mSE’s HollyWood

StarsThis year’s Accelerated Reader theme

will show off the Superstar Readers at MSE! What is AR? AR is a motivational reading program that we use in hopes of instilling the love of reading, exposing students to a variety of authors and genres, and reward them for their efforts. After a student reads a book, he or she will take a test on the computer over the book. The test consists of 5 to 10 multiple answer questions. The student receives points for passing a test and then tries to accumulate a set amount of points.

You can look at your student’s AR progress on this website: https://hosted15.renlearn.com/95287/HomeConnect/Login.aspx

This link to check AR progress is also posted on the library webpage at http://www.montgomery.kyschools.us/olc/teacher.aspx?s=1432 and teachers’ webpages as well.

Having access to AR online gives us access to every test that AR creates. It does NOT give access for you to take an AR test at home.

Is your book at home AR? Is your book from the public library AR? You can find out at www.arbookfind.com.

Parents, thank you for your support in our efforts to produce lifelong readers. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher or the librarian Wendy Rogers.

A big thank you to the MSE PTO!! Lots of prizes and activities are sponsored and made possible with PTO funds.

Roll Out the Red CarpetGrab your cameras! Everybody will be a Super Star at this year’s

AR kick off. You will see familiar faces strutting their stuff!! The AR kick off will be Friday Aug. 12th. Students and teachers are invited to wear your Hollywood sunglasses and we will have fun posing for the Paparazzi!

Lights, Camera, Action!We are not having individual 9 week reading goals this year; instead, we are focusing on the yearly

goal. So to help motivate our inspiring stars, we will have a reward party each 9 weeks along the way. Reward Date of Reward Goals must be met

the day before the scheduled reward

1st9 wks25%Party

Live At the Banana Split Café party

Thurs. Oct. 13 Last day to test– Wed. Oct. 12

2nd

9 wks50%Party

3rd

9 wks75%Party

Paparazzi Pizza Party

Sneak Preview Pajama and Movie Party

Fri. Dec. 16

Fri. March 9

Last day to test-Thurs. Dec. 15

Last day to test-Thurs. March 8

4th

9 wksMSE Premier Party Tues. May 15 Last day to test-

Fri. May 11100

%party

Want to be a Star?

At the end of each month, the top two AR point earners from each classroom will have a poster size picture taken with one of the Super Star cutouts in the library. The posters will hang in the school for all to see.

AR Percentage Clubs – Super Star Readers at work!

These clubs are based on a percentage of your yearly reading goal. Each child’s goal is based on his or her reading ability. Each Monday morning, students will have their name announced on WMSE and will receive the designated prize. There is no time schedule for these clubs; you can meet them at any time during the year – the sooner the better! So grab your scripts (your books) and get started!

10% Club Bronze Club Star tattoo and pencil

25% Club Silver Club Hollywood sunglasses

50% Club Gold Club handprint on Hall of Fame star, small surprise

75% Club Emmy Club Picnic and Popsicle Production

100% Club Oscar Club VIP Pass, certificate, name on VIP Poster, surprise at Premier Party

March V.I.P. Night on the Town – 4th and 5th graders onlyIn March, ten students will be invited to a night on the town with Mrs. Rogers and Mrs. Shaw.

We will go Cosmic bowling at Sterling Lanes in Mt. Sterling. Who wins? Top five girls and top five boys who have earned the most points for the year up to March 1st from 4th and 5th grades will receive an invitation.

Will Mrs. Shaw and Mrs. Rogers stay awake until 2:30 AM??????? Start reading, win this contest, and see for yourself!

MSE Premier Party - Tuesday May 15th

Students who reach their yearly reading goal will be invited to attend the Premier Party for an afternoon of entertainment and awards. Students will

wear dressy attire. Each student will receive a special surprise. The last day to earn book points will be Fri. May 11th.

