Shining a Light on Bright Spots

WELCOME TO THE

2ND ANNUAL

ONEIDA READS

SUMMIT

Shining a Light on Bright Spots

and

Gaining Insights for the Future

DRUMS

BUFFALO CREEK DRUM

ONEIDA ROYALTY

MISS ONEIDA, MIA CHARNON

JUNIOR MISS ONEIDA, WILEENA BIGJOHN

LIL MISS ONEIDA, MARLEY FONTAINE

THANKSGIVING ADDRESS

JUNIOR MISS ONEIDA, WILEENA BIGJOHN

WELCOME AND

WHERE WE STARTED

ONEIDA COUNCILWOMAN JENNIFER WEBSTER

SPECIAL GUESTS

Oneida Business Committee members

Local, State and Federal Government Representatives

Community Members

Our Presenters!

EXTERNAL COLLECTIVE IMPACT

PARTNERS

ONEIDA INTERNAL COLLECTIVE

IMPACT PARTNERS

Oneida Business Committee

Oneida Nation School District

Oneida FACE Program

Oneida Education and Training

Early Education Center

Head Start/Early Head Start

BIA Early Intervention

Youth Enrichment Services

Higher Education

Oneida Libraries

Oneida Recreation

Oneida Comprehensive Health Division

Oneida Nation Community Resource Center

Oneida Big Bear Media

Oneida Communications

Kalihwisaks

AND MANY MORE WHO SUPPORT ONEIDA READS!

THE ONEIDA READS

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Community Champion: Councilwoman Jennifer Webster

Community Connector: David Jordan

Oneida Organizational Sponsor: Mark Powless

Oneida Education and Training Sponsor: Eric Krawczyk

Project and Change Lead: Ann McCotter

WHO ATTENDED THE LAUNCH

MEETING LAST YEAR?

A YEAR IN PICTURES

A YEAR IN PICTURES CONTINUED

A YEAR IN PICTURES CONTINUED

SUMMIT FUNDING PROVIDED BY

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Two table group discussions

Parking lot

Event feedback form

A MESSAGE FROM THE

CHAIRMAN

ONEIDA CHAIRMAN TEHASSI HILL

THE CAMPAIGN FOR GRADE

LEVEL READING

MALAI AMFAHR, SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER,

CONSTITUENCY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT

The Foundation of CGLR is Relationships

Communities Engaging with Each Other = Secret Sauce

What

CGLR is a network of 300+ communities

joined to disrupt the cycle of generational

poverty by improving the prospects of early

school success.

How

We support local community coalitions with

peer learning and connections with

national partners.

Our Network

4,100+ local orgs

500+ state and local funders

200+ United Ways

Our Partnership

CGLR’s Priorities for 2025 & 2026

• Family Engagement

• Every Day Attendance

• Summer Learning

• Tutoring

• Teacher Development

• Technology-enhanced teaching and learning

• Making kindergarten into a sturdy

bridge between the early years and the

early grades, shrinking the kindergarten

entry gap.

• Advocacy and action to assure digital

connectivity and internet access for every

home, every student.

• Adopting a “learning happens everywhere” approach to make

learning-rich environments at home and in everyday places and spaces

abundant throughout the community.

gradelevelreading.net / @readingby3rd / #GLReading

THE FOUR FOCUS AREAS

MARK POWLESS, CEO – NATION SERVICES, ONEIDA NATION

THE DATA THAT STARTED IT ALL

THE JACKIE SMITH

ONEIDA READS

ANNUAL RECOGNITION

Presented to Oneida Councilwoman Jennifer Webster

OUR GOAL

THE LATEST DATA

Oneida Nation Elementary School

35% of 3rd grade students tested in the fall of 2025

scored on grade level or above. (N=25)

(MAP Growth Test in reading)

Fall 2025

35%

On or Above

Below

THE LATEST DATA

3rd Grade Reading Proficiency as measured on the Forward

Exam ELA in 2025

Brown County (N=51)

• Native students were 20% proficient (Meeting or Advanced)

• 46% equity gap between Native students (20% proficient)

and White students (66% proficient)

Outagamie County (N=19)

• Native students were 32% proficient (Meeting or Advanced)

• 33% equity gap between Native students (32% proficient)

and White students (65% proficient)

