BC News

District veteran Patty Skiba named elementary ELA supervisor
Release Date: April 11, 2008

Patty Skiba, an 18-year veteran of Bethlehem Central who currently serves as teacher of the extended day kindergarten program, has been named subject supervisor for Elementary English Language Arts. The Board of Education made the appointment at its April 2 meeting.

Skiba will take over for Dianna Reagan, who was named this winter as the first ever principal of the new Eagle Elementary, which will open next fall. Both will begin their new duties on July 1.

Prior to coming to Bethlehem Central in 1990, Skiba was a teacher at Remsenburg-Speonk Union Free School District on Long Island. She was a third and fourth grade teacher in BC before helping begin the extended day kindergarten program 10 years ago. Skiba has a Certificate of Advanced Study and Educational Administration from the College of Saint Rose.

“Patty is a skilled educator who has done great work with our extended day kindergarten program,” Superintendent Les Loomis said. “As we seek to continue to strengthen our ELA program, she is the right person to lead the effort.”

The extended day kindergarten program offers half-day kindergarten students with language and motor delays an extra half-day of instruction and support. Skiba noted that this experience, working collaboratively with kindergarten teachers and support personnel such occupational and language/speech therapists, will serve her well as Elementary ELA supervisor as she plans to foster a collaborative environment among classroom teachers and reading teachers to best serve students.

She also plans to continue the district’s focus on literacy throughout all content areas, adding that this has been done more in kindergarten through second grade in recent years and she plans to extend it to the upper elementary grade levels.

Under her leadership, the department will also work toward creating uniform units of study and curriculum maps - which dictates when key concepts ideas and skills are introduced to students - for each elementary grade level across the district. This will allow ELA teachers from all schools to work more collaboratively in planning lessons and reflecting upon and utilizing data.

“Dianna Reagan has been an excellent department leader,” Mrs. Skiba said. “I’m excited to take on this leadership position as we continue our strong emphasis on helping our children grow and develop as readers, writers, thinkers, and life-long learners.”

Mrs. Skiba has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Southampton College of Long Island University and a master’s degree in special education from Adelphi University.

 

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