Strengthening Literacy Pathways: How Readers Are Being Supported in Haverhill Public Schools

In today’s episode, host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with Margaret Marotta, Superintendent of Haverhill Public Schools, and Bonnie Antkowiak, Assistant Superintendent of Haverhill Public Schools. Together, they share how Haverhill is building stronger, more coherent literacy systems across grade levels, from early reading instruction to secondary literacy and high-dosage tutoring. Mindy, Margaret, and Bonnie discuss what makes Haverhill special, including its deep community pride, diverse student population, and strong pathways for educators to grow within the district. They also explore how high-quality instructional materials, thoughtful implementation, MTSS, and tutoring are helping more students access grade-level learning and build confidence as readers. Key Moments 03:22 What makes Haverhill Public Schools special 05:40 Growing educators from within the community 07:40 Supporting diverse learners through cohesive curriculum and MTSS 09:47 Why Haverhill was named a Spotlight District for secondary literacy 10:20 Implementing high-quality instructional materials in high school 12:13 Leading through teacher pushback with flexibility and support 15:18 Supporting struggling readers with interventionists and co-teaching 17:28 Building coherence across K–8 literacy instruction 20:15 Using data to strengthen Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 supports 22:52 How high-dosage tutoring fits into Haverhill’s literacy system 28:08 Student investment and relationships in virtual tutoring 30:02 Funding literacy priorities through grants and community partnerships 32:05 A five-year vision for Haverhill’s literacy outcomes Why You’ll Love This Episode If you care about literacy systems, implementation, and making sure every student has access to strong instruction, this episode offers a practical look inside district leadership. Margaret and Bonnie share how Haverhill is aligning resources to priorities, supporting teachers through change, and expanding reading intervention so more students can grow with confidence. Connect with Margaret Marotta and Bonnie Antkowiak Haverhill Public Schools: https://www.haverhill-ps.org/ Margaret Marotta LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-marotta-smith-47508926 Bonnie Antkowiak LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-antkowiak-8051463b/ Follow Us: Mindy Sjoblom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-sjoblom OnYourMarkWebsite: https://www.onyourmarkeducation.org/ OnYourMark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyourmark-education About OnYourMark Podcast The OnYourMark Podcast is where host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with school system leaders shaping what’s possible for early readers. From high-impact tutoring to building trust with families, each episode dives deep into what it really takes to make early literacy work for every child. 👉Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the OnYourMark Podcast for more conversations on literacy, leadership, and lasting change.