SMARTER Literacy Chat with Sarah Hornung

What does it actually look like to lead a district through one of the biggest instructional shifts in recent education history without losing your teachers in the process? In this literacy chat, we sit down with Sarah, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Innovation and Pupil Services at Orchard Park Central School District in New York. Sarah shares what it was like to step into her role just as the national conversation around balanced literacy reached a boiling point, how her district built a shared vision instead of just swapping one program for another, and why "go slow to go fast" became their guiding philosophy through it all. She also discusses the challenges that haven't gone away - writing instruction, tier one support, screen time, and what it really takes to build a culture where data feels like a tool instead of a verdict. If you're an administrator, literacy coach, or classroom teacher trying to navigate change without burning everything down, this one is worth your time. Learn how Ascend SMARTER Intervention can help with programming and implementation in your setting: https://smarterintervention.com/school-services