Dear parents and guardians:
Most of the students in Douglas Middle School are involved in
using the Accelerated Reader program through their language arts,
reading or skills development classes. The Acclerated Reader computer
program is designed to help students improve their reading skills
and their enjoyment of reading by offering tests on a wide variety
of books from which they can choose. Each student has a computer
file in his or her name that is accessed after a book is completed
by the student. A test evaluates the literal comprehension of
the selection and awards points for a passing grade (65% or higher).
Each team using the Accelerated Reader program has assigned a
grade value to the number of points accumulated, and the grade
earned on the Accelerated Reader program impacts their quarter
grades in that class.
Although this is only one component in the literature and reading
program, it has proven to be a valuable one. Some students are
reading often, completing books and passing tests; others are
not helping themselves in this area. Much of the reading needs
to be accomplished outside of the classroom. If your child is
involved in the Accelerated Reader program, he or she should be
reading at home on a regular basis.
Douglas Middle School has a test bank of 3175 tests. The variety
of selections available for student choice has been made with
a number of things in mind:
Students in the middle school vary tremendously
in reading ability.
Students in the middle school vary tremendously in personal interests.
Students in the middle school vary tremendously in maturity.
Because of these things, the test selection is very broad. There are a number of books on the test list that are not available in our library; yet, students are welcome to read them and test on them. Because of the need to order tests in "packages", there are some books on the list that may be more mature in content than what you would like your child to read. If a book is not checked out from our library, we recommend that you review its content to be sure it is appropriate for your student. The fact that the book is on the test list does not mean we recommend it for all readers. Your help in monitoring your child's reading is necessary for the success of the Accelerated Reader program.
If you have concerns or questions about the Accelerated Reader
program, please visit with your child's teachers. Thank you for
any assistance you can give us in helping your child become a
stronger reader. It is a skill that will help them be successful
for the rest of their lives.
Sincerely,
Douglas Middle School staff