Two Rivers board adopts 'Really Great Reading' phonics curriculum

The Two Rivers Board of Education voted to adopt the Really Great Reading (RGR) phonics curriculum after an extended presentation and questions from board members.

Administrators and elementary staff described RGR as the phonics component to complement the district's existing Wit & Wisdom and Geodes materials and said the bundle aligns with Wisconsin's Act 20 reading law. Presenter Pam Lindmeier told the board the program is “science aligned within our ELA instructional model” and highlighted built-in assessments and multilingual supports for English learners.

District presenters outlined implementation and costs: year-one materials, online licenses and professional development were estimated at $58,000, with recurring annual costs projected to fall to roughly $20,000–$25,000 in later years as the core rollout narrows. The presenters said districts that adopt the bundle become eligible to apply for Act 20 reimbursement funds but cautioned that state allocations will not be finalized until 2026.

Teachers who helped pilot materials described classroom-level benefits. Amanda Milsky, a first-grade teacher, said RGR will “help students be able to decode and read fluently” and praised the program’s connection to mentor texts used in Geodes. A special-education teacher, Bethany Dwayne, said the multi-sensory strategies and supplied manipulatives will help students with diverse needs.

Board members pressed administrators on parent access to online resources, the timeline for professional development and how year-one costs would be covered. The district said it plans an August start for initial PD, implementation specialists to support classrooms, and that remaining ESSER funds and internal savings would be considered to cover the initial investment.

A board member moved to approve adoption of the Really Great Reading phonics program; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. Administrators said they will return with quarterly reports on implementation and assessment results.

Next steps: the district will post implementation details to its board documents, schedule summer PD for teachers, and begin K–2 core instruction rollout in the first year.