Hello! My job is to work in conjunction with the teachers in the school to monitor the progress of all the students in the areas of Reading, Writing and Language Arts. This is accomplished by assessing the students in different ways during the school year. Students use the computer to take a STAR assessment that shows their independent and instructional reading levels. Teachers administer a Benchmark assessment that shows the strategies a student uses when they read and also measures their reading level in another way. Teachers give a Spelling Inventory that allows them to see the strengths and weaknesses of students in their phonics, vocabulary and spelling. Writing samples are taken and evaluated that allow the teacher to know what areas of writing a child needs to tackle next.

The classroom teacher keeps this information in your child's Language Arts Folder. They use it to plan instruction that meets the needs of your child. They may also share this information with you during conferences. If a teacher or parent feels a child would benefit from extra help, they refer them to me. Then, I use the assessment information along with conferences with parents and teachers to evaluate the needs of the student and recommend interventions.

Parents need to be involved in this process. Parents, teachers and I work together to plan the best intervention for students who would benefit from extra assistance. Every student is different and every student needs different types of help with their reading.

Here, at Magruder, we offer many different types of reading interventions. However, each student may receive only one intervention at a time. Students may meet individually or in a group with trained professionals or me. They may be enrolled in our REACHING UP! Program and meet with a trained tutor daily for 10 weeks. They may be invited to take part in our After School Program. They may receive extra assistance using computer technology. They may work with you at home following suggestions I provide. Each of these interventions is designed to meet the needs of the children in the best way.

I welcome meeting with parents to discuss any concerns they have with the progress of their child in the areas of reading, writing and language arts.

skappesser@ycsd.york.va.us

One of the first things we like to check when a student has difficulty reading is their eyesight. The school screens new students and third grade students only for far vision. We are unable to detect if a child needs glasses for near vision. I suggest that you might want to take your child to an eye doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms. A trained doctor is the only one who can diagnose and prescribe eyeglasses.

Checklist for Possible Eye Problems

You may notice one of these general signs in your child.

• An eye that turns in or out and does not seem to be in alignment with the other
• A consistent head tilt or turn
• Frequent squinting at either close or distant targets
• Red eyes or lids
• Frequent tearing of the eyes

Your child may complain of one or more of the following

• Headaches, especially in the forehead or eyes
• Burning or itching of the eyes
• Print blurring after a short period of time
• Double vision

While reading and writing, your child may do one or more of the following

• Skip or reread lines or words repeatedly
• Depend on a finger to keep his place in the text
• Frequently rewrite letters within words
• Becomes lost or frustrated when copying material from a book or chalkboard
• Close or cover one eye
• Turn or tilt his head to one side
• Rub his eyes
• Blink excessively
• Bring his head very close to the book or paper
• Have trouble lining things up correctly on paper
• Avoid reading and writing as much as possible