By Danny K Careins

Hartford City News Times Managing Editor

A nationally known expert in writing instruction will be coming to train Blackford County Schools' teachers in January.

Information on the matter was shared at the school board's meeting on December 20. All five school board members along with superintendent Ken Kline and business director Dave Bowman were in attendance.

Kristina Smekens, of Smekens Education Solutions, Inc., will be showing the local school district's teachers how to teach writing and "beef up" the writing curriculum, according to Kline.

Montpelier School principal Amy Dishman said that she believes Smekens is a wonderful resource for the teachers.

"She is making our writing skills stronger," noted Dishman.

Dishman explained that Smekens conducts mini lessons with the students and teachers at each grade level. She added that Smekens then does one-hour of professional development with the teachers and also a session with the students.

"This is a great opportunity for our teachers coming up in January," said Kevin Biddle, principal at Northside Elementary. "(Smekens) will be teaching them how to improve instruction in all classes to help our kids be better writers."

Biddle pointed out that writing is the main focus at Northside Elementary during the 2011-2012 academic year because of the previous low scores in writing.

"I feel like we are moving in the right direction to strengthen our students' writing skills," noted Biddle.

Biddle said that Smekens will bring along a film crew so that these lessons can be used to train other teachers in the future.

Parents have received release forms to allow their children to be video taped during these lessons. For those parents not wishing to have their children appear in the videos, the school will place those children behind the cameras so they will not be recorded.

Smekens also will be conducting training for teachers at Blackford High School.

"Writing is in all of our high school classes," noted BHS principal Lisa Smith. She added that all teachers will be able to attend Smekens' sessions in other classrooms while they are having their prep periods.

"This will give all of our teachers the chance to observe her instruction," said Smith.

"Writing is a crucial skill for our students to have," remarked Smith. "We are lacking in it."

"I'm pretty excited to have (Smekens) coming to train our teachers in this area," noted Smith.