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Summer Reading Program

Karen Appollo
Director of English and Language Arts, K-12
(631) 504-5805

 

June 7, 2019

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students:

Dr. Frank Serafini, a professor of Literacy Education and Children’s Literature at Arizona State University, stated: “There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.” It is with this in mind that the West Islip School District is marking the 20-year anniversary of our Summer Reading Program with the goal of exposing our students to books we hope they will love as well as providing resources where parents and students can search for books to read and enjoy.

Resources to Help Students Find the Right Book and Get Excited About Reading
West Islip Public Library
     Librarians are ready to help students identify areas of interest; they have extensive knowledge of books   
     and authors and can make targeted suggestions for your child.  Our local library also has summer 
     reading programs for students!

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading (Grades 1-6)
     Students can earn a free book in three easy steps:
1. Read any eight books this summer and record them in the Summer Reading Journal.  State which part of the book is your favorite, and why.
2. Bring your completed journal to a Barnes & Noble store between August 1 and August 31.
Click here for the journal: https://dispatch.barnesandnoble.com/content/dam/ccr/pdf/2019/summer-reading/123233A-05-bn-tear-sheet-bndotcom.pdf
3. Choose your FREE reading adventure from the book list featured in the journal.

Summer Reading at New York Libraries
     Through this program, students can access thousands of digital books for free.                 
1. Go to www.myON.com and click on the  
button.
2. Enter the following information:
School Name – New York Reads (Begin typing the first few letters and then choose this name from the drop-down menu.)
Username – read
Password – books
3. Select a book and start reading.
Hint for Grades 6-12:  When you reach the homepage, click on the Search tab.   

          You will be able to conduct a book search according to Grade Level or Story Type, which may 
          make your search more productive.  There is an audio component included that allows you to       
          listen to the story as you read the words on the page.

Additionally, our district website has links to Suggested Book Lists, assignments, and resources. Students will receive a copy of the appropriate grade level assignment from their classroom teacher.  If you have further questions pertaining to our Summer Reading Program, please contact me via telephone at 504-5805 or via email at k.appollo@wi.k12.ny.us.

Thank you for your continued support of our Language Arts Program. Have a healthy and happy summer filled with family, friends, and great books!

Sincerely yours,


Karen Appollo
Director of English Language Arts