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Week 24: A Focus on Reading Fluency
Happy Friday!
As we continue through the semester, I want to thank you for the intentional work happening across our district each day. Our progress toward our performance targets, including sustained attendance, continued growth in literacy and writing, and improved student engagement, depends on consistent, focused instruction in every classroom. Improvement is rarely dramatic in a single moment. It is the result of steady refinement, shared belief, and disciplined habits over time. I see that work is taking place across our buildings.
Building Strong Readers Through Fluency
Fluency is a critical, yet often misunderstood, part of reading development, and it is an area our district is intentionally examining as part of our ongoing work to strengthen instruction. Fluency is not about reading fast; it is about reading accurately, automatically, and with appropriate expression so that students can focus on meaning. When reading is effortful at the word level, comprehension suffers. Even students who read accurately may struggle to fully understand what they read if their reading is not automatic. Fluency serves as the bridge between learning how to read and using reading to learn, making it fundamental to student confidence, stamina, and success.
Fluency develops over time and across grade levels, and it matters in every classroom. In the earliest grades, it begins with automatic recognition of letters, sounds, and high-frequency words. As students grow, fluency expands to include connected text, phrasing, and attention to meaning. This development continues well beyond elementary school. As texts become more complex in middle and high school, especially in science, social studies, and other content areas, students rely on fluency to manage complex vocabulary, longer sentences, and new ideas. When fluency is weak, students often disengage, depend on others to read for them, or struggle to sustain reading long enough to make sense of what they are learning.
Because reading is central to learning in all subjects, fluency is a shared priority across our district. As we continue this work, our focus is on building shared understanding — among staff and the broader school community — about what fluency is, why it matters, and how it supports strong instruction across grade levels and content areas. This work will be approached thoughtfully and collaboratively, with time for learning, conversation, and support as we move forward together. These conversations are part of a deliberate effort to ensure all students have meaningful access to grade-level text and the opportunity to grow as confident, capable readers.
Fluency and Writing: A Direct Connection
Research reinforces why this focus matters. LaBerge and Samuels’ theory of automaticity explains that when word recognition becomes automatic, cognitive resources are freed for higher-level thinking. If too much mental energy is spent decoding, little remains for analysis, reasoning, or writing. When students must fight through the words, they cannot fully engage with the ideas.
This is why fluency is directly connected to our writing-across-the-curriculum efforts. Strong readers absorb sentence structure, vocabulary, and organization through repeated exposure to fluent text. That foundation transfers into clearer written expression. When fluency improves, writing clarity often follows.
Reading and writing are reciprocal processes. Growth in one supports growth in the other. When students read fluently and then write in response — summarizing, analyzing, explaining, or defending — they strengthen both skills simultaneously.
What This Means for Us
Fluency is not confined to elementary classrooms.
Elementary core teachers continue structured fluency practice through repeated reading, modeling phrasing, and connecting reading directly to written response. Secondary core teachers support fluency by modeling complex text, pre-teaching academic vocabulary, breaking longer sentences into meaningful phrases, and requiring written analysis grounded in reading. Non-core teachers reinforce fluency by purposefully reading content such as directions, safety procedures, lyrics, technical texts, and scripts, followed by short written reflections or explanations.
This is not an additional initiative. It is a refinement of what we already do well.
We have written before about collective efficacy. That is the shared confidence that when we act together, student outcomes improve. Research consistently identifies collective efficacy as one of the strongest influences on achievement. When every teacher reinforces reading in small, consistent ways, the cumulative effect becomes significant. Fluency across classrooms is collective efficacy in practice.
Supporting the Whole Child
Registration is now open for Every Kid Healthy Week (April 20–24, 2026). If you already incorporate wellness activities like movement breaks, mental health check-ins, nutrition lessons, or family engagement, you can register what you are already doing. All registered schools are automatically entered into a random drawing for one of three $1,000 mini-grants to support future wellness efforts. Participation does not require a large event. Even small, intentional activities count.
Strong literacy, effective writing, and student wellness are not separate efforts. They are connected elements of preparing students to think clearly, communicate effectively, and engage confidently in our community.
