Division of Early Literacy Spotlight: Marcia Ward
Marcia Ward joined the Division of Early Literacy last July as one of five State Regional Literacy Directors (SRLDs). She is excited for the opportunity to help represent the Office of Teaching and Learning and feels honored to be a part of such important transformational work in early literacy.
“I believe the professional learning being offered through the Kentucky Reading Academies and the implementation of the literacy coaching model have the potential to change the lives of students across Kentucky. Making the shift to structured literacy will ensure more of our students are successful, lifelong learners.”
Prior to being named one of the SRLDs, Ward was an instructional coach for Perry County schools. In the initial stages of Ward’s teaching career, she envisioned a lifelong commitment to classroom instruction, driven by the desire to make a positive impact on her students each day. As she gained experience in teaching, she began positively influencing fellow educators. Ward recognized she could contribute to change beyond her classroom and far beyond one individual educator's career. Her transition to the role of district instructional coach was the beginning of her realizing she wanted to expand her impact even more. When the opportunity to lead at the state level as an SRLD became available, Ward knew this was her chance to pursue her goal of making an impact beyond one county.
In her new role, Ward will serve educators in and near the Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative (KVEC) region. Eastern Kentucky is home to Ward. All 23 years of her career have been spent teaching and working with students and educators in the community where she received her K-12 education.
She proudly stated, “Being a part of the first year of a statewide early literacy initiative is of paramount importance to me. Our work is laying the foundation for transformative change in education. This first year serves as a critical starting point for fostering a culture of togetherness, a culture where educators are learning together how to better address literacy gaps and enhance overall literacy outcomes.”
Sharing her knowledge with others is one of Ward’s biggest passions. She began presenting at the Kentucky Reading Association Conference in 2021 and has continued leading sessions each fall since. One of the many aspects of engaging with educators that Ward has a passion for is facilitating meaningful professional development opportunities. Presenting at statewide conferences has not only enabled her to share her knowledge of evidence-based literacy practices, but also it has fostered valuable networking opportunities across the state, something she is eager to continue doing as a part of the Kentucky Department of Education. Ward believes the work started in Kentucky will create a ripple effect, inspiring a lifelong love for learning and empowering our youngest citizens. As the literacy director for the eastern part of the state, she is especially excited to see the effect of improved literacy on the eastern communities she loves and knows so well.
Ward received her Bachelor of Arts in Education with an emphasis in language arts from Alice Lloyd College followed by a master’s degree to become a reading and writing specialist for K-12. She earned a Rank 1 in educational leadership from Eastern Kentucky University.
Stay tuned to meet the final member of the State Regional Literacy Directors. If you missed the previous in this DEL Spotlight series, read the February 6, February 13 and February 20 editions.
 Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference Date Announced
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) Division of Early Literacy invites you to the first annual Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference on June 20, 2024 at the Central Bank Center, formerly the Lexington Convention Center.
Keynote speaker and educational journalist Emily Hanford, host of the Sold a Story podcast – the second-most-shared show on Apple Podcasts in 2023 and one of Time magazine’s top three podcasts of the year – has been covering education for American Public Media since 2008. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the EWA Public Service Award in 2019 for Hard Words and the 2017 Excellence in Media Reporting on Education Research Award from the American Educational Research Association.
The conference will require registration, but is FREE to Kentucky K-12 public educators and will offer focused learning pathways to meet the needs of teachers and administrators. Attendees will learn from KDE OTL consultants and partners about:
- Evidence-based instructional shifts for literacy;
- The benefits of structured literacy;
- Why high-quality instructional resources matter; and
- Available resources for implementing the Read to Succeed Act.
Mark your calendar for this June 20 event. Registration information will be coming soon.
Early Literacy Newsletter Archive
Did you miss last week's Early Literacy Newsletter? You can access all previous editions of the newsletter on the Early Literacy webpage.
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