Just Have to Brag!

Everyone knows I am one of the biggest fans of R. L. Young. So with that in mind, I just have to brag on our students and their teachers. All year long, and for that matter, for 4 years I have been tracking reading progress with the use of Accelerated Reader. 


In 2008, our school's overall AR comprehension was 79.9%. Since this time, we raised the expectation from an 80% comprehension average to qualify for prizes/trip to a whopping 85%. Our students rose to the challenge and today our school's comprehension average is an impressive 91.1%. This speaks volumes to me and the effort being put forth by students and teachers. 

I have a plaque on my office wall that says, "Children learn to read by reading!" The bottom line is the MORE you read the BETTER you read. It all makes sense, but what most folks overlook is the fact that for a child to improve in reading, they MUST practice within their comfort zone. At Young we find this zone (through STAR TESTING), support the progress, and encourage our students to look for books that fit in this range. 


Each Friday I run reports to check for the highest comprehension by classroom, top 20 point getters in the school, and a class report for the teachers to check each student's progress. If your child is not reading and testing, they are missing out on a great opportunity to improve comprehension. You could help us rectify this problem.


At the last report running, I was amazed at the number of books our students have tested on this year. One class had over 900 passed tests! Just think what a difference it would make if kids were reading not only at school but at home. Of course, students may only take tests at school, but they can read anywhere! Many first graders will now begin using the AR program and success at this level is the key to future long term strong readers! 


So, if you are a parent reading this post, consider these suggestions. Let your child read their AR book to you. Enjoy this special time to snuggle and learn together. Encourage them to take the test to check their comprehension and understanding of what was read. Follow up on the AR website (link is provided on the side of the blog). You can request to join the site and have full assess to see the result of every test your child has taken AND how they scored. In fact, this free program will send you an email letting you know your child tested!

We are so blessed to have a wonderful library, librarian, teachers, assistants, and parents all helping kids discover the great advantages of being a strong reader. 


I am proud of all of our students.  And I know YOU are, too!
Brag Time is over for this PROUD PRINCIPAL...for NOW!