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An Update Regarding RAD As many of you know, for several years the PTA had sponsored a program called “Readers Are Doers” or RAD. The goal of this program was to encourage reading, and included student goals, tracking minutes, incentives and prizes, and a substantial monetary investment (about $4,500) in buying a book for each student.
Feedback from parents and teachers has been mixed, with parent concerns about the use of incentives and a wide variety of opinions from teachers regarding timing, tracking minutes and other details about the program. In light of these concerns, some of which resulted in the PTA membership electing to remove the free book from the program, it has now been decided to transition RAD from a PTA-sponsored program back to the teachers and parent volunteers. Our recommendation is for each teacher to solicit volunteers in their class to fit their specific needs and desires.
We believe that parent volunteers, working in collaboration with the teachers, can best share a love of reading with our children without the constraints and overhead of a formal RAD program.
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In past years, Puesta del Sol students worked on building great reading habits and strengthening their love of reading by taking part in the PTA-sponsored reading challenge, Readers Are Doers (RAD).
As part of the Readers Are Doers (RAD) Program, students had the option of submitting a favorite book as a “Star Book” to their classroom coordinator. We compiled these “Star Books” into a list for the school to enjoy.
Please talk with your child's teacher if you are interested in having RAD done in your child's classroom this year. The following are guidelines and forms that have been used in past years:
Fill in the Reading Agreement Form with the number of minutes that your student pledges to read during the 6 week reading program. Work with your child to make a challenging, but achievable, goal.
Return the Reading Agreement Form to your student’s classroom by xx date. Keep the top portion for your reference as it includes contact information for your classroom RAD Coordinator.
Encourage your child to read! Any book or magazine in English or Spanish qualifies toward your student’s goal. Your child can read, be read to, or listen to audio books.
Track those minutes! Help your child keep track of the minutes that are read each week. Here’s a calendar for you to use. Round off minutes to the nearest ten: if over 5 minutes round up; under 5 round down. For example, if a student read 16 minutes, round up to 20; if a student read 12 minutes round down to 10.
Each Friday, email your classroom RAD Coordinator with your child’s minutes. Track Spanish minutes and English minutes separately, if possible. The class's progress will be tracked on a chart in the classroom marking the general goals. School-wide minutes will be tracked in the cafeteria.
All students will be able to participate in our RAD celebration at the end of the program and each will receive a new book!
RAD typically runs 6 weeks long. Below is a sample week-by-week program that has been used in the past:
Please talk with your child's teacher if you are interested in running RAD for your child's classroom.
Printable RAD Information Sheet
Classroom Coordinator Responsibilities
Bring a smile to your face when you check out these fun video promotions for the 2012 RAD Challenge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcXfJO2ZU-Y
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DURT_DbQtY8
Bring a smile to your face when you check out these fun video promotions for the 2012 RAD Challenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcXfJO2ZU-Y
and
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