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«Back to all edWebinarsClosing the K-3 Reading Gap: One School’s Journey
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT
Presented by Dr. Traci Kervin, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Seaside Charter Schools (FL); Sarah Holt Academic Instructional Coach, Seaside Charter Schools (FL); and Sam Deffes, Senior Literacy Advisor, Professional Learning and Academic Partnerships; Learning Without Tears
Sponsored by Learning Without Tears
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Implementing science-based reading instruction while navigating new literacy legislation can feel overwhelming. How do school systems move beyond compliance to achieve measurable classroom impact?
This edWebinar is a case study where leaders from Seaside Charter in Jacksonville, FL, will share how a strategic partnership with Learning Without Tears, combined with focused professional learning and intentional collaboration, helped close reading gaps and strengthen teacher effectiveness.
Through the perspectives of a curriculum director, classroom educator, and Learning Without Tears partner, you’ll discover:
- What made their professional learning sustainable and impactful
- How curriculum choices connect to overcoming barriers of change and non-negotiables
- How cross-role collaboration between teachers, leaders, and Learning Without Tears strengthened implementation
- Practical strategies you can replicate immediately in your own setting
Attendees will leave with actionable frameworks, evaluation tools, and professional learning insights to help transform literacy instruction and build a tailored roadmap for measurable student growth. This edWebinar will be of interest to K-3 teachers, school leaders, and district leaders.
About the Presenters
Dr. Traci Kervin is the Director of Curriculum for Seaside Charter Schools in Jacksonville, Florida, where she leads the development of a K–8 curriculum that integrates Waldorf-inspired pedagogy with state academic standards. With more than 20 years of experience in public education, she has served as a Professional Development Consultant for Curriculum Associates, a Math Supervisor for Duval County Public Schools, and a classroom teacher. Dr. Kervin has also taught at the university level and holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Florida State University.
Sarah Holt is an educator and curriculum leader based in Jacksonville, Florida. She currently serves as a K–8 Academic Coach at Seaside Charter School, where she designs standards-aligned curricula and supports teachers through coaching, professional learning communities, and collaborative planning. Sarah is passionate about improving literacy outcomes through research-based instruction and the Science of Reading. She holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction in early childhood from Arizona State University and has taught kindergarten and first grade in both Waldorf-inspired and classical education settings.
Sam Deffes has been an educator for over 19 years. She began her career at SP Livingston Elementary in Duval County and taught grades K-4 where she led the MTSS team. She also served Duval County as a Reading Coach and District Literacy Specialist. Sam is an accomplished professional development facilitator, coach, and content developer. She received her master’s degree from the University of Florida with a focus on curriculum and instruction in reading. Sam lives in Middleburg, FL, with her husband, two beautiful children, and a dog named Jimmy Bananas. She is currently the Senior Literacy Advisor, Professional Learning and Academic Partnerships at Learning Without Tears.
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Learning Without Tears’ mission in today’s changing learning landscape is to ensure that the path to student success remains simple and fun. We provide child-friendly, hands-on, innovative instruction for early learning, handwriting, keyboarding, and writing strategies, and our programs reach more than 31 million students in Pre-K through fifth grade.
