Summer Reading and Math

Lower School

At StG, we value summer as a time for students to relax, rejuvenate,and get ready for the academic year ahead. We encourage you to explore enrichment opportunities for your child, whether that is enrolling them in exciting summer camps or taking interesting family vacations. There is always so much for young children to learn by exploring the world around us!

Of course, your children have worked hard this year to reach mastery of grade-level math and reading standards. We want them to maintain this progress! For this reason, we encourage your child to complete the following:

  • A reading log. Research shows that students who read consistently throughout the summer maintain their end-of-year reading level as they enter the next grade. We want this for all of your children! 

  • A summer math packet. During the last week of school, your child was given a math packet that is leveled to their math abilities. We encourage your child to work on this packet over the summer, especially during the 2-3 weeks before school starts.

The reading log and math packet are recommended but do not need to be submitted. Returning students were provided with these materials prior to the last week of school. Please note that rising 5th graders have required assignments provided by Middle School. New families will receive a welcome email that provides information about summer work, including a link to the leveled math packet that is recommended for your child. 

If you have any questions about Lower School summer work, please email Kate Remillard, Director of Lower School, at kate.remillard@stgnola.org.

1st-4th Grade Reading Log

Middle School

To protect the academic investment you and your child(ren) have made this year, the English language arts and math teachers require all students entering  5th-8th grades to complete summer assignments. This work will be graded, and students are expected to complete the work no later than Monday, August 19th, 2024.

Please encourage your child to do their summer math and reading practice a little at a time throughout the summer. Completing all the practice at once at either the beginning or end of the summer is not nearly as beneficial to protecting the investment your child has made in learning new skills and building knowledge at school this year. Just as shorter, more frequent workouts help to keep our bodies healthier than an occasional longer workout, frequent reading and math practice completed a little bit at a time every week will help position your child for academic success next year.

Math
For math class, all students rising into grades 5 - 8 must complete a summer work packet. Each student will be given one by this year’s math teacher during the week of May 20th. Packets will be differentiated for students in adjusted, standard, and advanced level sections. Most students should be able to complete the work without help from a tutor or parent. However, if you need help, you are very welcome to ask for it. Just make sure you show all your written work. The completed packet will be collected by next year’s math teacher and graded for completion as a formative assessment. To earn full credit, students must complete every problem, showing their work in long hand on the packet. Even on problems that are challenging, students must demonstrate an earnest attempt to complete the problem. Incomplete packets will not be accepted, and students will lose 5 points for each day the completed packet is handed in late. If you lose your review packet, you can print a copy at home from this folder: Summer Math Packets.

In addition to the practice problems you will find in the packet, this year we are implementing a new math facts requirement. During the week of August 19th, all students in grades 5 - 8 will take a timed test on addition facts and another on multiplication facts to measure automaticity. The automaticity assessment scores will be averaged and entered in the grade book as a formative assessment, separate from the math packet grade. Materials to prepare for these assessments have been included in the packet. For extra review of math facts, students may use IXL, which is available through their school subscription through  July 1st.

If you have any questions about packets for the Adjusted Sections, email Mrs. Christine Cruse at christine.cruse@stgnola.org. If you have questions about packets for the Standard and Advanced Sections, email Mrs. Rochelle Adler Effron, Acting Department Chair, at rochelle.effron@stgnola.org.

English Language Arts
For English language arts, students must read one required novel, listed below. Students will be given a copy of this book to take home to highlight and annotate throughout the summer. They must also complete the accompanying online questions as they read through the book. You may also access them below. Students will be given a hard copy of the questions to guide their reading, but in order to earn credit, you must input your answers into the corresponding Google Form. If you lose your hard copy of the questions, you may print a new copy from the documents in this folder: Summer Reading Questions. However, please ask your child to record their answers on the Google forms once they return. If you have any questions about summer reading, please email Mrs. Tanya Musa, St. George's Middle School Language Arts Department Chair, at tanya.musa@stgnola.org.

Required Reading Novels:

  • 5th = Stella by Starlight, Sharon Draper

  • 6th = Holes, Louis Saccar

  • 7th = The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton

  • 8th = The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien

While students are only required to read one assigned book, we also strongly encourage them to read other books of their choice in order to maintain a consistent reading habit. Lists of recommended books by grade are provided on the StG Summer Work Website, and you may print an optional reading log to record any other books they choose to read. 

For extra review and continued practice of language arts skills, students are encouraged but not required to work on their individualized MAP skill plan for Language and Reading in IXL, which is available through their school subscription through  July 1st.