School council policy russell Independent Schools Russell Primary School

Accelerated Reader Policy

POLICY STATEMENT

Students at RPS will not be expected to begin using the Accelerated Reader Program until they are independent readers. P1 and P2 students will be tested on the STAR reading assessment when they are able to read 80 P1/P2 Sight Words and have scored 725 on the STAR Early Literacy Assessment or as determined by classroom work and teacher recommendation. If the student is reading at .7 or above, as determined by the STAR test, this student will be placed on Accelerated Reader. P1 and P2 students and special needs students may have help reading the Accelerated Reader quiz. If a student is unable to independently take the quiz, the student will take tests in the classroom.

Classroom teachers will determine rewards at the classroom level for goal reachers.

When a classroom reaches a class goal in a nine-week period, this classroom will be announced on the afternoon announcements. It is the responsibility of the teacher to contact the office as soon as the goal is reached so that their class can be honored.

Each student will set (with the teacher) an Accelerated Reader Goal. This goal will be set each 9 weeks. Minimum goals will be set using the Accelerated Reader goal setting chart. Teacher’s can use the 6 or 9-week goals on the chart – depending on the needs of the student. Unless there is a special situation, goals should not be set below the 6-week mark. Teachers will base the goals on the appropriate amount of time that students should be reading per grade level using the enclosed Goal Setting Chart. Students must reach their goals with at least 80% accuracy. (See SBDM Policy 13.01.B Goal Setting)

Council Chairperson

POLICY TOPIC DESCRIPTION

POLICY STATEMENT

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  To help keep parents informed, all students will have their ZPD and goal written each nine weeks on their take home folders. This will also help parents when they bring their children to Family Reading Nights. Teachers will send home half way through the nine weeks a report to let parents know where their children are and how they are doing with reaching their goals.
  

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  Students participating in the evening programs must read and take quizzes in the ZPD range assigned by the teacher. These points will count toward their 9-week AR Goals. Parents will receive at the beginning of the school year a letter containing parent and student expectations along with a calendar of Family Reading Night dates. Parents and students will sign and return the Family Reading Night contract at the beginning of the school year. Only P1 and P2 students can have help from parents when reading quizzes. P3 and P4 students will take the quizzes without help.
  

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  Teachers will not use the Accelerated Reader program as a punishment. Accelerated Reader is a motivational tool that should be used to encourage students to read. Students who are reading at very high levels should not be discouraged from reading books of interest. For example, a student reading at a 6^th grade instructional level who wants to read Beverly Cleary books because of her interest, should be allowed to do so.
  

Council Chairperson

POLICY TOPIC DESCRIPTION

POLICY STATEMENT

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  Teachers will monitor students’ Accelerated Reader progress. This includes monitoring the students’ goals and making sure the student is successful in his/her ZPD range. Each student’s goal will be entered into the computer each nine weeks.
  

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  Teachers will communicate with parents if there are problems with dishonesty in using this program.
  
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  Teachers will set a classroom goal that will be monitored weekly. Classrooms who meet their AR goal will receive special recognition and will report this celebration to the principals. (Classroom goals will include number of books read as well as percentage correct goals.)
  

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  The student will take the STAR test at the beginning of the school year and after each nine-weeks. If a teacher feels that the STAR test on a student is incorrect, then the teacher may request the student to be retested. STAR test results should be made available at the beginning of the year and in the report card each nine-weeks.
  

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  Students who were put on Accelerated Reader as a P1 can have all of their tests deleted at the beginning of their P2 school year so that the students can read these tests again. Also any Special Ed. or Title I student can read books again. Teachers can (if they choose to do so) delete individual tests for students who have not received a passing grade on a test after the student rereads the book.
  

Date(s) Amended __March 16, 2010; December 18, 2012; February 18, 2014

Council Chairperson