  Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention System, Wilson Fundations, SRA Reading Mastery, Phonics for Reading, Rewards, Read Naturally, and Six-Minute Solution are some of the programs used for instruction. Students receiving math support will use the Number Worlds math curriculum. The curriculum is chosen based on student needs.

How will I know how my child is doing in the Intervention Program?

Your child's Intervention teacher will make every effort to attend your parent-teacher conference, as scheduled. If this is not possible due to conflicting conference times, the Intervention teachers will be happy to schedule an alternate meeting time. Intervention teachers may also be contacted via email or phone at any time if you have questions or concerns. 

What will my child miss from his/her classroom when leaving for Intervention?

Students will remain in their classrooms during core reading and math blocks. Most students attend Literacy class during the grade level intervention block, when classroom teachers are implementing various interventions to meet individual student needs.  

Will my child feel uncomfortable leaving his/her classroom?

Many students leave the classroom to receive additional services during their school day. Due to the frequency of students "coming and going," your child should not feel singled out as a result of attending Intervention class. In addition, the small group dynamic of the Intervention sessions is often something students enjoy.