D.R.E.A.M.
Daily Reading, Everybody Achieves More
About DREAM:
DREAM began as the "School Wide Reading Program" in the mid 1990's. Parents and staff members involved in Stuart's school leadership group (now called our "School Council") wanted to do something to promote the joy and benefits of reading. DREAM was born.
DREAM requires reading as a part of homework every day for every Stuart Student. Students may pick any age appropriate subject matter. The pay off is huge in terms of a child's chances for academic success: good readers learn more easily and with more enjoyment. We need other family members to read to our nonreaders and early readers to help children:
- get into the habit of daily reading
- be introduced to story forms and
- grow in understanding of written language.
A DREAM contract for each student should be signed by both parent and student. We provide grade level guidelines, but families may set their own dream reading goals. The contract is found on the back of the first DREAM report form of the year.
Families are asked to keep track of minutes read each day. Report forms are sent home each week in Stuart's Tuesday Folder. We ask families to :
- write number of minutes read for the week,
- have a parent/guardian sign for the week being reported and
- return the form in the Tuesday Folder.
For this to work, we need families to fill out and return the forms each week and we need staff members to make sure the forms are available in the Tuesday Folder. If you are not getting your forms, or if you have other questions, please contact your child's teacher.
The biggest reward for doing DREAM reading will be a life long love of reading. Other rewards include an invitation to an end-of-semester DREAM dance or party for students who meet all requirements. Classroom and schoolwide prizes may be given as the semester goes on to recognize and promote regular home DREAM reading.
