Independent Reading Program
Independent Reading Program & Quiz Lists
Students in grades 9 through 11 receive a grade on their report cards for the Independent Reading Program. In short, the program requires students to read books for points, and the points are translated into grades. More points equals a higher grade. Students must get at least a "D" (60 percent) in each grade level in order to graduate.
Previously, 8th graders were included in the program. But, starting with the 2007-08 school year, 8th graders (as well as 7th) have had their reading scores incorporated into their reading class grade. Kayla Fisher, the 7th and 8th reading teacher, keeps track of the points and assigns grades for her students. Seventh and 8th graders are expected to earn at least 46 points every marking period or 184 points for the year.
How It Works
Students can choose from more than 20,000 books and short stories that have quizzes. The high school library does not have a book for every quiz, but students can use books they find elsewhere, or the librarian can request the book from another library. Once a student has read a book, he or she takes a computerized 10-question multiple-choice test. Students must get 7 out of 10 questions correct in order to earn the points for the book.
Reading List
The library cannot provide a printed list of quizzes for families because the list is approximately 500 pages long. However, following is an electronic version of the list that can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader software (available for free from adobe.com). There may be errors in the list.
Grading Scale Per Marking Period (9th - 11th Grade)
46 points = 100 %
41 points = 90 %
37 points = 80 %
32 points = 70 %
28 points = 60 %
--Extra points (over 46) carry over to the next marking period but do not carry over to the next year (except between 10th and 11th grade).
--Students who do not get at least 28 points a marking period will have to make up those points before they graduate.
--Students who are behind in their points are not allowed to attend the Snowball or Prom.
It should take the average student no more than seven hours of reading every marking period to earn a passing grade. Most students are scheduled a half-hour reading period every day in addition to study halls and "free" time during regular classes. In most cases, students who are failing aren't reading.
Summer Hours
For the past couple years, the high school library has been open one day a week during the summer to help students work ahead or catch up in the reading program. Summer hours are announced to the students and reported in the local paper just prior to the start of summer vacation.
Town Library
The Portage Public Library has a list of the books in the reading program and has some of those books available for borrowing.