K-4 Reading Programs at Virtual Schoolhouse

   

May Reading News

Here is the last monthly letter for Marvelous May and Jubilant June.

We have completed the DIBELS assessments.

We are continuing to read the book Charlotte’s Web by E.B.White. Along the way we explain new vocabulary words. We built a web made out of string and added vocabulary words from the book that hang from the web. We are continuing the work with Fundations.

We have completed the study of vowel team words. We are also working with words with vowel-consonant-e word (the magic e). Lastly, we are learning multi-syllable words and compound words. We are continuing to write in our journals with spelling words and writing prompts.

Encourage your children to write to a list for the grocery store, write ingredients for a recipe, keep a reading log, write a letter, or send an email. Writing with a purpose is fun and makes alot of sense!

Remember to keep reading in the summer. Go to the local library for enjoyable summer reading programs that are free!!

We have Shavuot Break on June 9th and 10th 2008. Last day for students is June 13th.

Enjoy your time with your children! Remember to keep reading!

Mrs. Mell - Reading Specialist

 

April Reading News

Here is the monthly letter for Awesome April.

Keep a look out for blooming flowers and listen to the songs of different birds. In honor of the season of Spring we are reading the book Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. Along the way we explain new vocabulary words.

We wrote our vocabulary words inside a student hand drawn spider’s web. We read different types of poetry for poetry month.

We are continuing the work with Fundations. We have completed the study of plurals and bonus letters (f,l,s and sometimes z). We review words with “glued” sounds, some examples are: (all,am,an,ang,ank,ing,ong,ung,unk,ild,ind,old,ost). We are also working with words with vowel teams (/ai/,/ay/,/ee/,/ea/, and /ey/, /oi/, /oy/. Lastly we are learning suffixes, multi-syllable words and compound words.

We have Spring Break the week of April 21-25.

Enjoy your time with your children! Remember to keep reading!

Mrs. Mell - Reading Specialist

 

March Reading News

Dear Parents and Families,

We can’t believe it is already March!

Dr. Seuss has a birthday in March. We are having success in reading some of the classic Dr. Seuss books and some other funny books by Theo Lesig too. (P.S. Theo Lesig is the same author as Dr.Seuss ).

We are moving along with the Wilson reading program with plural words, vowel teams and sight words.

Our school library is open!! Teachers and students can check out books to share and read.

Remember you are always welcome to volunteer in your child’s classroom.

Please attend the Parent/Teacher conference on March 26, 2008.

There is no school on March 21st it is Good Friday.

There is no school on March 28th it is Professional Growth Day.

Thanks in advance for all your support!

Mrs. Mell - Reading Specialist

 

February Reading News

Dear Parents and Families,

February will bring cold, snow and hot chocolate. We will warm our hearts with our Black History Assembly. We will discover heroes, inventors and leaders.

We will visit the zoo on Wednesday, February 13, 2008. We will get a tour of the zoo including the rain forest and sharing lunch. The best part besides learning about animal habitats is it is FREE!!

We are continuing to add books to our school library. Yes! We now have a school library. Any donations of books, magazines, for grades K-12th grade which may include book shelves will be greatly appreciated. Please support your children by reading and being involved in their school and education.

Mrs. Mell - Reading Specialist

 

January Reading News

We are reading the "Flat Stanley" series by Jeff Brown. Flat Stanley has adventures after being flattened by a bulletin board.

We are writing letters and learning about punctuation symbols. We started writing in our journals with a variety of writing prompts.

We continue to work with the Fundations Language Arts program. This includes spelling and rules for reading.

The students are continuing to apply the no bullying rules by being friends and saying kind words and giving compliments. Please encourage your student to be "eagles" and leaders.

We continue to work with the state standards and child development appropriate practices!

We are also starting and completing the DIBELS ( Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Tests) the two weeks of Jan.14-25th. Good Luck to our children. Please continue to keep reading to keep our scores improving!!

Keep filling in the reading log!! Please have your child keep reading to you or you can read to your child.

Thanks for your patience!

Mrs. Mell - Reading Specialist

 

December Reading News

This month we will have the focus on family and being friendly to our classmates, including giving and receiving compliments.

We will also be learning about the process of mail. This includes from where it begins to where the mail ends.

We will continue to be getting homework to help us meet the variety of challenges.

We have been reading many books. Some of these books are fiction, others are non-fiction.

Finally, we will continue learning words with short and long vowels, different vowel patterns, learning sight words, spelling and grammar.

Please encourage your children and grandchildren to read and to fill out the reading logs.

I am extending an open invitation to volunteer in any of the classrooms to read. We also could use books for our library.

Happy reading!!

Mrs. Mell - Reading Specialist

 

October Reading News

The month of October has been very busy.

We have been working with the students on important skills for reading and writing. We work on State Standards for both second and third grades, because we are a multiage group of children.

We are reading both fiction and non-fiction books. Fiction and non-fiction offer a different variety of needed areas of study.

We are reading books about dinosaurs and puppies, the grocery store and autumn. We also focus on books for specific reading needs such as short vowels and reading for comprehension.

We encourage you to read at home, in the grocery store, and the many street signs you see along the way to school.

Reading is the highway to higher learning! Happy reading!!

Mrs. Mell - Reading Specialist

 

Welcome to a new school year

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Hello, my name is Mrs. Heidi Mell. I will be your child's Reading Specialist throughout the school year. I work at both Virtual School House and Monticello. I work with individuals or small groups with reading difficulties. I also assist teachers in the classroom by way of the Wilson, Fundations and Supplemental programs. I implement on-going testing for children, placing them in the appropriate reading groups. I will also be coordinating the Ohio Reads Volunteer Reading Program. This is one way for you to earn valuable volunteer hours and make children happy by reading with a new friend.

Please feel free to contact me with any information or concerns you may have. This will help me to ensure a fantastic and successful year with you and your child.

School phone - (216) 541-2048 x243

 

Helpful Hints for a Successful Reader

● Invite your child /children to read with you every day.

● To show that reading is from left to right point out word by word as you read

● Read your child’s favorite book over and over again

● Read many stories that have rhyming words and repeated lines

● Read all types of books: poetry, informational, fairy tales, or song books

● Discuss new words

● Ask about the pictures and what is happening in the story