Closing Celebrations
It has been another strong week across Mena Public Schools, and we are proud of the meaningful moments taking place in our buildings.
One of the most powerful traditions of this season has been the Senior Jersey Dedications, where graduating seniors select influential staff members who have made a lasting impact on their lives. These moments represent years of mentorship, accountability, encouragement, and belief. When a student publicly honors a teacher, coach, or staff member, it is a visible reminder that relationships matter. Thank you to the educators who have invested deeply in our seniors and helped shape who they are becoming.
We also celebrate the professional accomplishment of a staff member, Alicia Farringer, who completed Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) training, strengthening our district’s capacity to support students in reading and language development. This aligns directly with our continued focus on literacy and structured reading instruction.
Our Mena Middle School students brought home an impressive collection of honors from the DeQueen/Mena Co-Op Reading Fair. Students earned multiple placements across grade levels in both fiction board and fiction technology categories. Their creativity, preparation, and presentation skills reflect strong literacy work happening in our classrooms. We appreciate the teachers and library staff who guided and supported these projects.
Math Night at Holly Harshman Elementary was a tremendous success, bringing students and families together for an evening of learning and engagement. Events like this strengthen the partnership between school and home while making academic skills both meaningful and enjoyable. Thank you to the teachers and staff members who organized and hosted this event.
Yesterday, our Bearcat wrestlers departed for the State Tournament. We wish them the very best as they compete and represent our district. Their preparation, discipline, and commitment reflect the hard work invested throughout the season, and we are proud of them.
Our Senior Ladycats and Bearcats celebrated their final home basketball game of the season on Senior Night in the Union Bank Center. Both teams earned strong victories, and the evening provided an opportunity to recognize the seniors who have represented Mena Public Schools with dedication and pride over the years. We congratulate them on their commitment, perseverance, and the example they have set for younger students. We thank them for the way they have worn the Bearcat uniform.
It was a good week of action at Mena Public Schools.
At Mena Public Schools, our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident.
Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a nice Valentine's weekend!
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com
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By Dr. Lee SmithHappy Friday!
As we continue through the semester, I want to thank you for the intentional work happening across our district each day. Our progress toward our performance targets, including sustained attendance, continued growth in literacy and writing, and improved student engagement, depends on consistent, focused instruction in every classroom. Improvement is rarely dramatic in a single moment. It is the result of steady refinement, shared belief, and disciplined habits over time. I see that work is taking place across our buildings.
Building Strong Readers Through Fluency
Fluency is a critical, yet often misunderstood, part of reading development, and it is an area our district is intentionally examining as part of our ongoing work to strengthen instruction. Fluency is not about reading fast; it is about reading accurately, automatically, and with appropriate expression so that students can focus on meaning. When reading is effortful at the word level, comprehension suffers. Even students who read accurately may struggle to fully understand what they read if their reading is not automatic. Fluency serves as the bridge between learning how to read and using reading to learn, making it fundamental to student confidence, stamina, and success.
Fluency develops over time and across grade levels, and it matters in every classroom. In the earliest grades, it begins with automatic recognition of letters, sounds, and high-frequency words. As students grow, fluency expands to include connected text, phrasing, and attention to meaning. This development continues well beyond elementary school. As texts become more complex in middle and high school, especially in science, social studies, and other content areas, students rely on fluency to manage complex vocabulary, longer sentences, and new ideas. When fluency is weak, students often disengage, depend on others to read for them, or struggle to sustain reading long enough to make sense of what they are learning.
Because reading is central to learning in all subjects, fluency is a shared priority across our district. As we continue this work, our focus is on building shared understanding — among staff and the broader school community — about what fluency is, why it matters, and how it supports strong instruction across grade levels and content areas. This work will be approached thoughtfully and collaboratively, with time for learning, conversation, and support as we move forward together. These conversations are part of a deliberate effort to ensure all students have meaningful access to grade-level text and the opportunity to grow as confident, capable readers.
