In today’s episode, host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with Margaret Marotta Smith, Superintendent of Haverhill Public Schools, and Bonnie Antkowiak, Principal in 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 Smith and Bonnie Antkowiak
Haverhill Public Schools:
https://www.haverhill-ps.org/ Margaret Marotta Smith 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.
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