Guidelines for Accelerated Reading

2011 - 2012

• Students may read and test on as many books as they would like during the normal testing times. Normal testing times are before school and during class. Students should not leave another class – including activity period – to take an AR test.
• Students must sign up on the appropriate list prior to taking an AR test. Since only one student may take a test on a particular book during a one-week period, it is smart to sign up for a book in advance. Once five students have taken a test over a specific book, the book may be removed from the list. If this happens, notice will be given to students and those reading the book will still be allowed to take the test. (NOTE: This is meant to reduce the chances of cheating. So far, no book has been removed from the list for this reason and unless it appears there's a problem, no book will be removed because of this reason.)
• All testing will be in Mrs. Stluka’s classroom and she must be in the room to monitor testing. If she is not present on a particular day, testing will NOT be allowed.
• Cheating will not be tolerated. Any student caught cheating will be banned from the reading incentive program and all points will be forfeited. Also, any student(s) involved will be sent directly to the principal. Please understand that telling another student the content of a book read or a test taken or taking a test for another student is cheating. Any student who is caught in any other student’s reading file FOR WHATEVER REASON will immediately receive a 0 for his/her AR grade for the six-weeks AND will receive an office referral for cheating.
• 10 points are due the first Friday of each six-week beginning with the 2^nd six-weeks. If Friday is a holiday, then the deadline will be on Thursday. (The deadline is this day during each student’s class period. For example, if I have a student 2^nd period, he may not come in after 2^nd period on the deadline day and take a test.) The deadline for earning points for the AR trip is April 13. Exceptions to each AR deadline will be rare so if you are absent on the due date, you will NOT automatically be allowed to take a test for credit during the next week. It is suggested that each student read and test on books early because a limited number of students can test during a class period. The best plan is to read early and test early so that you can focus on other work and still enjoy the fruits of your labor.
• The official list of tests is located in the high school library and in Mrs. Stluka’s classroom. THIS LIST SHOULD BE CHECKED PRIOR TO READING A BOOK FOR POINTS! (Sorry to shout but I don’t want you to read a book and then not receive credit for it.) Just because a book in the library is marked AR does not mean that I have the test for the book. Also, students may want to check their reading records to make sure that they have not already tested on the book AND all students should check the master sign-up list to ensure that someone has not already tested on a book that week. Failure to do any of these steps may cause students to lose points on tests that they passed.
• Students should not take tests on any literary work that was read as a class during this year or any previous grade. Remember that the purpose of AR testing is to increase reading; it’s not to see how well you remember something that you read in the past. Once a movie over a book is released, the book will be blocked from AR.
• Students may take tests before school and during class. When a student wants to take a test during class, he should write his name on the board in Mrs. Stluka’s classroom so that she can allow class time to take the test. No tests can be taken during activity period or during lunch.
• This may seem hard to believe, but students can actually have fun with AR. YOU get to choose the book, YOU get to choose when you’ll read, and YOU get to choose when you’ll take tests. As long as you meet the assigned deadlines, then YOU will be in great shape. Have fun!
• Deadlines: Friday, October 7; Friday, November 11; Friday, January 6; Friday, February 17; Friday, April 13
• Deadlines for bonus – Must have 10 points: September 16; October 21; December 15; January 27; March 23
• Students must earn 100 points in order to attend the AR reward trip.
• Students can earn a 110 for each AR grade if all ten points are earned by the posted bonus due dates. Remember that all points earned during the summer count towards deadlines. If a student earns 50 points during the summer, he will have a 110 for every AR grade for the year!