THE FOUR FOCUS AREAS OF

ONEIDA READS

Kindergarten

Readiness

School

Attendance

Instruction/

How Reading

is Taught

Out of

School

Learning

Awareness

Family

Engagement

Data

THE 2ND ANNUAL

ONEIDA READS

SUMMIT

Shining a Light on Bright Spots

and

Gaining Insights for the Future

THE ONEIDA READS DATA TEAM

Education and Training Area Manager: Jackie Smith

Oneida Reads Project and Change Lead: Ann McCotter

Director, Oneida Early Education Center: Josh Cornelius

Future State Consulting: Adam Hardy

Partner Spotlight:

Seth Bishop, Data and Evaluation Specialist

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

DATA INSIGHTS

Adam Hardy, Future State Consulting

Josh Cornelius, Director Oneida Early Education Center

Insights

(All Native

Students)

New ELA Cut Score

Native Student 2021-2024 3rd Grade ELA Cohort At-a-Glance

•

Total Native Students: 496

o

Indigenous Students: 343

o

Other race than “Indigenous” but with designated Tribal Affiliation: 153

o

•

•

Tribal Affiliation (as recorded): Top entries include Oneida Nation (WI) 163, Menominee

44; several others appear in small numbers; 254 are blank/unrecorded.

District/school coverage: 16 districts, 67 schools (top five districts by count: Green Bay Area

Public 239; Pulaski 45; Seymour 41; Appleton 38; Freedom 27)

Gender: M 249 (50.2%), F 247 (49.8%)

• There is a substantial gender gap in ELA proficiency which starts in 2022 and widens into

2024 (see chart)

• Mean attendance is similar: Girls 90.34%, Boys 90.15%

• English Language Learners: Yes 3 (0.6%), No 493 (99.4%)

• Special Education/IEP: Yes 134 (27%), No 362 (73%)

• There is a substantial gender gap in children with an IEP:

• Female: 15% (N=37)

• Male: 39% (N=97)

36%

N=89

28%

N=101

22%

N=63

20%

N=55

19%

N=67

30%

N=152

19%

N=159

16%

N=82

12%

N=118

5%

N=58

3%

N=36

THE CASE FOR EARLY LITERACY

INTERVENTION

JOSHUA CORNELIUS, DIRECTOR OF ONEIDA EARLY EDUCATION CENTER

-Preparing Oneida youth for the future

-Reading impacts essentially all areas of learning

-Will take commitment from parents and educators alike

Kindergarten

Readiness

KINDERGARTEN

READINESS

ANN MCCOTTER

ONEIDA READS PROJECT AND CHANGE LEAD

KINDERGARTEN READINESS

• Ages and Stages Questionnaire with Help Me Grow

NEW

• Teaching Strategies Curriculum and professional

development

• NWTC and C.H.A.T. Sessions for early childhood

educators

• Reach Out and Read at Oneida Comprehensive Health

Kindergarten

Readiness

Kindergarten

Readiness

THE AGES AND

STAGES QUESTIONNAIRE

Andrea Knope, Help Me Grow Coordinator

Family and Childhood Resources of N.E.W. and Help Me Grow N.E.W.,

Bright Spot

SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO

CARE FOR CHILDREN

Bright Spot

* A collaboration with Family & Childcare Resources of N.E.W.

started in the childcare program.

* The collaboration has since grown to also include the Head Start

and Early Head Start, Early Intervention, FACE, and Health Services

through Help Me Grow NEW.

* Help Me Grow NEW has a goal to improve early childhood

systems and help all children thrive to their full protentional.

* Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Parent-completed tool used to

screen for potential developmental delays in children from birth to

age five.

FINALIZED SCREENERS:

1043 AND COUNTING!

ASQ: 3

Bright Spot

23%

51%

Below Cutoff (Concern)

Monitoring (Possible Concern)

Above (No Concern)

26%

RESULTS BY CATEGORY

600

Bright Spot

500

23%

400

300

51%

200

26%

100

0

Communication

Gross Motor

Above / Typical

Fine Motor

Monitoring

Problem Solving

Personal-Social

Below Cutoff

SAMPLE ASQ RESULTS

Bright Spot

Below Cutoff

(Black Section)

Monitoring

(Gray Section)

51%

26%

Above

(White Section)

THE WHOLE CHILD

Bright Spot

51%

26%

Moderator: Jay Martinez, Director

Oneida Head Start/Early Head

Start

Panelists:

Andrea Knope, Help Me Grow

NEW

Dr. Karen Lane, Oneida

Comprehensive Health

Michelle Miller, Early Head Start

Cindy Liebers, Early Intervention

Tanya Lopez Martin, FACE

ASQ TEAM PANEL

DISCUSSION

Kindergarten

Readiness

C.H.A.T. SESSIONS

Vicki Tank, Early Childhood Education Instructor

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

Bright Spot

C.H.A.T. SESSIONS

Kindergarten

Readiness

CONNECT • HEAR • ASK • TRANSFORM

C.H.A.T. Sessions are collaborative coaching conversations

designed to support growth, reflection, and shared learning.

