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Chinook Elementary School
Indian Education Department
Auburn School District
Auburn, WA

"As the principal of the school, I have seen an increase in the reading scores of the students who have been regularly using the Waterford program. Students who began the year below grade level were able to raise their skills to be on or above grade level."
     — John Sander, Principal

Profile

Chinook Elementary is located in Auburn, Washington just south of Seattle. The school serves 448 students in kindergarten through grade five. The student socio-economic makeup is largely low to middle class with 63.4 percent eligible for free or reduced lunch. Chinook is part of the Auburn School District comprised of 12 elementary schools, four middle schools and three high schools. Income levels of the population varies from poverty to upper middle class. Chinook is located within the service area of the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation, whose population ranges from poverty to lower middle class.

During the 2003-2004 school year the mobility rate of the population at Chinook was 25 percent. English is the primary language spoken by the majority of Chinook students while 4.9 percent speak Spanish, Ukrainian or the language of Guam. The ethnic breakdown is 48.3 percent White, 33.9 percent Native American, 7.5 percent Hispanic, 5.5 percent Asian and 4.9 percent African-American.

Challenge

Chinook Elementary previously faced the following challenges:

• Lack of parent/child reading materials in the homes
• Oral language deficit
• Poor phonemic awareness for reading readiness
• Low reading scores as the students progressed through school
   

Solution

First graders (and siblings), Daniel and Juanita reading Waterford books

Chinook Elementary and the A.S.D. Indian Education staff observed a Waterford Early Reading Program™ product demonstration from Pearson Digital Learning at the Washington State Indian Education Conference in Yakima, Washington in April 2002. Several of the staff in attendance visited an elementary school in Union Gap, Washington who had implemented the program and whose WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) scores dramatically improved. In addition, the Pearson Digital Learning Waterford representative gave a presentation to all of the staff in May of 2002.

Chinook Elementary began using the Waterford Early Reading Program in the Native American Achievement Center in March of 2003. Two additional computers were added in October of that year. The purchase was made possible through a grant written by Denise Bill, Assistant Director of Native American Programs for the A.S.D. Waterford was the clear choice for the K-2 population.

Waterford Early Reading Levels 1, 2, and 3, as well as the Phonological Awareness and Mouse and More lessons are used throughout the school. Sixty-two students in grades K-2 used the program during the 2003-04 school year. All Native American students who attend Chinook Elementary and whose parents enrolled them in the after school literacy program are eligible for the program.

Waterford is Easy to Use and Fun!

Teachers and students alike are finding Waterford to be extremely valuable. Patricia Fleming, Teacher in the Native American Achievement Center says, "As director of the program, I find

Para-educator Wendy Starr-Lloyd helping a student with Waterford

Karen Mann, Kindergarten teacher says, "It is exciting to see the excitement in a child’s eyes when going to use Waterford and always enjoying all that it teaches them!"

Taylor Bill, a student at Chinook says, "I think the computer is fun, I especially like the castle; it is so pretty."

According to Wendy Starr-Lloyd, Para-educator for the Native American Achievement Center, "It is easy to set up the program for students to get on. I can see how it is helpful in their reading readiness. The students are eager to get on the computer."

Results

From October 2003 — May 2004, Chinook Elementary used a Skills Assessment and an ABC Inventory for the kindergarten scores to evaluate how Waterford has helped the school to overcome challenges. First and second graders were given the Gates McGinitie Reading Test.

On average, there was a 51.3 percent improvement at the kindergarten level, a 22.2 percent increase at the first grade level and an 18.75 percent increase at the second grade level.

In all, students and teachers at Chinook Elementary have overcome their challenges with the help of the Waterford Early Reading Program.

First grader, Joey, enjoying his Waterford session		Joey earns himself a certificate!

Contact us for additional information on how Pearson Digital Learning can help you achieve results with Waterford Early Reading Program.