From Sentences to Structure: Strengthening Elementary Writing Across St. Vrain

Elementary students across St. Vrain Valley Schools are strengthening their writing skills through the use of Write from the Beginning and Beyond, a structured framework that supports the district’s adopted ReadyGen English language arts curriculum. By the 2026-27 school year, all K-5 teachers will be trained in this curriculum, creating a shared foundation for writing instruction that emphasizes clarity, structure, and developmentally appropriate expectations. “This approach empowers educators to drive age-appropriate writing achievement by mastering expectations across the entire grade continuum,” said Shane Saeed, a curriculum analyst at St. Vrain Valley Schools.

Two smiling girls are seated at a table in a classroom, engaged in writing and sharing ideas. Colorful bins are nearby. — A pair of students work together on a writing assignment.

At the elementary level, the approach emphasizes vertical alignment, ensuring each grade level focuses on specific writing skills that intentionally build from year to year. Early instruction centers on sentence structure and syntax, which Saeed noted is especially critical for multilingual learners. “Students need to be successful at the sentence level in order to be successful at the paragraph level,” Saeed said. “Because syntax differs across languages, the comprehensive nature of this instruction supports students in developing coherent, quality sentences.”

A young boy with short hair writes in a notebook at a classroom table, focused on his work. — A student practices his writing skills.

Organization and clarity are further supported through the use of Thinking Maps and oral rehearsal strategies embedded in daily instruction. These tools help students plan and verbalize their ideas before writing, reducing cognitive load and building confidence. “The cohesion in Thinking Map structures, language, and checklists allows students to build on what they already know, rather than relearning new systems each year,” said Temple Hayles, an assessment coordinator at St. Vrain Valley Schools. “It keeps the focus on grade-level expectations and helps students express their ideas more clearly,” she said.

A young boy in a blue shirt writes in a notebook at a classroom desk, focused on his work. — A student practices writing a sentence.

In classrooms, the approach is implemented as a layer within ReadyGen writing lessons and includes teacher-modeled writing, collaborative planning, drafting, revision, and feedback using improvement checklists. Teachers receive ongoing professional learning and coaching support, while students gain confidence as writers who know how to begin and refine their work. “We routinely hear that students who once resisted writing now see themselves as writers and understand how to get started,” Hayles said.

A young girl with glasses rests her chin on her hand while writing with a pencil on a worksheet at a desk. — A student writes on her worksheet during class.

Together, consistent structures, explicit instruction, and shared language of the Write from the Beginning and Beyond curriculum helps to establish a strong writing foundation for students across St. Vrain Valley Schools, preparing them for continued success as writers in the years ahead.