Bright Spot

Over the past several weeks, I have supported multiple preschool

classrooms at both Norbert Hill and Three Sisters through the

C.H.A.T. coaching model.

My work included initial planning meetings, classroom

observations, collaborative coaching conversations, and the

sharing of targeted instructional strategies to strengthen early

childhood practices.

INITIAL PLANNING MEETINGS

During the first meetings, all classrooms identified similar strengths

and needs.

Common Strengths

• Routines becoming well-established

• Strong communication and teamwork

• Frequent use of Teaching Strategy Studies

• Some transition activities similar to Mighty Minutes

• Growing oral language opportunities

Common Areas for Support

• Implementing literacy more intentionally

• Integrating Sound Story Cards and phonological awareness

• Strengthening lesson planning with Teaching Strategies GOLD

• Embedding literacy throughout the day

• Supporting behavior expectations at circle time

• Examples from planning meetings included a desire to strengthen

literacy implementation, incorporate Sound Stories more effectively,

and explore how oral language supports early literacy.

Bright Spot

CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS

Bright Spot

Across the first two observations, several strong practices were consistently

evident.

Classrooms had well-established routines—children transitioned smoothly,

cleaned up independently, and were highly familiar with group-time expectations.

Circle times were calm, structured, and engaging.

Teachers provided rich oral language opportunities, including discussion of

vocabulary, storytelling, descriptive conversations, and connections to study topics.

Children were encouraged to share ideas, answer questions, and participate in

group conversations, building expressive language skills.

Phonological awareness was emerging across classrooms. Examples included clapping syllables,

identifying beginning sounds, practicing letter sounds, and using Sound Story Cards. Teachers were

beginning to embed these skills into circle time and transitions.

The classroom environments were print-rich, with labels, schedules, job charts, and signs in both English

and Oneida. Suggestions were made to move alphabet lines and Sound Story Cards to children’s eye level

to support independence and daily use.

Small-group instruction was purposeful and hands-on—activities such as painting, book-making, or art

tied into ongoing studies like trees or clothing. Teachers supported children with guided questions,

modeling, and vocabulary.

Children demonstrated independence and collaboration—helping peers, selecting centers confidently, and

engaging for sustained periods in writing, art, sensory, and block areas.

C.H.A.T. CLASSROOM RECAP SESSIONS

•Explicitly teaching listening expectations for group times.

•Embedding Phonological Awareness into transition activities and classroom activities

Bright Spot

C.H.A.T. CLASSROOM RECAP SESSIONS

Strengthening literacy

opportunities in centers

Making print more

functional and

accessible

Bright Spot

Continued work with both Head Start locations to fully

implement the KickStart Literacy curriculum.

The next phase of work is beginning at OEEC and with

Early Head Start, following the same structure used at

Norbert Hill and Three Sisters:

• Initial planning meetings

• Coaching and support for lesson planning and

assessment within the SmartTeach® app

MOVING

FORWARD

• Implementation of age-appropriate KickStart

Literacy components

• For Early Head Start, the focus will be

developmentally aligned, emphasizing:

• High-quality teacher–child interactions

• Expanding oral language, back-and-forth

conversations, and vocabulary

• Supporting routines that build early

communication skills

• Introducing foundational literacy behaviors

through play, songs, and books

This next stage ensures that all sites

are supported in building consistent,

developmentally responsive, literacyaligned practices that promote strong

early language and reading

foundations across the entire Birth–5

program.

Kindergarten

Readiness

REACH OUT AND READ

Cari Ritter, MPAS, PA-C

Reach Out and Read Program Manager, SW Wisconsin

Bright Spot

BEHIND THE SCENES

CHILD:

Holds book and turns pages easily

Constant happy babble

Singing

Calms and tunes to dad when he reads

Explores book with hands, eyes, mouth

WHAT DID WE SEE?

