Ocean Palms Elementary is embarking on a new chapter when it comes to inspiring a love of reading amongst its students. This year, teachers and staff are taking a three-pronged approach with multiple reading programs to inspire young imaginations.
OPE is launching a new library-initiated program, partially funded by the PTO, called “You’ve Been Book’d!” which brings additional stories and activities into the classroom. Each classroom in grades pre-K-5, receives a bag of books and activities specific to the learning needs of their classroom every few weeks for teachers to share with students. Additionally, the books chosen center around a schoolwide reading theme, such as award-winning books, or topics like kindness and gratitude, so students are on the so-called same page. This theme can even be seen with the book chosen to go along the Parrish Storybook Path that students can walk at recess.
Additionally, the school, after a hiatus of a few years, is bringing back Accelerated Reader. This program rewards students for reading a book of their choice. Oftentimes, in a school setting, students are assigned what to read, but this program allows students to choose books for themselves. After reading their chosen book, they take an online quiz to ensure the book was read and receive points that lead to school-based rewards. The goal with this program is to foster a love of reading, encourage independent reading and to promote reading a book from beginning to end.
Finally, the Sunshine State Young Readers Award Books reading program is back this year at OPE. This program provides a new list of 15 books for students in grades K-2 and another for students in grades 3-5 each year. The library has copies of these new books, provided by the PTO, for students to check out, and, as they read, they are rewarded.
