News from RTS = PTO

First Graders Reach Reading Goals

By=20 Linda Mullin, First Grade Teacher

First grade = students=20 celebrated reading accomplishments at Rutland Town School with a pizza = party.=20 Students wore visors they made and decorated with slogans such as =93I = Love=20 Books!=94 =93Warning=85attracted to books!=94 =93Learn=85Read!=94 The pizza lunch was purchased = from the=20 Abbey Group and included a tossed salad, milk, and chocolate chip = cookies. The students received gifts of = books=20 from their teachers and certificates stating the number of books read=20 individually. When they = discovered=20 the total books read by the entire first grade, they cheered. Cheering for reading is an = exciting=20 prospect in school!

The goal is = for first=20 grade students to listen to or read at least four books each day. At Rutland Town School, = families=20 work with teachers to help students meet that goal; Teachers send home = books=20 from the =93classroom library.=94 The reading done at home is supported = by an=20 incentive program through Pizza Hut called = =93Book-It.=94

A reading = incentive=20 program pays off in dividends:

=F0 it is a home and school connection

=F0 it gives students the opportunity to practice reading fluency = and=20 comprehension

=F0 it is an opportunity for bonding between family and child

=F0 it leads to the concept of number sense

=F0 it leads to an opportunity for celebrating=20 accomplishments

The first = grade=20 students and teachers agree that the Book-It program and pizza lunch = were a=20 success.