September 12, 2016

Dear Parents,

Spending these first few days of the new school year with your children has been a pleasure.  Each of them has contributed in positive ways to the group’s developing dynamics.  I predict a year of solid growth for all of us!

An essential part of the 7th grade curriculum is the reading program.  Reading fluency is the key to success in school and in most walks of life.  Thus, I am expecting students to read at home daily.  Students are to read books of their choosing and will ask you to sign their Home Reading Record.  While the expectation is to read 30 minutes per day, I will hold students accountable for only two hours per week.  Books with continuous paragraphs are required; magazines, comic books, and newspapers are great, but not for the Home Reading Program.  Students will also be reading in class each day, and I will regularly share aloud good writing and literature.

In addition to putting in the required time, my goal is for students to develop a real love of reading.  In class they will hone their ability to find books, authors, subjects, and themes that matter to them.  As the year progresses students will be looking for patterns in their choices of reading material.  They will also develop and articulate their criteria for selecting and sometimes abandoning books.  In a few days take a look in your child’s notebook for their Home Reading Record. This is turned in every two weeks for credit.

Please let me know if you child is struggling with this or needs suggestions.

Kind regards,

Renee