Principal Shannon Balch Shares Dyslexia Curriculum Strategies at Conference anon-Mac CANON-MAC SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
The Wilson Reading System Certified Teacher Conference was held on July 22, 2025 to help strengthen educators ' knowledge in the industry.
Shannon Balch, principal of Wylandville Elementary and ELA leadership chairperson in the Canon-McMillan School District, shared the power of literacy leadership during the panel " Making a Difference for Students with Dyslexia.” Her insights demonstrated the power of literacy leadership and the impact of a district-wide commitment to support students with reading challenges.
This annual conference brings together teachers, specialists and administrators to explore the latest research on structured literacy. Attendees learn new protocols designed to better support students with dyslexia and other reading challenges. For Canon-McMillan, these learning experiences are directly tied to their evolving literacy framework.
The District’ s journey with Wilson Reading programs began as teachers integrated these resources into their Multi-Tiered System of Supports( MTSS), which started over a decade ago with“ Fundations”, as a Tier 1 core instructional program in Kindergarten.
Canon-McMillan adopted“ Fundations” as a part of its reading instruction to provide a more structured and consistent foundation in early literacy.“ Fundations”, developed by Wilson Language Training, is a curriculum that guides teachers to provide effective instructional practices in print concepts, phonemic awareness, phonics and word study. Canon-McMillan sought a more structured approach to foundational literacy, and“ Fundations” delivered promising improvements in student decoding and fluency.
Mrs. Balch shared during her panel that the District’ s reading coach supports new K – 2 teachers through lesson modeling and coaching. Reading specialists deliver intensified Tier 2 support through a double-dose
“ Fundations” model. Students identified through MTSS as needing additional support receive targeted Tier 3 instruction through the Wilson Reading System. To keep instruction consistent,“ Fundations” Level 3 groups continue into third grade, helping students stay on track.
Ongoing coaching and collaboration were the key themes in Mrs. Balch’ s panel. She said that collaboration between reading specialists and learning support teachers is critical. All reading specialists are certified Wilson Dyslexia Practitioners to ensure targeted support across the Canon-McMillan School District. Reading specialists work closely with classroom teachers to analyze data and tailor instruction.
The emphasis on professional learning extends beyond the classroom. Mrs. Balch said,“ Canon-McMillan implemented a two-cohort rollout of Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner training, ensuring that each building in the District has multiple certified practitioners.”
This also required rebuilding principal capacity around structured literacy, which the District addressed through individualized coaching and leadership support. Principals get individualized coaching support, while the Assistant Superintendent regularly updates the school board to keep literacy at the forefront.
Mrs. Balch’ s advice for districts creating dyslexia-friendly schools is to start with passionate stakeholders who believe in the science of reading. Providing curated professional development builds urgency and understanding. She says that emphasizing the“ why” behind structured literacy fosters genuine teacher buy-in.
The Canon-McMillan School District has developed a sustainable, research-based literacy framework that supports all students. Mrs. Balch’ s leadership and the District’ s intentional approach to structured literacy demonstrate how programs can transform outcomes for all students.
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