Read-A-Thon

Read-A-Thon 2010 Wrap-Up News:

Thanks to you, we are well on our way to reaching our Read-a-thon 2010 goal of $15,000.  If you are still planning to send in pledges but have not yet, please send it this week. Send in the envelope provided (or any envelope) with the pledge/donation form,and mark it with your child's name and his/her teacher's name. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Thank you for your children!! What great readers they are!! They were motivated and very intense about their reading mission. Over the course of 4 weeks, the Kindergarten and 1st graders on average read over 150 books each, amounting to over 35,000 total number of books read. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders have read their way to over 5500 AR points. Chalk those numbers up for increased literacy and love for reading!

The awards assembly will be on Mon., Mar 8th, 8:30 a.m. in the gym.
We will recognize the winners in the following categories:
*Class with most books read/ AR points earned per grade
*Individual with most # books read/ AR points earned per grade
*Individual with most $ earned per grade

A sincere thanks to you all for supporting your young readers- such impressive read-a-thon results are testimony to our PPE families’ commitment to our students and our school!

Katie Nelson and Katy Hines
2010 Read-A-Thon Co-Chairs

2-19

Read-a-Thon was extended one more week! Due to snow days throughout all of Read-a-Thon, another week has been added. Thursday, February 25th will be the final counting day. K and 1st will bring in Reading logs/Rocket folders, and the final AR report for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th will be run at noon on this day.

We would like to extend a big thank you to Davis-Kidd Booksellers for hosting the PPE book fair this past Sunday. Davis-Kidd will donate a portion of all sales during this event to PPE. Thanks too to the many families who attended and to the PPE students who read aloud.

“Reading is a Blast” Read-a-Thon, a three week period during which our children read and are read to. Read-a-Thon encourages them to read and practice reading on their level. It also raises needed funds for our school through the collection of pledges. The children earn points for each book they read and receive prizes as they travel through Space to first Pluto, then Mercury, and on to Saturn and Jupiter. All prizes are awarded at the end of Read-a-thon. Throughout the three weeks we have some fun events planned like a book character dress up day and a family reading gathering at Davis Kidd. Extra Pledge sheets are posted below.

READ-A-THON GUIDELINES, GOALS, INCENTIVES and FUN

How do Kindergarteners and 1st graders earn points?
These students earn a point for each book they read and for books read to them (books read in school with their class count as well). Kindergarten and 1st grade students and parents will record books on a provided Weekly Reading Log. These logs are turned in on the three Thursday mornings during Read-a-thon (February 4th, 11th and 18th). Kindergarteners and First graders receive a new Weekly Reading Log each week in their Read-a-thon Folders.

How do 2nd – 4th graders earn points?
2nd - 4th graders read books from the AR (Accelerated Reader) list. When they pass the corresponding quiz (taken during the school day on the computer), their points are recorded and tallied automatically. (Please note that books on the AR list are assigned different point values beginning with ½ point.) Parents can track AR progress online at the following website:
https://Hosted193.renlearn.com/82467/HomeConnect/login.aspx
Please contact your teacher if you need a User name and Password

Where can students find AR titles?
Copies of the AR book list are available in the 1st – 4th grade classrooms, on the school website – (percypriest.org), at the Edgehill and Green Hills Public Libraries, the Percy Priest library, and online at the Home Connect website (website address above)

What incentives are offered to children who achieve their reading goals?
This year we have fun prizes for children who travel through reading to each of the goal planets Pluto, Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter. (prizes are
listed below).

In addition, all students achieving their goals have their
picture displayed on the Wall of Fame outside of the PPE library.

Pluto/ Level 1 – Spaceship Pen
Mercury/ Level 2 – Percy Priest Tiger
Backpack/ luggage tag
Saturn/ Level 3 - 20% off Davis Kidd coupon
Jupiter/ Level 4 – THE COVETED 2010 Read-A-Thon Medal (See William Hoyt above)

What are the reading goals for each grade level?
Pluto Level 1
K / 1st - 15 books
2nd - 2.5-4.9 points
3rd / 4th - 5-9.9 points

Mercury Level 2
K / 1st - 25 books
2nd - 5-9.9 points
3rd / 4th - 10-14.9 points

Saturn Level 3
K / 1st - 50 books
2nd - 10-14.9 points
3rd / 4th - 15-19.9 points

Jupiter Level 4
K / 1st - 75 books
2nd - 15+ points
3rd / 4th - 20+ points

How do I make a donation or pledge as a sponsor?
Your child’s pledge form and envelope will be sent home on Friday, January 29th. Pledges will be based on the points students earn during Read-a-thon, so use the information above to gauge the
number of points you think your child may earn and pledge accordingly. We hope to raise $40 per child. Please ask family and friends for their support, too. If you prefer, you may make a donation instead of or in combination with a pledge. At the conclusion of Read-a-thon, your child’s points will be recorded and returned to you so that you may begin collecting pledges. All monies are due Friday, February 26th.

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Providing you and your child a way to track reading progress, the Accelerated Reader reading program and the accompanying STAR diagnostic program are widely used software at Percy Priest. Several teachers have received full Reading Renaissance training for most effective use of the program to increase student reading achievement. Reading goals for all students are set each six weeks, and students regularly read AR books and take comprehension tests via the computer in order to reach their mastery and reading level goals.Access Accelerated Reader information online with Renaissance Server Home Connect!