12 Days of Reading

This past week was truly exhilarating. Mrs. Forish, Mrs. Gordon, and I charged ahead with a plan to energize the "Vacation Reading" Challenge. We wanted families to commit to reading regardless of whether or not school was in session. We wanted to provide families with tips and strategies for keeping reading relevant even in the midst of the holiday bustle.

Well, an idea came to the forefront. Get the students involved. Let their voices be heard!

Just take a look at the engagement and commitment of our students!

The past few days, students enjoyed using various iPad apps and our new greenscreen kit (both gifts from our generous PTO) in order to create PSA/commercials to encourage all students to avoid the "vacation slide".

Research clearly shows that the the most effective factors in improving reading achievement are:

• Consistently engaged in independent reading.
• Parents continuing to read aloud to their children.

The most memorable and touching moment for me this week was our parent tech workshop. On Wednesday evening, we had 11 parents (Dads, moms, and a grandma) join their child for a session on creativity with iPads. You will surely enjoy their video clips they created. I have to give a shout-out to the dads who came that evening. They were 110% engaged in the process and unleashed their creativity! I know without a doubt their children will always remember these moments.

Enjoy!

Mrs. Martellino