Iola Elementary

The Accelerated Reader Program is a computer program that manages student reading practice by allowing students to take a reading comprehension quiz on a book that was read with them, read to them, or read independently.

"AR’s advanced technology helps us:

• Make essential reading practice more effective for every student.
• Personalize reading practice to each student’s current level.
• Manage all reading activities including read to, read with, and read independently.
• Assess students’ reading with four types of quizzes: Reading Practice, Vocabulary Practice, Literacy Skills, and Textbook Quizzes.
• Build a lifelong love of reading and learning." (From Renlearn.com)

But the reason we use Accelerated Reader at Iola Elementary is to bring the joy of reading to every student. "We have seen, over and over again, that once students experience the magic of reading, they willingly and happily read. In fact, you can’t stop them from reading, and their reading skills grow dramatically. That’s why, at its heart, AR is not about the quizzes, the points, or the technology. It’s about turning kids on to books! "  (From Getting Results with AR)

You can view your student’s daily progress with Accelerated Reader at any time simply by clicking on Renaissance Home Connect.

Home Connect is a fun, easy-to-use, easy-to-understand web-based interface that allows your child, you, and the teacher to share in the educational experience by viewing progress in the Accelerated Reader program outside of school.

In Home Connect you can:

• See progress toward reading goals.
• Conduct book searches using AR Bookfinder
• Review results on AR quizzes
• View number of books read, words read, and quizzes passed
• Click Email Setup to sign up to receive emails showing your student's quiz or test results.
• Click Help to get answers to your questions about Home Connect

Parents Guide to AR Home Connect

Sharing the joy of learning with your children by seeing how they’re doing in AR and helping them find new books will make their reading practice more effective.

The dot means that our school has an Accelerated Reader quiz for that book and the color refers to its book level.  A white dot in the middle of a colored dot lets our students know that it is the lower part of that reading level.

• Lime Green ~ 6.0-and up
• Orange ~ 5.0-5.9
• Green ~ 4.0-4.9
• Yellow ~ 3.0-3.9
• Red ~ 2.0-2.9
• Blue ~ 1.0-1.9
• Pink ~ 0.4-0.9

Our AR Wall of Fame in the Iola Elementary Library Media Center allows students to see their progress as they read books, pass quizzes, and earn points throughout the current school year.

On the Wall of Fame, Kindergarten students have their names moved for accumulated points of 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50. They earn time to read on our comfortable seating within the library.  First through Fifth graders have their names moved for accumulated points of 10, 25, 75, 100, and so forth. 

Students in first and second grade who earn 100 points will have their picture taken and hung on the library wall near the Wall of Fame and will receive a medal at the awards assembly at the end of the year.

Students in third and fourth grade are awarded medals at the end of the year awards assembly for meeting three of the four quarters with 85% comprehension and 100% of their point goals.