Bow Middle School Tackles Literacy with Loralyn LaBombard and Kerri Harris
January 16th, 2026
New Hampshire’s public schools are amongst the best in the nation. Unfortunately, much of the day-to-day work that makes that so goes unseen by our communities. 5 Big Questions seeks to open the school house door to spotlight the work being done, why it matters, and how we, as a broader NH community, can build upon the successes and innovations so ALL NH students can benefit.
Below is one story, through the eyes of the people who live it:
An interview with Loralyn LaBombard and Kerri Harris of Bow Memorial School.
On November 24, 2025, EdWeek, a national news outlet covering all things education, published an article entitled: When Older Students Can’t Read: How This Middle School Is Tackling Literacy. The article detailed the work of Loralyn LaBombard and Kerri Harris of Bow Memorial School. To learn more about their work, Reaching Higher NH sat down with the pair to discuss the 5 Big Questions. Here is a summary of what they had to say:
1. What do you do?
In 2021, Loralyn LaBombard noticed some of her students were struggling. With the use of masking during the pandemic as well as the sudden (and some would say chaotic) jump to virtual learning, LaBombard found the students’ phonological awareness was less advanced than pre-pandemic and their writing and spelling skills were suffering. In response, LaBombard, a Reading Specialist, along with her colleague Kerri Harris, a 7th and 8th Grade Special Education Teacher, and the support of administrators at Bow Memorial School started a structured literacy class. The class focused on supporting students who struggled with literacy as a result of a word level deficit.
The idea for the class came after LaBombard attended a conference and attending a presentation by Dr. Julie Burtscher Brown from VT. With a focus on helping students overcome “deficits with dignity”, LaBombard and Harris use evidence-based approaches, materials, and strategies in structured literacy classes for grades 5,6,7, and 8. Specifically, the team has worked to operationalize the Science of Reading, efforts which predated recent change to NH law mandating the move.
After the success of a small pilot, the approach has spread to encompass any child who could benefit from the service during their middle school years and efforts are underway to vertically align the effort with Bow’s elementary schools.
2. Why do you do it?
LaBombard and Harris have a passion for working in service of their students. They see their job as facilitating the process by which each student gains the knowledge and develops the skills necessary to live happy, healthy, and productive lives. When the team identified an opportunity to better serve their students, they jumped at the chance. “If we can address the problem, why wouldn’t we?”
3. What does it mean for students?
Offering structured literacy courses in middle school has been invaluable to students, according to LaBombard and Harris. Students who struggle with literacy often feel the effect in their self-confidence and are less willing to fully engage in their courses. They often experience shame and embarrassment and withdraw from their peers. According to parents and teachers of participating students, there is a clear increase in student confidence and engagement as a result of this effort. They feel a sense of ownership of their learning and regularly provide input on how best to improve the program.
4. How are families involved?
Moving to structured literacy courses and away from individual and small group interventions was a big shift for some parents. There was concern about how it would work, whether students would continue to receive the same quality instruction as before, and what the outcomes would be. To ease concerns, the school worked to provide detailed explanations of the approach and the reason for it. Additionally, LaBombard and Harris worked collaboratively with families in a continuous feedback loop over the first year to understand what was working, what wasn’t, and how to adapt. As the students’ skills improved, families began receiving positive feedback in other subjects as well. Families are now amongst the biggest cheerleaders of the effort.
5. Is there something that state decision makers should know?
LaBombard and Harris stress that everything that happens in the structured literacy classes is data-driven. They are constantly monitoring not just SAS scores, but the context that surrounds them, including student growth which they see as an important indicator of what is working and what is not in an educational setting.
According to the team, innovation in the classroom can often be challenging due to a lack of resources. New approaches, new materials, and new training all require time, money, and expertise. The ability of the NH Education Department to offer LETRS training at no cost is seen as a game changer by LaBombard and Harris as the training is cost prohibitive for most NH districts. Additionally, they celebrated the role of the NHED in partnering with and supporting educators in the field.
In order to maintain programs like this and expand them across the NH, state decision makers play a major role the pair shared. The fewer resources that are afforded to districts, the fewer resources students will have.
BONUS:
6. What else should we know?
LaBombard and Harris insist that this is feasible. When teachers, administrators, families, and communities join forces, no matter where you live in the state, students can get what they need.
If you are interested in connecting with Loralyn LaBombard and Kerri Harris to learn more about their work and how to bring it to your community, email them at empoweringeveryreader@gmail.com.
Want to learn more?
Check out: When Older Students Can’t Read: How This Middle School Is Tackling Literacy
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