PARK CITY, Utah—A new reading curriculum is making a significant impact in Park City School District classrooms from kindergarten through third grade. Wit & Wisdom, designed to build knowledge and deepen comprehension, is reshaping how young students engage with literature—and the results are already evident.

“Our goal is to give students the tools not just to read, but to think critically and engage deeply with what they’re reading,” said Katie McGinn, the district’s literacy specialist. “Wit & Wisdom helps us build that foundation.”

The curriculum guides students through complex texts over time, allowing them to grasp new concepts, expand their vocabulary, and improve their writing skills. It emphasizes understanding the deeper meaning behind words and applying that knowledge in new ways. McGinn credits instructional coaches like Lori Drivdahl for playing a crucial role in this transformation.

Lori Drivdahl, the instructional coach at Trailside Elementary School, provides hands-on support to teachers as they adapt to the curriculum, running professional learning communities (PLCs) and offering direct classroom assistance.

“Wit & Wisdom is a big shift, especially for teachers who were used to more traditional approaches to reading,” Drivdahl said. “But the feedback I’m getting is that, while it’s a lot of work, the results are worth it. The students are engaged and learning in ways that will stick with them.”

Drivdahl explained how the curriculum aligns with other literacy programs based on the Science of Reading.

“Wit & Wisdom is focused on building deep knowledge through complex texts,” Drivdahl said. “It integrates well with our other programs like 95%, which emphasizes phonics and phonemic awareness, and the LETRS training, which gives teachers a theoretical framework for teaching reading. Together, these programs create a comprehensive literacy experience.”

Drivdahl shared a memorable moment from a first-grade classroom that illustrated the impact of Wit & Wisdom. She recalled visiting Amanda Lawing’s class at Trailside Elementary, where students completed a T-chart at the end of a unit based on Tomás and the Library Lady. One side listed what students had learned, while the other listed what they could now do because of that learning.

“Every student had something to say,” Drivdahl said. “They were connecting what they read with their own abilities, and several students even mentioned how they could now write about what they had read. That’s a huge leap for first-graders.”

Lawing’s experience with Wit & Wisdom echoes Drivdahl’s observations.

“We’re reading more complex books that students wouldn’t normally tackle on their own,” Lawing explained. “But with the curriculum’s structure, we spend several days with each text, allowing students to dive into the story and understand it on a deeper level.”

Lawing noted that by the end of lessons, her students aren’t just answering questions—they’re synthesizing information and explaining how the book changed their understanding of stories.

In Lesley Rockwood’s second-grade class at Trailside Elementary, the enthusiasm for learning is equally evident. During a recent lesson on sentence structure, one student’s insightful response prompted the class’s celebratory chant: “BRRRRRRR-illiant!”—hugging themselves as if cold.

“It was such a fun moment,” Rockwood said. “The students are really engaged. They’re excited to learn and understand things at a deeper level because of how we revisit the text from different angles each time.”

Rockwood described how re-reading texts multiple times with a new focus each time has helped students grasp challenging content.

“We’ve been reading an informational text for two or three weeks, looking at different aspects of the text each time—from content to structure—and the kids are picking up so much,” said Rockwood. “They fully understand how nonfiction texts are constructed and how to use those tools in their writing.”

Park City students are becoming not just passive readers but active participants in discussions, writing exercises, and group work—demonstrating the transformative power of Wit & Wisdom.

For a deeper look into *Wit & Wisdom* in Park City schools, check out a special episode of the *Park City Podcast*. Hear directly from Katie McGinn, Lori Drivdahl, Amanda Lawing, and Lesley Rockwood as they share their experiences and insights. Listen here.