Point Clubs

The only time points (rather than percentages) will be used to reward students will be when students reach an OUTSTANDING amount of points throughout the year. This way, even our students who quickly reach the 100% Oscar Club will have something to keep working for. Point Clubs will begin with 50 points earned. When a student reaches each point goal for the school year, they will be inducted into that Point Club and receive the corresponding reward.

50 Point Club - Bookmark100 Point Club - McDonald's sundae150 Point Club - Read a book on WMSE to the school200 Point Club - McDonald's lunch250 Point Club - Be the Principal or Librarian for an hour300 Point Club - $25 in Book Fair bucks for the next Book Fair350 Point Club - Name engraved on a plaque which will hang in our school

Kindergarten The Kindergarten AR plan is slightly different. 1st 9 weeks goal - 6 take home "little" books2nd 9 weeks goal - 10 "little" books3rd 9 weeks goal - 12 “little” books or 6 AR points4th 9 weeks goal - 12 “little” books 6 AR points

Yearly goal = 40 “little” books (an AR point will also count as 1 “little” book)

Also, since Kindergarten students are not yet independent readers, they must take all book tests in the classroom with the teacher or teacher assistant. Any testing outside of the classroom will not count toward their total book points.

10% Club4 books

Bronze Club Star tattoo and pencil

25% Club10 books

Silver Club Hollywood sunglasses

50% Club20 books

Gold Club handprint on Hall of Fame star, small surprise

75% Club30 books

Emmy Club Picnic and Popsicle Production

100% Club40 books

Oscar Club VIP Pass, certificate, name on VIP Poster, surprise at Premier Party

DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS

Percentages - Your percentage correct on book tests must be 80% or better, so slow down and enjoy the books you read. The company that created AR believes that children must make 80% or higher on every test in their reading range in order to make gains in reading.

Book LevelsDoes a 2.5 book level mean 2nd grader in the 5 month? Not exactly, this is strictly readability, not developmental. This is why I strongly support allowing children who are remarkable readers to still read at their grade level. AR recommends that they read broadly, not up. If a child is reading above his/her grade level, then they will be allowed to read books from their grade level up to their highest level. For example, a child in 4th grade whose reading level is 5.2-5.8 will be able to read and test on books 4.0-5.8. Or, a child in 2nd grade

whose reading level is 3.1-4.2 will be able to read and test on books 2.0-4.2. We must remember to help children select books which are developmentally appropriate.

Points Points are based on length or word count, which is believed to reflect “engaged time”, not associated with how “worthy” a book is. GoalsStudents will take a reading test on the computer called the Star test. The teachers will then look at the results and use a chart developed by AR to establish a goal. Teachers will make adjustments as needed.

Reading RangeThe Star test will give a recommended ZPD (zone of proximal development) for each child. A child’s ZPD should equal the level of practice that fosters the most growth. Too easy = no growth, too hard = frustration If a child’s average is 85%, that means the student is in the right zone. An average of 90% correct or higher is associated with the greatest growth.

PracticeAR recommends 30 min. of daily reading practice for elementary students.

Want to know how many points you need to be inducted into each percentage club? It depends on what your yearly goal is. Find your yearly goal number on the left hand side, then drag your finger across to the see how many points you need for

each club.

Clubs

Based on yearly goal of…

10%Bronze

25%Silver

50%Gold

75%Emmy

100%Oscar

20 2 5 10 15 2024 2 6 12 18 2428 3 7 14 21 2832 3 8 16 24 3236 4 9 18 27 3640 4 10 20 30 4044 4 11 22 33 4448 5 12 24 36 4852 5 13 26 39 5256 6 14 28 42 5660 6 15 30 45 6064 6 16 32 48 6468 7 17 34 51 6872 7 18 36 54 7276 8 19 38 57 7680 8 20 40 60 8084 8 21 42 63 8488 9 22 44 66 8892 9 23 46 69 9296 9 24 48 72 94100 10 25 50 75 100