St. Bernadette Catholic School

Bobcat Summer Reading Program

Incoming 7th Graders

Dear Junior High Students,

You all know that each class is assigned a summer reading list of two books, plus two free picks.  Please see the school website for book lists.  You are on the Honor System to read these four books during your vacation.  You will be graded on the completed Novel Notes forms and on your participation in the Battle of the Books when you return to school in August.

You are also required to fill in and return the Novel Notes form for each of the four required books.  This form will help you to analyze your novels and retain the information for Battle of the Books.  I will collect these papers the first week of school.  You can download the form from our school website.

Remember, you will be graded on the quality of your forms and your performance during Battle of the Books.  We will also have a class discussion and review on the novels during Lit class.  I want all of you to enjoy good literature over the summer and I want you to be successful in the grading process.

Have a wonderful summer and enjoy your books! God bless.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Rohan

Dear Parents of entering 7th grade students:

Our summer reading program continues this year.  All middle school students are required to participate in this program, which provides them with valuable opportunities to engage in productive, academic activities over the long summer months.  The summer reading program is intended to expose students to quality literature that they may not encounter during the regular school year, and to help students perceive a link between the end of one school year and the start of another, in terms of academic expectations. And on top of that, it is supposed to be fun!  It is a positive and productive activity to be added to all the others students engage in throughout the summer.  These newer novels represent stories of great interest to the middle school student and will, we hope and expect, provide an even greater incentive for students to complete their summer reading responsibilities carefully and with genuine enjoyment.

In the directions that follow, you will see what the expectations for summer reading are and in them learn how you can help your child perform to his/her personal best.  Again, the important point to keep in mind is that reading is a powerful way to keep young minds engaged, particularly over the long summer, and that by reading books recommended here, and books of your own choosing, students will continue to be thinking, imagining and learning new skills important to their future success.

Summer Reading Program: Directions and Expectations for entering Grade 7 students only

• During the summer all St. Bernadette middle school students are required to read 4 books
  • The following two books are mandatory reading:
    • Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
    • Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

• As always, we strongly encourage reading beyond the mandatory 4 books.  We have attached a list of suggested titles or they may make their own selection. Please make sure if the title is of their own selection, that it is age appropriate and within their AR book level. You can check a book level online at arbookfind.com. No credit will be given if the book is not age appropriate.
• The Parental Verification Form must be filled out completely, signed by a parent, and turned in to Mrs. Rohan the first day of school.
• The first week of school the students will be assessed on their knowledge of the 2 required books. This assessment will be worth 1 English grade.  This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to start the school year off on the right foot!

There is no substitute for reading books carefully and to completion.  With your help, we can begin your child’s school experience with a positive academic activity that will prepare them for the new challenges they’ll face, give them plenty of opportunity to begin their school year with a solid grade, and provide them with another fun activity to keep them occupied over the summer months to come.

If you have any questions regarding this program, its requirements, or the above directions, please email Marita Christian at mchristian@stbcs.org, Dawn Durney at ddurney@stbcs.org or Chris Rohan at crohan@stbcs.org.  Thank you for helping us make your child’s summer reading activity fun, productive and successful!

Happy Reading!