For Families

Why Summer Enrichment?

During the school year daily classwork provides plenty of mental exercise. Then come the relaxing days of summer! As wonderful as summer vacation is, “summer slide” has a terrible habit of slowing, even halting student progress, making the return to school in August difficult. Simple activities, like independent reading and basic math fact practice, can help students maintain the great progress they have made during the school year.

What to Read?

"Every reader his or her book. Every book its reader."— S.R. Ranganathan

Research continues to show that the greatest motivators for reading are need and choice -- we read to solve a problem, to satisfy curiosity, and to be entertained. While we are focusing on the big theme of STEM, students are encouraged to read what they enjoy, in the format they prefer. Grade level pages include suggested reading material curated from teacher recommendations, student favorites, must-read lists, book review blogs, and other sources. Families should not feel limited by these lists, they are provided as a starting point for helping their student to find "just right" reading material.

• Review the content: Does the student have any interest in the story or topic? Is the information or storyline appropriate for their age and maturity? Look for summaries on the back of the back or on the book cover flaps.

• Consider reading level: Is the book too hard? A quick tip is to open to the second page and begin reading. For each word that is too difficult, hold up a finger. If you reach five fingers before the end of the page, the student may want to find another choice for independent reading.