PARENT:

Allows Nyla control of book

Points to objects and asks questions to

engage

Changes his voice

PROVIDER:

Encourages to not give up

Reflects back their enjoyment of

quality time, joint attention

Praises dad

B

O

O

K

VALUABLE SKILLS

Print concept

Alphabet and

Letter sound

knowledge

ABC

Phonological

awareness

Oral

language/

vocabulary

Emergent

writing

AHHHH

BUT FIRST AND MOST

IMPORTANTLY

Kids need someone who

is crazy about them and

can show it!

Every child needs at least

one safe, stable, nurturing

adult to make these skills

come to life in them.

Providers receive training

with Reach Out and Read

to encourage positive

interactions, give support

and coaching, model

teachable moments all

while using the book as a

tool.

At each well-child visit from birth to age 5

the child receives a new book =14 books

15 Years…

347k

well-child visits

304k

new books

2,102

medical providers

317

program sites

ONEIDA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER

• Joined Reach Out and Read Sep 2024

• Providers Trained-11/11

• 439 well-child visits ages 6 months-5 years from Jan 1-July 1 2025

• 330 books given ages 6 months-5years from Jan 1-July 1 2025

• Created a beautiful and inviting reading corner for children and

their families

• Next steps:

Working on implementation of giving books and having

conversations starting at birth about the importance of sharing

books together

For more information and resources visit:

https://linktr.ee/RORWI

Group Facilitator: Oneida

Councilwoman Jennifer Webster

Questions:

1. Considering what was just presented as the

current work to increase kindergarten

readiness, what do you think will make the

biggest difference in terms of Oneida kids

becoming proficient readers by 3rd grade?

2. What other actions do you think could help

to ensure that Oneida kids are ready for

kindergarten?

TABLE GROUP

REFLECTION TIME

HOW READING IS TAUGHT

ANN MCCOTTER

ONEIDA READS PROJECT AND CHANGE LEAD

HOW READING IS TAUGHT

• Professional development in structured literacy (early childhood

and K-3)

• Act 20 advocacy and school district partnership

• GBAPS Title VI Team to join the Oneida Reads LETRS Cohort

• Lexia LETRS Vol 1 and Vol 2 certification

• Expanded resources: reading decodables and manipulatives for

classrooms

• Wisconsin Reading Corps advocacy and rollout at 4 partner schools

Instruction/

How Reading

is Taught

STRUCTURED LITERACY

Sarkis Wentland, Literacy Specialist, CESA 7

Bright Spot

TREE OF STRUCTURED

LITERACY

Bright Spot

Fluency

Phonics

Phonological

Awareness

Vocabulary

Literacy

Comprehension

Oral Language

COMPONENTS OF

STRUCTURED LITERACY

Bright Spot

Systematic and Cumulative

•

Instruction follows a logical order, progressing from the most basic concepts to

the most difficult.

•

Each new step builds directly upon concepts previously mastered.

Explicit Instruction

•

All concepts are taught deliberately and directly, with continuous studentteacher interaction.

•

It is not assumed students will naturally deduce these concepts on their own.

Diagnostic Teaching

•

Instruction is individualized to meet specific student needs.

•

Based on careful and continuous assessment (both informal and formal).

•

The goal is automaticity: mastering a skill so it frees cognitive resources for

comprehension and expression.

International Dyslexia Association. "Structured Literacy Instruction: The Basics." Reading Rockets, WETA Public Broadcasting,

www.readingrockets.org/topics/about-reading/articles/structured-literacy-instruction-basics. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

FOUNDATION AND

IMPLEMENTATION

Bright Spot

Deep Professional Learning

• Train all YES Advocates & Specialists in LETRS Vol. 1.

•

GBAPS Title VI Specialists

• Ongoing implementation support as we prepare for Vol. 2.

Job-Embedded Coaching

• Providing on-site, in-classroom coaching to all YES members to

translate LETRS training into practice.

• Targeted coaching at Norbert Hill, Three Sisters Head Start, and

the Early Childhood Development Center.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Bright Spot

Building System-Wide Knowledge

• Broad trainings for Oneida Education & Training on the core

concepts and history of Structured Literacy.

Community Outreach

• Sharing literacy information to families at afterschool events and

other community opportunities.

• Supporting Summer Reading Programming at County H.

