Riverside Elementary School is one of 48 schools in Ohio that has been officially recognized as a recipient of the Governor’s Science of Reading Recognition Program for 2025.
Riverside Elementary Principal Bryce Hodge received a letter about this statewide award Friday, March 28, congratulating the teachers, staff, students and their families.
“This incredible achievement highlights our commitment to providing students with the best reading education, ensuring every child has the tools they need to succeed,” Riverside Schools officials said.
“A huge thank you to our dedicated teachers and staff for their unwavering support and hard work. Together, we are building a strong foundation for our students’ futures.”
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, in coordination with the Department of Education and Workforce, developed the Governor’s Science of Reading Recognition Program to recognize schools that are demonstrating strong implementation of evidence-based instructional practices aligned to the science of reading and where students are making significant progress.
“Literacy is a top education priority for the State of Ohio. Reading is the key to school. Reading is the key to life,” Gov. DeWine and Stephen D. Dacklin, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce director, said in the letter.
“Through your school’s strong commitment to the Science of Reading, you are building a strong foundation for your students’ future success — not only in the classroom, but also in post-secondary education and as they enter the workforce.
“We applaud your school’s efforts to raise literary achievement and ensure all students have the best opportunities to become proficient readers.”
During May of 2023, Gov. DeWine previously visited Riverside Elementary and 11 different schools from around the state, from rural to suburban and urban, specifically looking at schools that recently implemented curriculum based on science of reading and how that looks in the classroom, he said during that visit.
The science of reading method incorporates phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
A little over eight years ago, Riverside began the journey of incorporating the science behind reading when the district received an Ohio Department of Education’s Early Literacy Grant, as previously detailed in the Examiner. As a result, Riverside purchased the related curriculum and staff went through detailed professional development training, spanning a two-year time period.
“We had to have everyone in the same boat, rowing in the same way for this to work,” Superintendent Scott Mann said during the governor’s visit in 2023.
“We’ve had an absolute buy-in by staff for all our of training and professional development. It was that coupled with new reading materials replacing curriculum from 1998. To borrow a term from literary specialist Margo Shipp, ‘It was the perfect storm.’”