Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
- What is Read-up?
- Where do children take their Read-up quizzes?
- How may I get a list of titles on the Read-up program?
- How many points may my child earn each time he/she reads a book?
- How will my child know which books to choose?
- How does my child gain entrance into the Reading Club for the year?
- What is there for a student beyond the Reading Club?
- Is there anything beyond the Reading Club?
- Would you be willing to take suggestions to help the program?
- May my child participate in Read-up and Book-It at the same time?
- How will my child know if a book is a Read-up book?
- How many points should my child earn each quarter?
What is Read-up?
Read-up is a term we coined at Hynes School. The program is actually called
Accelerated Reader and is produced by Renaissance Learning, located in
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. The program allows students to read books from a
selected list of titles and come down to the media center and take a
multiple-
choice test on the book. At Hynes, we use the program in conjunction with
STAR reading, which is used to assign reading level assignments for the
students.
Where do children take their Read-up quizzes?
Students may take their quizzes in the media center when personnel are
present or in their respective classrooms when their teachers allow them the
time.
How may I get a list of titles on the Read-up program?
The Morton Grove and Niles Public Libraries each have a copy of the Hynes
School Read-up lists. The complete list can now be found on the District 67
Web Page for your convenience. Look for the Accelerated Reader box on the
district home page. The list will once again be updated during 2003-2004
school year.
How many points may my child earn each time he/she reads a book?
Most picture books earn 1/2 point, whereas an average chapter book may earn
anywhere from 1 to 32 points.
How will my child know which books to choose?
All books in the Read-up program which we have a test for are labeled with a
Read-up symbol (actually the International Library symbol) and a color-coded
dot which indicates the grade level of the book. Each child is given a STAR
test in the beginning of the school year and told what colors they have been
assigned to for their optimum reading performance in the Reading program. If
you are choosing books at the public library, the Hynes List they have will
indicate the grade level and the points earned for the books you select.
How does my child gain entrance into the Reading Club for the year?
Once a child has received a cardinal pin, a student may continue earning
points to gain entrance into a special club which culminates each school
year
with being awarded a trophy and an ice-cream party. The Mayor of Morton
Grove
awards the trophies and the event is a fun celebration for all.The points
necessary for the Library Reading Club are as follows:
K-Grades 2-35 points
Grade 3-55 points
Grade 4-70 points
We regret the fact that this event is for students only due to space
limitations!
What is there for a student beyond the Reading Club?
Any student who earns 200 points in a school year is eligible for a special
half-day field trip. A happy group of fantastic readers loads a distrist bus
and travels to a fun afternoon of mini-golf in Skokie. All that exertion
deserves some cool, refreshing ice cream. After golfing, the students are
treated to ice cream sundaes. We return back to school before dismissal,
having
earned ourselves an afternoon away from the classroom.
Is there anything beyond the Reading Club?
Each year a few stellar students earn more than the whopping 200 points.
Therefore, the Reading Club features the person who earns the top
points that school year on a special display titled, "The Read-Up Wall of
Fame". That student is allowed the special privilege of becoming acting
principal for the afternoon. Thank you to Mrs. Westley for sponsoring this
honor. Last year's winner was Naina Gupta and her picture is featured
outside the
media center on the Read-up Wall of Fame. Naina earned over 400 points
during the last school year.
Would you be willing to take suggestions to help the program?
Yes, I am most willing to hear any comments or ideas you have to improve the
program as it exists. Thank you for encouraging your child to read for
pleasure. There is research that points to the fact that children who
develop
a habit of reading in their youth will become lifelong readers.
May my child participate in Read-up and Book-It at the same time?
Yes, students may earn pizza from Pizza Hut, as well as participatin in the
Read-up program. A child may also use books read from the Six Flags program,
which takes place beginning in January of each year for Read-up. Just be
certain that books that are read are part of the Read-up program, as
indicated by the International Reading System and the color dots.
How will my child know if a book is a Read-up book?
At Hynes, books are labelled with the International Reading System and color
dots which indicate the grade level of each title. In the beginning of the
school year, each student takes a diagnostic test which assigns colors the
students are to work with. This allows students to read at the optimal level
for themselves and takes the guesswork away from the task of choosing the
best books for them to read. Generally, non-fiction titles are assigned a
color dot lower than the fiction titles, as the material read is more
difficult. This is explained to the students in the beginning of the year
with their Read-up training.
How many points should my child earn each quarter?
Each child should read for at least fifteen minutes each evening. Students
in
the lower grades may be able to finish a complete book, whereas an older
student should be able to complete a few chapters or more each evening. In
the long run, students should earn 1 or 2 points each week, but many
students
are capable of earning more.