Instruction/

How Reading

is Taught

WISCONSIN READING CORPS

Eric Hoffman, Executive Director of Wisconsin Programs, Ampact/Wisconsin Reading Corps

Matt Malcore, Principal Green Bay Area Public King Elementary School

Bright Spot

Bright Spot

Bright Spot

READING CORPS

IMPACT IN

WISCONSIN

Bright Spot

READING CORPS

LOCAL SUPPORT

2023-PRESENT

KING ELEMENTARY

PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION

Bright Spot

HOW PARTNERSHIP WORKS

AT KING ELEMENTARY

Bright Spot

• Starting partnership with honest conversations about

implementation.

• Regular Data Discussions - what is happening, what

is working, what do we need to tweak in the best

interest of student success.

• Leveraging the data and incorporating Reading Corps

data into the larger picture of support for students at

King Elementary.

Out of

School

Learning

OUT OF SCHOOL LEARNING

ANN MCCOTTER

ONEIDA READS PROJECT AND CHANGE LEAD

OUT OF SCHOOL LEARNING

• Morning/after school programs

• Summer Reading Program with Seymour

Community School District

• Summer Reading Program with Oneida Recreation

at County H

• 1-on-1 Reading Tutoring at community locations

including the Oneida Libraries

Out of

School

Learning

PARTNERING FOR

STUDENT

SUCCESS

Jennifer Pierre, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Seymour Community School District

Jamie Inman, Principal, Rock Ledge Elementary School

A special thank you to this talented team!

Orleana Batiste,

Marcie Cartier-Jefferson,

Kristin Ewald,

Amanda Herlache,

Tami Kaczrowski,

River Ocker,

Tanya Skenandore,

Vicki Strezlecki

Bright Spot

STARTING STRONG:

LEVERAGING DATA, COMMUNICATION & PARTNERSHIPS

ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO

SUCCESS

THE SUMMER SCHOOL

INTERVENTION

HOW IT WORKED: PROGRAM STRUCTURE

EXTENDING THE LEARNING:

THE LEARNING DIDN’T STOP WHEN SUMMER SCHOOL ENDED

Youth Enrichment Services (YES) teachers continued to

meet with students at the Oneida library throughout

the summer, providing a bridge of continuous support

and fostering a community love of reading.

We were able to begin this school year as a

continuation from the summer programming with

knowledge and data about where students were at with

their intervention providing a seamless start to the

school year.

During this school year, we are carrying over the reading

intervention with the Oneida Recreation department

after school. We currently have two YES staff going to

the Rec Center two times a week to help with reading

interventions.

BUILDING ON SUCCESS

The summer program was a great success, with

positive feedback from parents including:

•"Love that it's one on one tutoring sessions“

•"The tutor was very patient which helped my

daughter feel comfortable.“

•"I saw a difference in reading ability with my child"

We will continue to monitor our students’ data to

determine the full efficacy of this programming.

Moderator: Mark Powless, CEO –

Nation Services, Oneida Nation

Panelists:

Sarkis, Literacy Specialist, CESA 7

Orleana Batiste, Oneida Y.E.S. Advocate

Kristin Ewald, Y.E.S. Specialist

Jess Ortega, Oneida Recreation Specialist

Parent of student: Tammy Shoning

STRUCTURED

LITERACY PANEL

DISCUSSION

Group Facilitator: Oneida

Councilwoman Jennifer Webster

Questions:

1. Considering what was just presented as the

current work to provide structured literacy

instruction for Oneida kids, what do you think

will make the biggest difference in terms of

Oneida kids becoming proficient readers by

3rd grade?

2. What other actions do you think could help

to ensure Oneida kids are exposed to more

structured literacy instruction?

TABLE GROUP

REFLECTION TIME

COMMITMENT TO

PARTNERSHIP

TACARA LOVINGS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE

OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

partnership

THANK YOU!

Engaged Learners Creating a Better Wisconsin Together

CALL TO ACTION AND

MEETING CLOSE

ONEIDA COUNCILWOMAN JENNIFER WEBSTER

THE FOUR FOCUS AREAS OF

ONEIDA READS

Kindergarten

Readiness

?

Instruction/

How Reading

is Taught

Out of

School

Learning

Awareness

Family

Engagement

Data

CALL TO ACTION

Considering what you have heard during the Summit related to Bright Spots and Insights

and keeping in mind the goal of Oneida Reads, what are two actions that you can commit to

in the next year that will help increase 3rd grade reading proficiency for Oneida kids in our

area?

1.

2.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Please take a few moments to complete the event feedback form:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/97G2B8S

THANK YOU FOR

JOINING US

TODAY!