Second-grade teacher Bonita Dixon developed and implemented an intensive reading program at Orchard Center Elementary School in Spokane that has helped many struggling second graders learn to read above grade level. She has presented this program at several conferences, resulting in numerous visits to her classroom. A champion of literacy, Mrs. Dixon conducts staff training on reading education and has developed a literacy program for parents. She played a key role in aligning the district's curriculum with the state's Essential Academic Learning Requirements, and helped establish grade-level expectations for reading, writing and math. Mrs. Dixon was instrumental in a district-wide examination of the skills needed to prepare for the Washington Assessment of Student Learning.
