A message from Mrs. Uzick:
Summer is a great time for kids to explore their interests, visit new places, relax and, of course, have fun! Additionally, summer reading is a great opportunity for kids to foster a love of reading, read for the sake of enjoyment and build their independent reading stamina. Research shows summer reading can make a significant difference in a child’s overall academic achievement.
Summer is also when we can begin working toward our 100th Day Challenge! For the 2022-2023 school year, we are challenging every BYDS elementary school student to complete the below two challenges by the 100th day of school (February 8, 2023). You can use this sheet to track it or pick one up at our front desk.
Challenge #1: 100 Books by the 100th Day: It is imperative that reading be a part of every child’s summer plan. We challenge every child to read 100 books by the 100th day of school. Books can be read by the child independently, read as a family, or listened to as an audiobook. Within the 100 books, there should be a range of titles, genres, topics, characters, and themes. 100 days (plus weekends and summer) does not give enough time to read only chapter books. Picture books contain powerful messages and important images. They should be celebrated, too! Summer is a perfect time for kids to find their personal reading interest.
Challenge #2 100 hours of service by the 100th day! Whether hosting a lemonade stand for charity, writing letters to soldiers, making cards for Seven Acres, cleaning out a closet to gather donations or sewing blankets for a shelter – all of our kids are capable of helping others. These projects not only promote the Jewish values of Tzedakah and Tikkun Olam, but also require them to apply skills learned in school. Think about the impact the BYDS community will have on the world if every student dedicates 100 hours of service by the 100thday!
This is also an opportunity to show your child the meaning and value of integrity. It is up to each family to monitor their child’s commitment to the challenge and judge their success. As a school, we will be celebrating everyone’s efforts!
Another area students should work to maintain over the summer is math. Students still have IXL access using their username and password. We recommend having students complete the diagnostic problem set. Once completed, IXL will assign problems and skills to work on. IXL has plenty of practice under the grade-level tabs. Another free and safe site is Khan Academy. Parents will need to set up an account. There is a tab marked “courses.” In the drop-down under math, there is a course: “Getting ready for ____ grade.” This site provides videos and practices on skills for competence for the next grade level. For a non-digital alternative, we recommend the Summer Skills workbooks. They can be purchased at https://www.summerskills.com/products/.
Again, we hope everyone has a fun and restful summer! We look forward to an innovative and energetic 2022-2023 school year. Check in with us over the summer and post pictures of your child working toward their 100-day challenges on BYDS Connect!
Recommended Summer Reading Lists:
Houston Area Independent Schools (HAIS) Library Network List:
Preschool – K Reading List
Grades 1 & 2 Reading List
Grades 3 & 4 Reading List
Grade 5 Reading List
Age 2 to Grade 2 Texas Library Association (TLA) 2022 Book List:
https://txla.org/tools-resources/reading-lists/2×2/current-list/
Grades 3-5Texas Library Association (TLA) Bluebonnet Book Awards:
https://txla.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2022-2023-Master-List-Texas-Bluebonnet-Award-Bibliography-October-2021.pdf
