News on the Avenue
Week of May 20-24
Upcoming Events
This Week
May 22 - Pre-K Family Day
May 22 - 3rd Grade Visit to Orchard View Intermediate School
May 23 - Field Day (Rain Day)
May 24 - End of Year Awards Assembly @ 10:00 a.m.
May 24 - 2-hour Early Dismissal
May 24 - Last Day of School
May 27 - Memorial Day Holiday
Upcoming...
SUMMER BREAK!!!!
On behalf on the Winchester Avenue Elementary School Faculty and Staff, we wish you a very safe and enjoyable summer break. We look forward to seeing everyone again in August.
Family Time
Reading During the Summer
- Summer reading doesn’t just keep kids from losing the skills they learned at school. It also helps them build confidence and a love of reading.
- Giving kids easy access to books helps keep them reading over the summer. Your local librarian can help you and your child find books at the right level that fit their interests. They might have great suggestions even if your kid doesn’t like reading usually. Many libraries also have summer reading programs that offer prizes for kids who join.
- It’s normal for kids to read at a lower level by themselves than they do in class. That actually builds confidence. To pick a book at the right level, use the “five finger” test. Have your kid read the first page and put a finger up for every word they don’t know. If they’ve got more than five fingers up at the end of the page, the book is too hard.
- Your kid doesn’t just have to read books, either. Kids love to get mail, so a kids’ magazine can be a great choice. Comics and graphic novels are good options, too.
- To make reading social and build skills, parents can read harder books aloud. It’s great to make that an everyday habit. Audiobooks can also be a great choice when you’re busy or on long car rides. Reading aloud to younger siblings is good, too.
- If your child needs to build reading skills, talk to their teacher. They might offer workbooks or suggest tutoring. It’s still summer though, so take it easy. Twenty minutes of tutoring twice a week is better than an hour once a week.
- For young kids, it can help to make flashcards of tricky words before they start a hard book. This gives them practice reading them in advance.
- For kids of all ages, it helps to discuss a harder book before they read it. That way they don’t lose track of the story.
THE FACTS ON SUMMER LEARNING LOSS
• 2.6 months of math skills are lost over the summer
• 2 months of reading are lost over the summer
• 6 weeks are spent re-learning old material in the fall to make up for summer learning loss
Ways to incorporate reading into your summer plans:
- Take a trip to your local library
- Bring a book with you to the park or the beach
- Read a chapter in the morning, when your child is used to learning and before other plans cause distraction
- Create a reward system for finishing books and/or chapters
Physical health is very important as it is known to improve academic performance.
Ways to incorporate physical activity into your summer plans:
- Sign your child up for a team sport
- Encourage learning a new skill such as swimming
- Go on walks and explore your city
- Promote outdoor play
Ways to incorporate educational technology into your summer plans:
- Challenge your child to a new high score on an educational app
- Start a tech project together—such as a toy robotics kit
- Encourage drawing or creating art on tech devices
Research shows creative activities can increase academic and emotional success by improving higher-level thinking and skill development.
Ways to incorporate creative activities into your summer plans:
- Buy a journal for your child and encourage daily creative writing
- Find art projects and crafts for your child to try
- Decorate cookies or cupcakes
- Buy or print coloring pages
Involving the whole family can make learning seem less like a chore. It’s also a great way to spend time with your child!
Ways to incorporate educational family activities into your summer plans:
- Organize family game nights with brain-strengthening games such as Scrabble, Cranium, and card games.
- Watch educational T.V. shows and documentaries together
- Find different recipes to try, letting your child find and measure ingredients
ABC Countdown to SUMMER!!!
Breakfast & Lunch Menus for the Week
(subject to change based on food availability)
Martinsburg, WV 25401
304.267.3570