School pilots reading strategy

There are 108 reasons for reading skills to improve at W.C. Petty Elementary School in Antioch.

The school's 18 classrooms have each been equipped with six new computers as part of a pilot program to strengthen reading skills in Antioch Elementary District 34.

If successful, the district's other schools will be outfitted with the new computers next year.

"I'm really excited and think this is a wonderful thing for our kids," Principal Mary Kay McNeill said.

McNeill said Petty was chosen after the district's curriculum director looked at second-grade reading scores and identified a number of at-risk students.

Teachers at Petty are being trained on three software programs. The first, called Read Naturally, builds reading fluency and comprehension.

Other programs are Read 180, software designed for fourth- and fifth-graders, and a phonics intervention program for second-graders.

Five of the computers are for the students and all are connected to the sixth system, which is run by the teacher, said Dave Downing, technical coordinator for the district.

Because of the set-up, the cost was a lot less, with each computer costing about $450, Downing said.

Hillcrest Elementary School, which serves kindergarten and first-graders, is also benefiting from the program.

The school has received 18 computers that were taken out of Petty to make room for the new system. If the program is expanded to Antioch Elementary School and Oakland School, Hillcrest will be given those computers as well, Downing said.

McNeill said while all of the schools have computer labs, the additional classroom computers allow students to benefit from technology on a daily basis.

"This will allow us to target specific kids and specific areas of weakness," McNeill said. "It was a huge investment by the board of education and the district and we are so happy to have it."