George Lucas Educational Foundation

Collaborative Reading: Building Successful Readers Together

This elementary school in the Bronx has cracked the code to improving literacy—and it’s a simple framework where kids read together daily.

March 28, 2019

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Students at every grade level do 15 minutes of shared reading every day. (Download a PDF of the shared reading planning sheet.) They begin learning how to annotate in pre-kindergarten. (Download a PDF of the annotation descriptions for PK–1st Grade.) By second grade, they are ready to learn more complex annotation marks. (Download a PDF of the annotation descriptions for 2nd–5th Grade.)

This video is part of our Schools That Work series and features key practices from Concourse Village Elementary School.

Schools That Work

Concourse Village Elementary School

Public, Urban

Grades Pre-K to 5

The Bronx, NY

In 2013, Principal Alexa Sorden, a former teacher and literacy coach, took over Concourse Village Elementary School in New York City after its predecessor was closed due to poor performance and disrepair. When the 361 students—nearly all of whom came from low-income households—returned to school that fall, they were greeted with a renovated building, new teachers, and high-quality instructional practices in every classroom.

Under Sorden’s leadership, the pre-K to 5 school has blossomed. Using a flat leadership structure—Sorden is the only administrator—teachers are empowered to learn from and support each other and share accountability for student outcomes. An innovative, literacy-first approach helps students develop foundational skills in every subject, from English language arts to math and art.

Schools That Work

Concourse Village Elementary School

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