Operation ELEVATE Grant
The Steilacoom Historical School District is thrilled to announce "Operation ELEVATE," a recent $1.5 million grant received from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) over the course of five years. DoDEA grants aim to enhance educational outcomes, reduce achievement gaps, and offer academic programs for districts with a high number of military-connected students.
Operation ELEVATE's primary goal is to address the challenges that students face in achieving literacy growth, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic. The plan involves implementing a sustainable system of effective classroom instruction that aligns with collective teacher efficacy conditions. Furthermore, Operation ELEVATE will focus on evidence-based early literacy enhancements in K-5 classrooms.
Recognizing the pandemic's disproportionate impact on early learners' literacy skills, the grant will establish after-school Literacy Labs at K-5 military-connected schools. Another significant objective of the grant is to ensure consistency in English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum from K-12. This involves implementing a uniform curriculum aligned with state standards and evidence-based practices/programs under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Steilacoom Historical School District is one of 19 school districts supporting Army installations that received a total of $29,250,000 to support military connected students. This is the district’s 5th DoDEA grant award.
A Video Highlighting the Literacy Magic Happening in Our Classrooms
We are excited to share a short video that highlights the wonderful literacy work taking place across our schools. Over the past two years, teachers throughout the district have been using UFLI Foundations, Be GLAD strategies, and new training in supporting students with dyslexia. With help from our 2023 Operation ELEVATE grant funded by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), this work is helping more of our youngest learners build strong reading skills and grow toward grade level expectations.
Earlier this year, Steilacoom Historical School District was preparing to welcome educators from around the country as part of a DoDEA conference that would have featured our schools and their progress in early literacy. Although the conference was canceled due to the federal government shutdown, we still wanted to share the story of the incredible work happening in our classrooms.
To capture this story, we partnered with Matt McDaniel from our CTE Advisory Committee, along with Digital Media teacher Lindsay Webster and her students at Steilacoom High School. Together they created a video that showcases our commitment to strong early literacy instruction, authentic hands-on learning experiences, and meaningful partnerships with our community.
We are grateful for your continued support of our students, teachers, and schools. Thank you for being part of a district that believes in the power of literacy and the importance of working together.
OPERATION ELEVATE YEAR 3 UPDATE
CURRICULUM implementation continues
- Staff members across kindergarten through grade five continue to receive ongoing UFLI training that strengthens their depth of understanding and enhances classroom instruction.
- Secondary educators are also engaging in new professional learning focused on supporting students who benefit from explicit and systematic phonics instruction.
- The district is continuing to invest in classroom materials so students have the supplies they need to fully participate in the UFLI curriculum.
DYSLEXIA teacher CERTIFICATION
- The seventeen staff members with dyslexia certifications across the three kindergarten through grade five mainland schools provide ongoing training and support for their colleagues.
- As a result, students with dyslexia benefit from high quality instruction and strong, targeted support in the classroom.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT K-12
- Be GLAD implementation is gaining incredible momentum across the district. Teachers in grades K through 5 are actively integrating Be GLAD strategies into their classrooms, and early indicators show highly encouraging results.
- One standout example comes from Saltar’s Point Elementary, where 40 percent of Multilingual Learners demonstrated proficiency on the 2024 to 2025 WIDA Assessment. This is a remarkable achievement that reflects both strong instruction and student growth.
- Looking ahead, SHSD is committed to expanding this success. In the 2025 to 2026 school year, the district will continue to deepen Be GLAD training at the elementary level while increasing professional learning opportunities for secondary educators.
- Cherrydale Primary will also participate in a Culturally Responsive Teaching residency with Dr. Adeyemi Stembridge in spring 2026. This aligns with the powerful work already underway at Pioneer Middle School and Steilacoom High School. Dr. Stembridge will support the Cherrydale team in identifying and addressing student engagement traps while adding new, high impact strategies to their already impressive instructional tool belt.