Harley Avenue Primary School opened its doors to teachers and administrators from Levittown Public Schools on Jan. 17 to observe reading, writing and phonics instruction at the elementary school.

Principal Elissa Millan explained that for the past five years both Harley Avenue and James H. Boyd Intermediate School have been part of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, whose goal is to is to help young people become skilled readers, writers and inquirers through reading, writing and phonics instruction. On Jan. 17, Harley Avenue Primary School helped model that literacy program for Levittown, which is looking to implement a similar program.  

Harley’s kindergarten teachers, Ms. Palma and Mrs. Jantzen, and ENL teacher Ms. Sullivan, read “It’s Super Mouse” by Phyllis Root to their students and discussed the differences between reading fiction and non-fiction. They advised students to read with a “teacher’s voice” when reading non-fiction and to match the characters emotions when reading fiction. 

“This will help make the words jump off the page and come to life,” Mrs. Palma said.  

The guests also visited Ms. Powell, Ms. Thomas and Ms. Fleming’s first grade phonics classes; Ms. LaBarbera and Ms. Schlieben's kindergarten writing class; as well as Ms. Schombs and Ms. Miller’s second grade writing class.

Levittown’s Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Todd Winch thanked Principal Millan in an email. 

“It is clear you have developed a true professional learning community at Harley Avenue Primary School,” he wrote. “You and your wonderful staff provided a powerful glimpse inside what the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project can do for children when it is matched with caring and dedicated professionals.”