Miami Christian School students have a very specialized reading tutor: “MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach,” designed to teach core reading competency.
The scope of the program includes phonemic awareness, vocabulary, phonics, comprehension, and grammar interpretation for meaning and fluency alike.
Especially effective for students struggling to adapt to a new language, the “Coach” begins with an assessment that identifies specific instructional needs before building a “Prescriptive Reading Plan” for each individual student.
Students can log in at school or home to master each program level, advancing to higher levels at their own pace to increase reading ability.
“It’s great to have students working at their individual reading levels because we have such a diverse population,” comments ESE teacher Vicky Vila who was the impetus behind bringing the MCS program to MCS. “MindPlay integrates what they are learning with technology-based reading tools.”
The program was found to be so effective that MCS engaged a full time facilitator to monitor student progress, making sure each consistently meets required weekly time for the program. One of the first success stories: a fourth grader who began the school year reading at a first-grade level and advancing to a fourth-grade level by the end of the year. The program is now open to students of all ages
Every five to seven years, MCS chooses a new Academic School Improvement Project to share with a visiting accreditation team. The last such project audited the correlation between student tardiness to its effect on standardized test scores. Next fall, a visiting team visiting will review the correlation between the use of the MindPlay program with student participant reading scores and abilities. Students continuing the program over summer months are rewarded in a special assembly with MindPlay trophies.
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In other news, college acceptances have started coming in for seniors, with congratulations in order for Naomi Granado, accepted at Savannah (GA) College of Art and Design, as well as the Academy of the Art University in San Francisco, CA, both impressive institutions in higher art education. In addition, Christopher Abello has not only been accepted to Seton Hall University but offered an $80,000 four-year scholarship. * On Oct. 31, MCS students, staff and parents enjoyed “Harvest Fun Day,” as elementary students decorated pumpkins, enjoyed hay rides and pumpkin relay races, dressed as farmers. Middle school students made caramel apples and decorated class pumpkins while high schoolers got in on the fun by serving cotton candy, snow cones and an IHop Breakfast. As a donation to MCS, IHop came on campus to cook breakfast, sold to MCS family members with the school keeping all proceeds beyond expense.
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The National Beta Service Club annual Mission/Service projects encourage MCS families to bring in shoe boxes filled with items to be sent to children around the world. A decorated Christmas tree in the front office serves as a holiday reminder to donate a gift box with all donations placed under the tree. Club sponsor Donna Gehring and Beta Club members wrap the boxes in holiday paper before sending them along for distribution by the organization.
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Finally. the fall tapping for the National Honor Society recognized seven new inductees: Christian Vila, Justin Marono, Alekzander Reyes, Julitza Lopez, Nelson Porras, Samara Shute and Nina Beam. Congratulations to all for achieving this high academic honor.
