Dear Families:

As summer begins, we all look forward to family activities. One of the most valuable activities that you can enjoy with your own children is to share the reading experience with them. Studies have shown that children who read during the summer will grow personally and academically. With this in mind, the District is continuing its summer reading requirement.

During the 2007-08 school year, surveys were distributed to families of all K-12 students. This feedback is reflected in this year’s revised list. Summer reading titles are again organized around grade level themes related to Civility. Students are encouraged to read books from our recommended list, or choose appropriate reading materials preferably aligning to the theme attached to their grade level.

The following Civility themes will be used for specific grade level spans as follows:K-2: Celebrating Differences
3-5: Caring About Others
6-8: Relationships
9-12: Making a Difference

Students will record their reading on the Summer Reading Log. Maintaining this log will promote life-long learning and provide a record of your child’s reading accomplishments this summer. Books may be found at local libraries, including the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Libraries and the Cuyahoga County Public Libraries, as well as at local bookstores.

The suggested books at each grade level represent different reading levels and genres (i.e. mystery, fairy tales, tall tales, nonfiction, etc.) and are written by a selection of outstanding authors, ensuring that your child will find something that interests him/her. Students are encouraged to select appropriate reading materials that appeal to their interests. In addition to books, this may include journals, magazines, digests, online articles, newspapers, etc.

In order to help your child select materials that are appropriate for independent reading, ask him or her to read a portion to you and then ask a few questions to ensure their understanding of what they have read. Generally, if there is difficulty reading more than five (5) words on a page, it may be too difficult. In addition to being a valuable educational experience, summer reading above all should be FUN for you and your child!

During the 2008-2009 school year, families will again be invited to provide feedback, including recommending additional titles that could be added to our suggested list. The vision is that the summer reading list will be continually upgraded to include new titles while maintaining entrance to classic literature.

Enjoy your summer! The librarians at all of the public libraries are very willing to help families select books. The public libraries also have wonderful reading programs for all readers that can enhance their summer reading experience. We appreciate your support as we strive to develop a community of lifelong learners!