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Giles County Public Schools
Giles County Public Schools
Dr. Marliin Campbell, Superintendent- mcampbell@gilesk12.net
Mr. Jason Buckland, School Board Chair- jbuckland@gilesk12.net
Mrs. Sarah Woods, Division VLA Lead- swoods@gilesk12.net
Date of Local School Board Adoption- 06/30/2025
Date of Local School Board Adoption- 06/30/2025
SECTION ONE: Planning for Comprehensive Communication
School Division Literacy Vision Statement
In Giles County Public Schools, our vision is for all students to become confident, skilled readers and writers who can access grade-level content and express their thinking clearly. We are committed to delivering evidence-based, systematic reading instruction grounded in the science of reading. This includes foundational skills in the early grades and a strong emphasis on vocabulary, morphology, and language comprehension in upper elementary and middle school. Through rigorous instruction and responsive intervention, we will ensure that every student is equipped with the skills to read and write increasingly complex texts, understand and use academic vocabulary, and comprehend both literary and informational texts deeply.
We believe that literacy development is a lifelong process and that teaching all of our students to read is one of our most fundamental responsibilities. We will work collaboratively with students, families, and the broader community to empower all learners with the literacy tools they need to succeed in school and beyond.
In Giles County Public Schools, we will:
implement evidence-based literacy instruction for all students in grades K–8, grounded in the science of reading and appropriate to their developmental stage.
ensure all students receive explicit instruction in the five pillars of reading—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—along with writing, language, and oral expression.
build students’ vocabulary and language comprehension across grade levels through intentional exposure to academic language, rich texts, and discussion.
provide instruction in morphology, including Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes, to help students in all grades read, write, and spell increasingly complex words.
ensure all students have access to high-quality, evidence-based core, supplemental, and intervention instructional materials aligned with the science of reading.
monitor student progress using valid and reliable assessments, and provide targeted support and intervention based on student needs.
offer high-quality professional learning for teachers in all grades K–8 to deepen their understanding of literacy development and effective instructional strategies.
create a cohesive K–8 literacy experience where students are supported in both learning to read and reading to learn.
partner with families and caregivers to promote literacy at home and ensure students have access to language-rich environments beyond the classroom.
foster a love of reading and writing by building a culture of literacy across our schools and community.
SECTION TWO: Selecting High-Quality Instructional Materials
Core Materials (K-5 Grade)
HMH Into Reading, All Schools Grades K-5
Supplemental Materials (K-5 Grade)
Really Great Reading: Countdown, All Schools Grade K
Really Great Reading: Blast, All Schools Grade 1
Really Great Reading: HD Word, All Schools Grades 2-3
Heggerty Phonemic Awareness, All Schools Grades K-2
Intervention Materials (K-5)
S.P.I.R.E., All Schools Grades K-5
Sounds Sensible, All Schools Grade K
Heggerty Bridge the Gap, All Schools Grades 3-5
Core Materials (6-8)
HMH Into Literature, All Schools
Supplemental materials (6-8 Grade)
REWARDS Intermediate/Secondary, All Schools
Lexia Power Up, All Schools
Intervention Materials (6-8)
Lexia Power Up, All Schools
SPIRE (in review process), All Schools
** All special populations (ELL, Gifted, SWD) will receive the same core, supplemental, and intervention materals by school.
SECTION THREE: Ensuring Virginia Literacy Act Evidence-Based Reading Research Training
Additional Training for Educators on Adopted Curricular Materials:
Really Great Reading: New Teachers in K-3 (August, 2025/2026)
Delivering S.P.I.R.E. Intervention: Reading Specialists, Title 1 Interventionists, SPED Teachers in grades K-8 (September 2025/2026)
HMH Into Reading and Into Literature Refresher: K-8 Reading/English Teachers (September 2025/2026)
HMH Into Reading/Into Literature- Pacing Guide and Unit Planning: 3-7 Reading/English Teachers (August 2025-August 2026)
SECTION FOUR: Monitoring Student Assessment and Programs
SECTION FIVE: Assessing Division Level Progress
SECTION SIX: Engaging Parents, Caregivers, and Community
Parents/guardians will be informed of their child's results on the VALLS diagnostic screener once it has been completed. If screening results indicate that a student is at-risk and has been identified as needing a Student Reading Plan, parents/guardians will be contacted and given the opportunity to participate in a meeting to determine appropriate supplemental instruction and/or intervention. Should parents/guardians choose not to participate in setting goals and formulating next steps for the Student Reading Plan, the team will make those decisions to build the plan. A copy of the Student Reading Plan will be provided to parents/guardians along with recommendations for working with their children at home to support students' individual needs.
The following strategies will be used to grow partnerships with families, our community, and other stakeholders:
Regular communication with parents/guardians.
Create and maintain division-wide literacy webpage.
Create and maintain updated class webpages.
Maintain family literacy calendar with important dates, activities, ideas, and events.
Send home informational packets, brochures, flyers, newsletters, and/or kits with literacy activities and resources.
Personalized invitations to literacy events.
Share information via multiple avenues, including email, social media, and newsletters, in order to maximize impact.
Conduct parent/guardian conferences to share assessment information and progress toward goals.
Livestream or Zoom recordings of school-based literacy events for those who cannot attend in person.
Community Involvement:
Community Helpers feature highlighting community service employees by inviting them to conduct themed read-alouds and share experiences.
Invited community members/organizations to get involved in literacy events.
Videos on division literacy website with messages from community leaders/local celebrities/high school students encouraging literacy activities and reading.
Speak at community FOCUS meeting to share our literacy vision and ideas for partnerships.
PDF Version of Division Literacy Plan
25-27 Biennial GCPS Division Reading Plan-2.pdfPage updated
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