How John Moffet School is Raising Readers

On a bright morning in Kensington, a mom pushes her stroller past the gates of John Moffet School. Her toddler points to a colorful “N” mounted to the fence—part of the school’s Philly ABCs installation. She leans down. “N is for nice neighbors,” she reads aloud.

To Principal Rodney Johnson, it’s a moment that says everything. “I’ve seen parents stop right there and go through the whole alphabet with their kid,” he says. “We’re not just teaching inside the classroom. We’re surrounding our kids with literacy.”

At Moffet, literacy isn’t just a subject—it’s a mission. As a Read by 4th partner, we wanted a closer look at how they’re bringing that mission to life, and they graciously invited us into the school to see it firsthand.

“This wasn’t just a job. It was a personal assignment.”

Principal Rodney Johnson stands proudly at the front doors of John Moffet School—where the message above says it all: House of Learning.

Rodney Johnson came to Moffet ready to make a difference. When he was offered the principal job in 2019, he asked for a week to pray on it.

“I knew that taking this assignment was not just taking a job—it was an assignment for me. We needed to stop playing with kids’ lives,” he says.

He had spent years in central office as a literacy director, watching change unfold slowly. “I wanted to see the day-to-day change, up close. What does it take for schools and teachers to actually shift?”

His answer: culture, trust, and the science of reading.

During recess, students play among the colorful letters of the Philly ABCs playground installation.

Flipping the Script

Over the last few years, Moffet has gone all-in on structured literacy. Teachers have taken on AIM Pathways training, rethought lesson planning, and embraced the hard (but joyful) work of learning how kids really learn to read. 

Their efforts align with the School District of Philadelphia’s strategic plan set forth by Superintendent Watlington and the new ELA curriculum—launched this year and rooted in the science of reading—giving students across the city access to evidence-based instruction.

“The hard part is mindset change,” says Johnson. “But we saw early on—this change is what’s best for kids.”

Megan Zor agrees. She’s a veteran teacher, a certified reading specialist, a Teach for America alumni, and a parent of two Moffet students.

“I had been teaching reading for years. I had the certification. But I didn’t actually know how to teach a child to read until I got Wilson certified,” she says. “And then later, AIM Pathways gave me the full picture.”

Now, as Moffet’s English Language Learner Instructor, she’s helping lead the charge from within.

“We’ve made this slow lane change—from what we used to do, to what works best for kids: structured literacy,” she says.

Inside classrooms, the tools of structured literacy are on display. Here, a sound wall helps students understand the relationship between letters and the sounds they make. 

Megan Zor helps students pick stories they’ll love from Moffet’s book vending machine. 

Building Literacy and Community

Moffet’s transformation isn’t just about teacher training. It shows up in classrooms, hallways, and living rooms across the neighborhood.

Take the PWERS workshop, for example. It’s designed to give families practical tools to build early literacy skills at home. Johnson and Zor knew that reaching families early, with strategies rooted in the science of reading, could build momentum long before a child ever steps into kindergarten.

“We had 70 families come out,” Johnson says. “Three workshops. We talked sounds, letters, decoding. Families left feeling like they knew how to help their kid become a better reader.”

Zor adds:

“Our workshops weren’t just open to Moffet families. We brought in local early childhood directors, teachers, parents. Everyone learning together. That’s what allowed us to make this intentional shift.”

Moffet truly understands what it means to be part of a community. Thanks to generous support from the Penn Treaty Special Services District, family literacy workshops and celebrations were open not only to Moffet families but to the entire neighborhood—deepening connections and expanding the impact.

And in the classroom kids are owning their growth.

Zor shares one moment that sticks:

“We had three newcomer students in 4th grade. Different home languages. They read and summarized eight news articles, then presented them as a video newscast. They were so proud. And so was I.”

Reading is Everywhere

At Moffet, literacy doesn’t stop at the bell. Every piece of the school’s environment is designed to make reading visible, joyful, and accessible.

There’s a book vending machine, where students can earn tokens as a reward and “buy” books to take home. There's a dedicated space for families to pick up free books, stocked and ready to go. And unlike most public schools in Philadelphia, Moffet has a school library because their school community made sure of it.

“We try to weave reading into everything,” Zor says. “Because we know that strong, confident readers have the tools they need to succeed—and they deserve that.”

“We’re not doing this alone.”

If there's a secret to Moffet’s success, it’s this: no one’s doing this work in isolation.

“We don’t just say, ‘Teachers, go figure it out.’ We create the space to grow,” says Johnson. “And we don’t leave parents out. They want what’s best for their kids—they just need the tools.”

Principal Rodney Johnson and Megan Zor stand in front of a sign that reads: No person is born a great reader. Great readers are made!

It also doesn’t hurt to have understanding leadership at the helm. Strong evidence-based instruction doesn't happen without a principal who understands the science of reading—and who builds a trust-fueled culture where educators are encouraged to learn and grow. Johnson’s belief in structured literacy isn’t just philosophical; it shows up in the support, expectations, and encouragement he provides every day.

He leads with the mindset that everyone in the building is a learner—including himself.

“Mr. Johnson is really good at knowing what people need and how we can grow without trying to do too much all at once. He takes care of people,” adds Megan Zor.

That kind of thoughtful, people-first leadership matched with an incredibly dedicated staff is part of what sets Moffet apart. The school’s success isn’t just about adopting the science of reading—it’s about creating the conditions for it to thrive. A whole-child, whole-community mindset drives every decision, from classroom instruction to family engagement.

It’s also what brought Zor to the school in the first place.

“When my daughter started kindergarten here, I knew about the science of reading. I knew 95% of kids can learn to read with the right instruction. And I knew this school could do it,” she says. “We’ve got the leadership. The teachers. The families. Moffet is the school that can.”

A Legacy of Love

Even with summer break on the horizon, Johnson’s already thinking ahead—about deepening teacher collaboration, strengthening school partnerships, and expanding what’s working.

“I won’t be here forever,” he says. “But the kids walking these halls? They’re going to run the city one day. The doctor’s office, the government, the small business down the street. We owe them that chance.”

And when those students leave Moffet? Johnson says:

“I want our kids to say: We were loved. We were seen. They cared about our learning.”