Stopping Summer Slide, Part Deux – Scott School

How does this grant promote the development of literacy for learners?Selected students and their parents will attend a Spring literacy fair where parents can learn about the program and students can self-select 8 books for summer reading. Kids Read Now will send each participant a new book in the mail every week during the summer--keeping kids motivated to see what the next book in the box will be! Each book comes with a parent guide to help parents discuss the book with their child. Materials can come in 120 different languages so that families can work together in their primary language if they choose. After the child and parent read and discuss the book, the parent sends a text with a four digit code to Kids Read Now; the book is recorded as being finished and recorded in the data collection tool so that school staff can monitor summer reading engagement. In addition to the books, each child receives a journal with a fun and quirky illustration as a prompt for writing. It becomes the 9th book in the summer series for each participant. Kids Read Now's program is based on the work of Richard Allington and his study of what is effective for staving off summer reading loss.

How does this grant provide professional development opportunities for educators (resources for programs and staff development)?There is a teacher guide and materials for how to incorporate a child's summer reading into the beginning of the following year. Teachers will also meet with RS to do a data review and come up with parameters for which students are included in the program.

How does this grant lay the foundation for creating life-long readers, writers, and learners?I think bringing in the family, to read and talk about the books, is really motivating. My experience has shown me that many parents "don't know"--what to ask, what to do if a child doesn't know a word, how to find the time to read the books their child is reading. They feel ill-equipped to talk about books at home--this costs us all the celebration of reading a really good book and talking about it with our people! Learning how to talk about books is also a skill--one that reluctant readers develop late or possibly not at all. Helping the parents navigate how to discuss books at home with their kids has the potential to create a paradigm shift in the home--building a parent's confidence helps them build their child's confidence. Knowing how to read for understanding and how to talk about what we've understood motivates every adult reader I know; helping to foster this early lays the foundation for students to keep doing what brings them success and connection.

How does this grant provide opportunities that link literacy at home and school?Yes! The materials are sent home but there is a data component that allows school staff to monitor summer reading engagement. Staff can reach out to families who need a little "nudge" to keep going and also see if there is a way we can help support. The books are the kids' to keep and the 9th book that the students write can be showcased here at school in the fall.

Assessment Plan1. Use spring reading data to choose students at grades 1-4 (current K-3 students) 2. Track engagement over the summer; reach out to support as needed. 3. Assess reading level in the fall to compare to exit level

Itemized & Detailed BudgetKids Read Now materials (books, journal, parent cards)=$45.00 X 100 students = $4,500