School may be over for Lowell Area Schools students this week, but the learning doesn’t have to stop. In fact, while everyone needs some downtime, it’s best for students to continue to hit the books during the summer.

Those books don’t have to be textbooks though. Whether it’s the latest Dog Man or a classic like Corduroy, reading of any kind can help students stay sharp during the upcoming break.

To make summer reading even more fun, LAS offers Arrow Readers on the Move. This annual program is a chance for students to earn prizes, stop by school libraries and see favorite teachers and staff over the summer months.

“I love it,” says Katelynd Pulver, a 4th grade teacher at Cherry Creek Elementary School. “It’s a very underrated program.”

Pulver has been involved with the program since 2017, but it dates back nearly 20 years to when teachers Kim Lum and Jackie Tousley helped launch it. Today, it is open to all students entering preschool through 5th grade who live in the school district regardless of whether they attend LAS.

Helping Students Avoid Learning Loss

A landmark study in 1978 first introduced the idea of the summer slide. It found that students who did not read at all during the summer saw their reading skills decline by as much as an entire grade level. However, students who read at least six books during the summer maintained or improved their reading skills.

More recent research has been mixed, but one recent study estimated that 3rd-5th graders lost, on average, 20% of their reading gains from the previous school year during the summer. Reading during the summer months may offset that loss, and other experts say just 15-20 minutes of daily reading can stimulate brain development, lengthen attention spans and foster empathy.

“We really want to keep kids reading over the summer,” Pulver says.

To accomplish that, Arrow Readers on the Move offers prizes to students who finish a specific number of books or earn a certain number of AR – Accelerated Reader – points. Each time students reach their goal, they can select a prize, which may include things like t-shirts, ice cream coupons, bubbles, hula hoops and move. There is no limit to how many prizes students can earn.

How to Participate in Arrow Readers on the Move

To join Arrow Readers on the Move, visit the program’s Facebook page and fill out the form pinned there. You can also scan the QR code on the flyer below to be taken to the sign-up form.

All students who live in the Lowell Area Schools district can participate, including students who are homeschooled or who go to St. Patrick School.

To earn a prize, students in preschool through 1st grade as well as homeschool and private school students will keep a reading log. LAS students in grades 2-5 will earn prizes based on AR points.

Preschool – 1st grade: 10 books
2nd – 3rd grade: 6 points
4th -5th grade: 8 points

In addition to earning prizes, Arrow Readers on the Move gives students the chance to visit the library, select books and listen to stories from mystery readers. Locations and dates for these drop-in events are as follows:

Cherry Creek Media Center
9am-12pm
June 13, 20, 27 and July 11, 18, 25

Alto Public Library
6-7:30pm
June 13, 20, 27 and July 11, 18, 25

Murray Lake Media Center
9am-12pm
June 14, 21, 28 and July 12, 19, 26

Lowell Englehardt Library
5:30-7:30pm
June 14, 21, 28 and July 12, 19, 26

There is no need to register to stop by, but be aware that these aren’t drop-off sessions. Parents should remain on the premises while their students are at the media center or library.

While at the media center or library, students can select a book to check out and pick their prize once eligible. There will also be one mystery reader during each session, and those readers have included teachers, principals and others from the community. For instance, one year, members of the varsity football team were mystery readers.

“It’s so fun to see the kids during the summer,” Pulver says. She hopes everyone will be able to stop by for at least one of the above dates, and if not, she is happy to meet with parents and students at other times if they want to access the media center to check out a book.

For all the latest updates as the summer progresses, be sure to follow the Arrow Readers on the Move Facebook page.