Welcome+to+BCMS+Reads

=Welcome to BCMS READS!=

Each summer, students at BCMS are required to read a certain number of books in preparation for the upcoming school year. During the school year, educators, parents and community members work hard to ensure that students develop the reading skills necessary for success in school and in life. It is important to keep the reading momentum during the summer to avoid summer loss.

__What is Summer Loss?__ - When summer break comes, children leave the formal learning environment of the classroom. - Without the structure of school, reading skills may decrease. - Low-income children are especially susceptible because they often go home to text-free environments. - By the end of fifth grade, low-income kids are approximately 2 1/2 years behind their more affluent peers in terms of reading ability, primarily because of summer loss. [|Lexile]

__What can you do!__ - Understand a summer break does not have to mean a break from learning. - Read to children and encourage children to read themselves over the summer and continue strengthening their reading skills. - Help children select “just right” books. "Find a Book" is a fun and easy way to select books at your child's reading level and on the subjects that interest him or her the most. If you are unsure of the student's Lexile measure, "Find a Book" can help you determine his or her Lexile starting range http://www.lexile.com/faq/#what-is-lexile-range.

__Help Instill Good Reading Habits__
 * Read aloud together with your child every day, and let your child read to you.
 * Set a good example! Keep lots of reading material around the house and limit distractions, such as TV and video games.
 * Take your child to the library regularly. Most libraries have special summer reading activities.
 * Subscribe to magazines that are of interest to your child, like Sports Illustrated for Kids, Highlights for Children and National Geographic.
 * Make reading a part of life. If a text is relevant to a child's life, he or she will want to read it.
 * Discuss with your child what they read. The analytical skills used in discussion are what your child needs for reading tests, not to mention in life.