Accelerated Reader | St. George School - Erie, PA

 

"We can't wait to Accelerate!"

The Accelerated Reader Program at Saint George School strives to provide positive reinforcement in order to ensure reading skill development.

The incentives of the Accelerated Reader Program are an integral component of the program but ultimately the development of a love for reading is far more valuable. Students become anxious to challenge themselves and, most times, end up referring books to each other as well as their teachers.

The Accelerated Reader Program at Saint George School continues to develop, evolve, and elicit a great deal of student enthusiasm. 

Our Accelerated Reader Program is available to students in grades 4 – 8 and includes thousands of qualifying titles. The software is updated weekly with new selections.  

AR program components include:

  • Students choose a personal book selection from the school library, classroom library, public library or from home.
     
  • After reading their personal selection, each student takes a computerized test in school.
     
  • Each title is assigned a designated point value dependent on the vocabulary level and length of the book. For example, Encyclopedia Brown may be only one point while Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is worth 44 points. Suppose a student scores 80% on the Harry Potter test, then they would earn 80% of the 44 points
     
  • Student points accumulate throughout the year and can be rewarded with incentives such as stickers, bookmarks, pencils, a jeans day, or free books.
     
  • Several times a year, Treasure Chest Drawings are held in which students earn chances to win donated prizes such as stuffed animals, books, games, jewelry, and sporting goods.
     
  • Our Librarian tracks those who have reached the 100 point club and ensures that they are acknowledged in the School Newsletter publication titled the Chalktalk.
     
  • In June, all earned points are returned to zero for the upcoming year.
     
  • The program does not go on hiatus for the summer. At designated times, the Library is open for students to take AR tests on their summer readings.

Accelerated Reader has been integrated into Saint George School's Reading Curriculum, but it is not at all unusual to see students taking a book to lunch in the school cafeteria or choosing to read during recess. Parents often comment that their children read much more at home than prior to beginning the program. They have even been known to forsake the television for a book. Reading feeds the brain and we find our students excitedly making “healthy” choices while also having fun being engrossed in a good book.

The Accelerated Reader BookFinder is a web-based search tool that was created for parents, guardians, students, teachers, and librarians to search for appropriate Accelerated Reader books. You can search for book titles based on authors, topics, or titles of books.

Saint George School is eternally grateful for the parents and teachers, and the school's PTO for their continued support through book and incentive donations to the program.