Garden City welcomes new teachers with a strong foundation in literacy

Garden City Public Schools continued its commitment to evidence-based literacy instruction this August as new K–5 teachers participated in “Building a Strong Foundation: Integrating Research-Based, High-Leverage Practices to Deliver a Comprehensive Approach to Literacy for All” during new teacher orientation week.

The five-hour professional learning course was cocreated in 2023 by Director of Literacy K–12 Lauren Kaufman; Lauren Quezada, current principal of Homestead School and then assistant principal at Stratford School; and Rachel Lindsey, assistant principal of Stewart School. Together, they developed and delivered the course to Garden City classroom teachers to establish a shared foundation for literacy instruction across the district.

Since that time, Kaufman has embedded the course into new teacher orientation week so that every new K–5 classroom teacher begins their Garden City career with a common understanding of the research, practices and instructional approaches that support strong literacy development.

Grounded in the New York State Science of Reading Literacy Briefs and current research, the course explores the “Big Six” literacy skills and competencies — oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension — and connects them to Garden City’s Comprehensive Approach to Literacy.

Throughout the five-hour experience, teachers engaged in active learning, discussion, reflection and application. They left with high-impact practices and strategies they can immediately implement in their classrooms and also developed a shared language that supports continued collaboration and professional learning across the district.

“Literacy is the cornerstone of all learning, and we want every teacher entering Garden City to begin with a strong foundation,” Kaufman said. “Our goal is for teachers to leave not only with a deeper understanding of the research, but with practical strategies they can use with students right away. This course is the beginning of the learning we will continue to build together throughout their careers in Garden City.”

The course is updated each year to maintain strong alignment with current research, district priorities, resources and instructional practices. By making it a consistent part of New Teacher Orientation, Garden City continues to invest in a comprehensive and sustained approach to professional learning that begins before teachers even enter their classrooms.