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20th Annual Reading Challenge begins: Monday, March 10th ends: Friday, April 4th

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this event, the Reading Challenge is a countywide, noncompetitive reading initiative. Every year TGS students, and their parents or other significant adults, participate in this program as a fun way to focus on reading. You should receive a Windham County Reads letter written to parents, a student book coupon, student and adult reading contracts with sample, and a prize list.

Parents play a crucial role during the Challenge. I cannot stress this enough, especially in a March vacation year. Students will need your help making their contract and keeping track of their minutes. Decide on a specific amount of time to read every day for the designated four-week period and record the actual amount of time you read each day on your contract. If you miss a day, you may double up on another, but you may only make-up two days. The amount of time read is what is important, not the number of pages or books.
Each participant who successfully meets his or her goal, which means that he or she reads the contracted amount of time each day, will be eligible for prize drawings at the end. And while few who participate will win a prize, every student participant will receive a certificate and be invited to a popsicle party at school.

A major change in the Challenge this year is that it lasts four weeks. And while weekend reading is not required for the Challenge, we at The Grammar School stress its importance.
Join the Challenge as a family. Given the iffy weather during the month of March, the Reading Challenge is a great way to spend indoor time while creating a wonderful family tradition. Remember to take books along on your vacation trips. Reading is a terrific way to spend travel time and those much needed rest periods. Paperbacks provide great value for the amount of room they take up!

  1. Set a challenge for yourself. Decide to read a certain amount of time daily for the entire Challenge period and do it!
  2. Write down the amount you read each day on the Reading Challenge contract. Each person should use his or her own contract.
  3. Read everyday — You are allowed only two make-up days and no more! Parents, please help your students to do this properly. It's awful to have to tell a student that he or she did not actually meet his or her goal when just a little parent support could have made the difference.
  4. Turn in your successfully completed contract on Monday, April 7th.

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Read the information carefully, and if you have any questions or need more materials, please give me a call or e-mail. And, visit the new Windham County Reads website for more information and forms.