St. Bernadette Catholic School

Bobcat Summer Reading Program

Incoming 1st Graders

Dear Incoming First Grade Parents:

St. Bernadette Catholic School is continuing our summer reading program.  All students from Preschool through Grade 8 will be participating.  Students entering First Grade will be required to read a total of at least 20 books over the summer.

Research has shown that students who do not read over the summer can lose one to three months of progress in reading.  Students who do read over the summer and have involved parental support with reading can actually gain achievement in reading.  Reading is a powerful way to keep young minds engaged, particularly over the long summer, and that by reading books recommended here students will continue to be thinking, imagining and learning new skills important to their future success.  It is our hope that students will enter First Grade with a broad base of literary exposure, and thus include the classics, fables, and nonfiction to the traditional favorites of school age children.  Exposing your child to different types of stories will help him or her develop reading comprehension skills. You will also notice an increase in your child’s vocabulary.

We encourage reading EVERYDAY with your child.  Choose books from the following list, but more importantly read stories with your child that peek their interest.  Please keep in mind that students entering first grade often need assistance reading stories to fully appreciate the book.  Often children request to read a favorite story over and over again.  This is a wonderful way to improve the child’s fluency.

Some of the titles listed are definitely new and some are definitely available at the local library.  May we suggest a field trip to the local library early in the summer and to get your child his/her OWN library card…a world of adventure awaits!

Twenty or more books are to be read by your child over the summer and when your child returns in August she/he will receive a certificate recognizing this accomplishment.  Please use the Parental Verification Form to record the books your child reads over the summer.  As always, if you and your child would like to read more than twenty books this summer that would be wonderful and additional copies of these forms can be printed, if necessary.

When the children return to school in August, they must give their completed Parental Verification form to their classroom teacher in order to receive a certificate.  All completed Parental Verification forms must be submitted to your child’s teacher the first week of school in order for your child to receive his/her certificate.  Certificates of recognition will be presented individually in library.

The most important part of this program is the time children will spend reading and the enjoyment parents will have sharing their impressions of the books their children have read.  Summer provides many wonderful opportunities to enjoy reading.  If children have a book nearby, they will hopefully develop the habit of turning to it for enjoyment.  Keep books at children’s eye level and reach.  Pack a book in your beach bag and keep books in your car for those long summer rides.  In other words, make books available to your child so that s/he will have the opportunity to read whenever they choose; whenever the time is right.

Most of all, encourage your child to read and make reading part of an enjoyable summer routine.  No other single activity will produce greater benefits for your child.  May you and your child have a safe, fun, and book-filled summer.

Happy Reading!

St. Bernadette Catholic School
7450 Stirling Road
Hollywood, FL 33024
(954)432-7022