Wednesday, February 10, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
READING: Programs
are effective in
helping students
Continued from page 8
work together to implement
an individualized reading
intervention.
Grade-level instructors
meet together monthly with
the specialist team and moni-
tor both the effectiveness of
the teaching and how the stu-
dents are growing.
“The whole staff works
together to plan and deliver
instruction in the most effec-
tive way to our students,”
Jensen says.
The Schulers recently
moved to Sisters last October.
Their son has struggled with
reading and math, and they
struggled to work with the
staff and administration
within their previous district.
“School can be frustrat-
ing as a parent,” says Jeff
Schuler, the father of a fourth-
grader at Sisters Elementary
School. “Everything revolves
around reading — even math
with story problems. If your
child’s reading skills are not
at the level they need to be,
then their math skills will suf-
fer, even if they are confident
in math.
“With a ‘gray area’ child,
we are looking for support,”
says Schuler. “The first time
we sat down with Ms. Parsons
and Mr. Warburton we knew
this was a personal and caring
community that was invested
in our child. At our last dis-
trict, when we would go to
a meeting with teachers and
other staff we felt like we
were part of a grand jury. My
wife and I would come home
almost in tears. We never
saw the kind of compassion
(we see at SES) and we were
never given the tools to help
our son be successful.
“The elementary school
has a personal touch. We only
have one child — a teacher
has a whole classroom. Our
son’s teachers take time with
him and show compassion,
and together they make it
through thick and thin. He has
been getting better and better
every week, and we don’t get
anxiety for parent-teacher
conferences. Regardless of
how he is doing, we know
there will be a game-plan and
follow-through.”
There was recently a
meeting for Title I-eligible
students and parents. The
specialized instruction pro-
vides several ways for par-
ents to become great partners
in their children’s education.
Tips shared for parents at that
meeting included making
time to share books, taking
turns to read, what to do when
your child gets stuck, avoid-
ing blame and even using
technology through apps and
other sources.
“We encourage parents
and students to read every
night,” says Jensen. “Promote
where your child’s interest
is — find a series that hooks
readers, utilize the library and
e-readers. Whatever moti-
vates your child, find books,
magazines or articles about
it and talk about the subject
when you can. Simple tools
like that will help develop a
great reader.”
The Sisters Elementary
School, through the Parent
Teacher Community, hosted
a reading night in January for
the entire school and several
families attended. Tools like
utilizing the local library and
online resources were dis-
cussed. Many of these items
shared tips and tricks about
motivating young readers and
enhancing and encouraging
reading skills at home.
“We are very proactive
parents,” says Schuler. “But
there has to be effective sup-
port on both sides. Sisters
School District, in the last
three months, has been a joy
9
to interact with. If I had to
live in a tent for my son to
attend this district, I would do
it.”
Volunteers are utilized to
lead groups and assist with
the reading team. Community
members are welcome to
volunteer for the program.
All interested people need
to be screened by the Sisters
School District and train with
Stephanie Jensen. For more
information or to volunteer
with the program, contact
Jensen at stephanie.jensen@
sisters.k12.or.us.
Library offers resources for parents
By erin Borla
Correspondent
Paige Bentley-Flannery,
the local librarian for the
Deschutes Public Library
System, spoke at the recent
SPTC reading night and
shared some of the features
of the library.
If families have never
had a chance to be inside
the Sisters Library, Bentley-
Flannery encourages them to
stop in, spend some time in
the children’s room or even
ask for a tour.
“Ask a librarian for a
favorite book or a silly
animal information book,”
says Bentley-Flannery.
“Librarians LOVE recom-
mending and sharing their
favorite books. There are
new books in all the time —
families should stop in and
take a look! You can even
check books out with your
library card, that’s free, and
take books home for three
weeks!”
The Sisters Library has
children and family pro-
grams on Saturdays as well
as Storytime! held every
Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and a
pajama party every Tuesday
at 6:30 p.m.
“My dream for families
in Sisters is to have more
of them in the library,” says
Bentley-Flannery. “Having
them interact in the Early
Learning Space together,
reading together and check-
ing out books together. We
want families to make the
library a fun and engaging
place to visit on a regular
basis.”
The Sisters Library is
located at 110 N. Cedar St.
and is open Tuesday through
Saturday. Families are also
encouraged to check out
their online resources at
www.DeschutesLibrary.org.