USD 373 employs nine interventionists who assist students with reading and math. One of those interventionists is Jamie Klug, who works at South Breeze Elementary.

Klug went to school at Fort Hays State University for her degree in elementary education. She first worked at St. Mary’s Catholic School for five years before coming to USD 373 in 2005. After working one year at Sunset Elementary, Klug came to South Breeze in 2006 where she has been ever since.

In preparation to become an interventionist, Klug got her Master’s degree from Emporia State University in reading with a reading specialist endorsement.

Klug taught Kindergarten for a decade until May 2014 when her then-principal, Jan Plummer, called and asked if she was ready to take on the interventionist position, made possible by Title I funding.

Title I is a federal education program that supports low-income students throughout the nation. Funds are distributed to high poverty schools, as determined by the number of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. All K-6 schools in USD 373 are considered Title I schools.

In her classroom, Klug sees about 30-35 students a day and helps them with support outside the classroom in reading and math. A lot of her job includes collaborating with classroom teachers, looking at data and delivering instruction to small groups of kids.

 "It's helping students improve in areas with some extra attention they wouldn't get otherwise,” Klug said.

On the reading side of things, Klug and all interventionists can look at what it is students are struggling with and give them extra repetitions, specifically in that area. The extra reps give students the confidence to go back to the classroom and apply what they learned, making them feel more successful at school. 

Klug says making progress can feel big, so her focus is on breaking down skills and staying at the pace her student sets. 

In her classroom, you’ll find letter boards, math manipulatives, books, games and more. At the end of the school year in May, a group of girls were reciting a poem and working on their fluency in a group setting with Klug listening, in between giggles and some occasionally improvised additions to the script.

 "Every child learns at a different pace therefore learning can look different for individual students,” Klug explained.