Fluency and Writing: A Direct Connection
Research reinforces why this focus matters. LaBerge and Samuels’ theory of automaticity explains that when word recognition becomes automatic, cognitive resources are freed for higher-level thinking. If too much mental energy is spent decoding, little remains for analysis, reasoning, or writing. When students must fight through the words, they cannot fully engage with the ideas.
This is why fluency is directly connected to our writing-across-the-curriculum efforts. Strong readers absorb sentence structure, vocabulary, and organization through repeated exposure to fluent text. That foundation transfers into clearer written expression. When fluency improves, writing clarity often follows.
Reading and writing are reciprocal processes. Growth in one supports growth in the other. When students read fluently and then write in response — summarizing, analyzing, explaining, or defending — they strengthen both skills simultaneously.
What This Means for Us
Fluency is not confined to elementary classrooms.
Elementary core teachers continue structured fluency practice through repeated reading, modeling phrasing, and connecting reading directly to written response. Secondary core teachers support fluency by modeling complex text, pre-teaching academic vocabulary, breaking longer sentences into meaningful phrases, and requiring written analysis grounded in reading. Non-core teachers reinforce fluency by purposefully reading content such as directions, safety procedures, lyrics, technical texts, and scripts, followed by short written reflections or explanations.
This is not an additional initiative. It is a refinement of what we already do well.
We have written before about collective efficacy. That is the shared confidence that when we act together, student outcomes improve. Research consistently identifies collective efficacy as one of the strongest influences on achievement. When every teacher reinforces reading in small, consistent ways, the cumulative effect becomes significant. Fluency across classrooms is collective efficacy in practice.
Supporting the Whole Child
Registration is now open for Every Kid Healthy Week (April 20–24, 2026). If you already incorporate wellness activities like movement breaks, mental health check-ins, nutrition lessons, or family engagement, you can register what you are already doing. All registered schools are automatically entered into a random drawing for one of three $1,000 mini-grants to support future wellness efforts. Participation does not require a large event. Even small, intentional activities count.
Strong literacy, effective writing, and student wellness are not separate efforts. They are connected elements of preparing students to think clearly, communicate effectively, and engage confidently in our community.
Closing Celebrations
It has been another strong week across Mena Public Schools, and we are proud of the meaningful moments taking place in our buildings.
One of the most powerful traditions of this season has been the Senior Jersey Dedications, where graduating seniors select influential staff members who have made a lasting impact on their lives. These moments represent years of mentorship, accountability, encouragement, and belief. When a student publicly honors a teacher, coach, or staff member, it is a visible reminder that relationships matter. Thank you to the educators who have invested deeply in our seniors and helped shape who they are becoming.
We also celebrate the professional accomplishment of a staff member, Alicia Farringer, who completed Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) training, strengthening our district’s capacity to support students in reading and language development. This aligns directly with our continued focus on literacy and structured reading instruction.
Our Mena Middle School students brought home an impressive collection of honors from the DeQueen/Mena Co-Op Reading Fair. Students earned multiple placements across grade levels in both fiction board and fiction technology categories. Their creativity, preparation, and presentation skills reflect strong literacy work happening in our classrooms. We appreciate the teachers and library staff who guided and supported these projects.
Math Night at Holly Harshman Elementary was a tremendous success, bringing students and families together for an evening of learning and engagement. Events like this strengthen the partnership between school and home while making academic skills both meaningful and enjoyable. Thank you to the teachers and staff members who organized and hosted this event.
Yesterday, our Bearcat wrestlers departed for the State Tournament. We wish them the very best as they compete and represent our district. Their preparation, discipline, and commitment reflect the hard work invested throughout the season, and we are proud of them.
Our Senior Ladycats and Bearcats celebrated their final home basketball game of the season on Senior Night in the Union Bank Center. Both teams earned strong victories, and the evening provided an opportunity to recognize the seniors who have represented Mena Public Schools with dedication and pride over the years. We congratulate them on their commitment, perseverance, and the example they have set for younger students. We thank them for the way they have worn the Bearcat uniform.
It was a good week of action at Mena Public Schools.
At Mena Public Schools, our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident.
Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a nice Valentine's weekend!
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com