Vicki Sagert

My name is Vicki Sagert and I am the Reading First Literacy Coordinator at Hancock-Hamline Elementary.  I began teaching in the St. Paul Public Schools in 1977.  I taught for 7 years and then was home for 13 years while raising a family.  After returning as a substitute teacher in 1996, I accepted a position at Phalen Lake Elementary.  I was at Phalen for 10 years, 2 of which were coordinating the federal grant for the Reading Excellence Act (REA).

As literacy coordinator, I manage all teacher and student activities initiated by Reading First.  The University of Minnesota provides our professional development.  Teachers attend several training institutes each year as well as participate in weekly study groups.  A data collector from the University assesses all K-3 students.  Our goals are to reflect on the data to determine areas of student need and to use research based teaching strategies to address the needs of students.  Teachers are to then reassess students to determine the effectiveness of their practice.

When I am not working at Hancock, you may find me in my garden (if it is summer) or spending time with friends and family.  I enjoy the outdoors and, especially, traveling with my husband.  I also enjoy all the children at Hancock.  I feel very connected to the children and look forward, each day, to their enthusiasm for learning.