Students at Stefani Elementary enjoyed a fun reward for reading on Thursday. The classes from each grade level that read the most words during the first quarter of the school year had a chance to tape Principal Rick Her to the cafeteria wall!
This humorous treat served as an incentive for students to make reading a top priority at school and at home. Their words were counted through Accelerated Reader, a computer-based program that personalizes reading practice and assessments to each student’s level to best help them progress.
The winning classes are:
Third grade – Mrs. Cope’s class (583,037 words)
Fourth grade – Mrs. Wilson’s class (1,092,990 words)
Fifth grade – Mrs. Datray’s class (2,741,265 words)
Sixth grade – Ms. Mesa’s class (3,896,015)
Stefani staff members would also like to give special recognition to the top three students in Mrs. Alvarado’s class: Uriel Velazquez, Alejandro Cabrales-Moreno, and Jesus Peralta-Muniz.
Principal Her was a great sport during the tape extravaganza. He said, “A principal’s word is a principal’s promise, and so they made their goals, they were the best reading groups, and here we are. I’m proud of them.”
One of the Merced City School District’s Board-approved priorities is to ensure students are reading proficiently by the end of third grade because that is a critical benchmark for future success. To help hit that target, the district has launched a reading initiative this year that includes new English language arts materials in the classroom, collaboration with the community, and additional outreach to parents and guardians to encourage reading at home.
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