Laci Holden ARI

04/16/2026

Paine Elementary School may be the biggest elementary school in the state but they are intentional in their planning, goal-setting, and the partnership between the principal and LRS is seamless making coaching highly effective!

Mrs. Peters is currently working with Ms. Langham in 3rd grade on a coaching cycle focused on morphology! I have to give the teacher a shoutout for such a creative illustration of how a suffix can change the part of speech of a word! They were learning about the suffix -ion and it is confusing that it changes the word from a verb to a noun! The teacher poured coins on the carpet and had two students “collect” the coins. She highlighted that they just did an action. Then she showed the group of coins they just found, the “collection” and how it was now a noun. She made the idea come alive for students!

We also visited Ms. Payne’s 1st grade class where Ms. Peters is working in a coaching cycle focused on fluency. They used the LETRS transfer to text routine and then read the passage with partners as Ms. Payne, Mrs. Peters, and myself were listening in and using a noticing and naming tool based on their fluency targets! ARI Region 5

04/16/2026

On Tuesday, I visited Magnolia Elementary School. The coaching culture in this building always amazes me! Mrs. Seeley gets the opportunity to collaborate with everyone. Second grade teachers and Mrs. Seeley are working in a coaching cycle together focused on morphology and I got to see them teach those lessons together and make adjustments as needed. 3rd grade is up next! They are ready and willing to go ahead implement a new morphology routine and they planned for their upcoming coaching cycle! I loved how the teachers took full ownership and even asked to design the pre-assessment. Then I got to see implementation of strategies from a first grade PLC on the book 7 Mighty Moves in action! ARI Region 5

04/16/2026

This is what coaching and collaboration look like in action! LRS Ms. Hunter and 1st grade teacher Ms. Jones at RC Hemphill Elementary School have been working together in a coaching cycle focused on comprehension. On Monday, they were teaching in tandem as they guided students in how you use the text in a biography to answer questions! ARI Region 5

03/11/2026

At RC Hemphill Elementary School, in Ms. Davis’ kindergarten class, supported by her LRS Ms. Hunter, the teacher introduced the LETRS activity Physical Phonics to her students. They loved it! They started with spelling words then moved on to chaining, substituting sounds in the beginning, final, and medial position! ARI Region 5 ARI / The Alabama Reading Initiative

03/11/2026

On Monday at Cahaba Elementary School, LRS Christi Huckabaa Watts and third grade teacher Ms. Hollings,co-taught a lesson on character traits. Their collaboration and planning made the lesson seamless. The lesson included explicit instruction, student engagement strategies, and gradual release. They plan to reflect on the lesson and plan next steps to continue to support students’ mastery of this standard. ARI Region 5 ARI / The Alabama Reading Initiative

03/06/2026

It was a great day of learning and collaboration at Cahaba Elementary School for Coaching Community 4 on Tuesday! We reflected on our work with learning targets. We discussed how the science of reading guides assessment practices. We took a deep dive into sufficiency vs. proficiency and instructional strategies we can use to build proficient, fluent readers. We saw coaching in action in a 2nd grade classroom as they focused on vocabulary through the lens of morphology and lastly we celebrated a great year of literacy coaching work in our schools. It was a great day!

02/18/2026

Angie Dulion Seeley is a wonderful LRS who has created a strong culture of coaching at Magnolia Elementary School! She is in high demand and is making an impact daily for the students and teachers in her building! Trussville City Schools ARI Region 5

Valentine’s Day may be over, but Alabama principals are still sharing the love for our ARI Local Reading Specialists!

Angie Seeley
Region 5, Trussville City Schools
Magnolia Elementary

Where do I begin with all that Mrs. Seeley does to support literacy at Magnolia Elementary! Mrs. Seeley cycles through coaching cycles with each our grade levels and she is ever present in our classrooms working with our teachers. She is a great support to me as the building administrator, providing wonderful insight as to how we can support literacy instruction during our weekly meetings. Mrs. Seeley is knowledgeable and innovative in her resource development and tools afforded to teachers, and during her own Take Flight small groups.

Description of Picture: To launch our poetry study with some fun and mystery, teachers were invited to participate in a Nursery Rhyme Secret Teacher Dress-Up Day. Mrs. Seeley led the charge.

02/10/2026

Jenni Burgess Peters is the fabulous LRS at the largest elementary school in Alabama, Paine Elementary School. The teachers and students at Paine are so lucky to have her on their team!

Straight from the principal—love on display,
For an LRS who leads learning every day.
Coaching with heart, instruction with care,
This literacy love is meant to be shared! ❤️

Jenni Peters
Region 5, Trussville City
Paine Elementary

Paine Elementary LOVES Jenni Peters! Jenni makes a resounding impact every single day, from guiding students and teachers to grow in confidence, skill, and a true love of reading and teaching reading! Through encouragement, expertise, and collaboration, she supports our teachers and strengthens instruction across our school. We are incredibly thankful for her dedication and her love of helping our school grow and achieve!

02/09/2026

Christi Watts is a rockstar and is making a difference at Cahaba Elementary School everyday!

A little note from a principal’s heart,
Celebrating an LRS who sets literacy apart.
With passion, purpose, and reading know-how—
This shoutout shares the love we feel right now. 💖📚

Christi Watts
Region 5, Trussville City
Cahaba Elementary

Our literacy specialist, Christi Watts, has a profound impact on teaching and learning at Cahaba, as well as on our climate and culture. She is deeply trusted by teachers and provides high-quality professional development that inspires them to learn and confidently apply new strategies with her support. Christi is genuine and passionate about championing teacher growth. As a principal, she is my trusted partner and friend—we analyze data together, lead data meetings, and encourage one another. Christi is truly a gem and a gift to Cahaba.

02/07/2026

I am so proud of Ms. Shelton at Midfield Elementary School. She has been working with her LRS Ms. Real on small group instruction in a coaching cycle. Her students are already showing growth from routines she has put in place, the intentional planning she is doing, and how much time she is putting into preparation. She is making a big impact at the small group table! ARI Region 5 ARI / The Alabama Reading Initiative

02/04/2026

Dialogic reading involves an adult and child having a dialogue around the text they are reading aloud together. Learn how to use this strategy effectively to help kids build vocabulary and verbal fluency skills and understand story structure and meaning. Downloadable handouts to help guide parents i...

11/14/2025

At RC Hemphill Elementary School, LRS Mrs. Hunter has been working in a coaching cycle with Ms. Bonner and her second grade class. The focus has been on phonics tier I small group instruction and intentional literacy stations that provide ample practice and application of learned skills! The students arre excited, engaged, and on task with their literacy center tasks. ARI / The Alabama Reading Initiative ARI Region 5