Lakeland Elementary Principal Mrs. Trish Bauer has completed a two year comprehensive training for Missouri's Read, Lead, Exceed initiative in LETRS® for Missouri Administrators. LETRS® stands for Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling.
LETRS® for Administrators enables leaders to effectively support educators as they engage in the LETRS course of study and work to implement the learnings in their classrooms. LETRS for Administrators is a professional learning opportunity designed to guide state, district, and building administrators and instructional leaders in creating adaptable and suitable literacy initiatives using systems thinking and implementation science. The program defines the systems and infrastructures required to successfully implement a sustainable literacy program aligned to scientifically based research.
Julie Blaine, Director of the Central Region Professional Development Center had this to say about Mrs. Bauer's completion of her training: “Throughout the training, Trish consistently demonstrated a high level of professionalism, curiosity, and a genuine willingness to learn. She actively contributed to discussions, collaborated thoughtfully with peers, and engaged deeply with the content. Her commitment to seeing this professional development through to completion speaks clearly to her dedication to continuous growth and to improving outcomes for students."
The Lakeland preschool and elementary staff started their own LETRS® training at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. This training focuses on Science of Reading strategies and learning evidence-based methods in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and written language. Their training will conclude at the end of the 2026-2027 school year.