Library Notes

Summer is here and that means it’s time for Family Reading Nights!  This summer I'll again offer our school families (including newcomers, of course!) a weekly Family Reading Night, every Tuesday evening, June 8 – August 17, from 6:00 - 9:00 pm.  The purposes of Family Reading Night are to encourage children to continue reading during the summer, and to give families some relaxing time together for reading and talking about books.  

Families may borrow library books and children may take Accelerated Reader tests for points.  Any points earned will accumulate in the students' AR files with the points they earn during the school year, and will count toward their Wall of Fame goals for the upcoming year. Taking AR quizzes in a relaxed atmosphere with Mom or Dad close by can be a great help for children who are just learning to use the program, or for those who have a bit of “quiz anxiety”. 

Students must be accompanied by an adult, and families may stay just long enough to take a test and borrow a new book, or for the whole evening to read together -- whatever fits into the family schedule.  Participating families are not committed to coming every week. 

There is ample research on the impact of summer reading on children’s readiness for the new school year.  Don’t let your favorite students lose ground this summer!  See the back of this sheet for more painless summer learning ideas from the Reading Rockets website.

Along with all of the exciting outdoor activities of the summer, plan some quieter time in the school library, too!  

 Chris Toogood, All Saints School Librarian

Five Free and Easy Tips for Summer Learning: What You Can Do

By: Brenda McLaughlin and Jane Voorhees Sharp (2005)

Research about how much children lose ground over the summer is well documented. Harris Cooper of Duke University notes, "Overall, children experience an average summer learning loss across reading and mathematics of about one month" (1996).

The thing is, though, kids don't have to lose over the summer. In fact, you can encourage your child to have a summer of fun and learning with these five free and easy things to do. Try them out!

1. Read Every Day

• Go to the library often and let the kids choose their books to borrow.
• Listen to books on CD, especially on those long car rides.
• Track your summer reading at the Scholastic website, scholastic.com/summerreading (requires registration).
• Take turns reading to each other.
• Allow kids to stay up an extra half hour as long as they're reading.

2. Use Math Every Day

• Practice the multiplication tables by making each point in a basketball game worth 7 points (or 8 or 9).
• Show your child how to go to coolmath.com or aplusmath.com to play math games.
• Make up math word problems for the car or dinner table.

3. Get Outside and Play

• Find ways to ensure your child is active for 60 minutes each day.
• Walk the neighbor's dog, go swimming, play badminton or soccer, take walks, or go for family bike rides.
• Look for safe, fun ways to play outside together year-round.

4. Write Every Week

• Ask your child to write a letter to grandparents, relatives, or friends.
• Encourage him or her to keep a journal or write the grocery list.
• Organize a secret pal writing project for kids at in your community.

5. Do a Good Deed

• Encourage your child to help out neighbors or friends.
• He or she can volunteer with a local group or do a service project.
• Suggest that your child set aside part of his allowance for charity.
• Look at Nickelodeon's Big Help (nick.com/thebighelp) web site together for more ideas.

Adapted from a presentation by Brenda McLaughlin, Director of Research and Policy, Center for Summer Learning, Johns Hopkins University and Jane Voorhees Sharp, Office of Early Care and Education, New Jersey Department of Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/3487, May 3, 2007.