By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Thanks to a new computer program, students at all of Niles' elementary schools and Oak Manor's sixth grade center are taking the proper steps to becoming better readers.
Monday evening's Niles Community Schools Board of Education meeting was held at Ballard Elementary School, where students demonstrated Read Naturally, a computer program which offers readers a safe, structured and highly motivating opportunity to engage in reading on a regular basis.
The key to the program's success lies in its strategies for improving fluency, which includes teacher modeling, repeated reading and progress monitoring.
So far, staff at Ballard, Howard, Eastside and Oak Manor said the program has become very successful in helping students read. It's also something the students seem to enjoy.
According to Ellen Law, Literacy Coordinator at Ballard, Read Naturally was started in 2006 to help students improve fluency.
"With this program, students are able to read a story of 100 to 200 words out loud several times. After they feel comfortable with the story, they are then timed to see how many words they can read in one minute," Law said.
The object of the program is not based on how fast a student can read, but how well they can understand what they are reading.
"The best way to learn to read better is by re-reading the same text over and over again," Law said.
One of the greatest strengths of the Read Naturally strategy is that it is an individualized program and allows students to work independently most of the time. Students begin at the reading level that is right for them and progress at their own rate.
Ra'Quon Glenn, a fifth grade student at Ballard, said he really enjoys the program because it helps him to improve his reading.
"I come to the computer lab on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I like working on the computer," he said.
Glenn said he is reading around 107 words per minute. On Monday, he read a story about the Liberty Bell as board member Scott Tyler observed.
"I know more about the Liberty Bell now than I ever did," Tyler said. Michelle Asmus, assistant principal at Howard-Ellis, said her students really seem to enjoy the program.
"I had one student who became sick last year and had to go home. He said he was so upset because he did not get to read the story about the shark. That just shows how much these kids enjoy this," she said.
During the board meeting, it was announced that school lunch prices will increase after winter break (classes resume Jan. 7, 2008). The price of all meals, including milk, will go up five cents. Breakfast will now cost $1.50, elementary lunch $2.15, secondary lunch $2.25, Milk $.40 and adult lunch $2.85.
According to Superintendent Doug Law, the steep increase in the price of milk is forcing the district to increase the cost of meals. The last time school lunches were increased was in 2003.
Also, counts at the end of October showed enrollment was up by 17. Total count in the entire district was 3,933.5 for the month. In September, counts were at 3,916.5.
Also, an anonymous donation of $1,000 was presented to Niles High School Music Teacher Matt Hunckler for the purchase of new choir robes.
"The donation to the Niles High School Vocal Music Department will help our students enjoy and experience the educational value of performing arts. It is a joy to work with children and music supporters in this community," Hunckler said in a statement.