Welcome!

In the world of college basketball, March is when athletes and coaches hope to get a “payoff” for their commitment, passion and persistence.  Likewise the Haddam Elementary third and fourth grade students and their teachers, who have worked diligently throughout the year, are looking forward to our own “March Madness”, otherwise known as the Connecticut Mastery Tests.  Our students are well prepared for these tests because of daily effective instructional practices, not because of test-prep frenzy. 

Throughout the year, teacher professional development has focused on effective instructional practices as delineated by Marzano, Pickering & Pollock in Classroom Instruction that Works (a meta-analysis of the research on strategies that make a difference in student achievement).  Teachers have also collaborated on reader’s workshops that allow students time to read at their independent level and have small group discussions on their book (comparing authors, main characters, etc.). 

Reading is fundamental to student success and our partnerships with parents and community members, especially during the month of March, underscore our commitment to having our students read more.  Every March our students and staff engage in the Haddam Elementary School Loves to Read Month.  A very dedicated committee works with classroom teachers to select a theme for the month and plan a host of activities around reading.  The committee also works with our PTO to bring in a guest author and speaker to make reading and writing come alive.  The students engage in a 1000 minutes of reading Principal’s challenge that is designed to get books in the hands of those who do not have ready access to reading material, while encouraging our students to read more.  Students get 1 point for every 10 minutes they read—parents or teachers initial a challenge sheet.  Students completing the challenge by the end of the month are able to choose a brand new book to be donated in their name to a school in need. 

As a parent, you may be looking for tips to work with your young reader.  PBS has great information on their website:  www.pbs.org/launchingreaders/parenttips.html. 

Enjoy the rest of the school year with plenty of good books!