Academic Coach

THE SUNDANCE CONNECTION: LEARNING TOGETHER AT HOME & SCHOOL

Sundance Elementary Academic Coach

Mrs. Carolyna Aparici Chávez, Academic Coach \

caparicichavez@llschools.net

April Instructional Focus: Poetry, Literacy & Spring Growth

Dear Families,
April is Poetry Month and a wonderful time to strengthen reading skills while keeping literacy fun, engaging, and joyful at home and at school!

🌸 Spring Literacy Ideas
Spring is the perfect time to refresh and reinforce important reading skills.

PreK–2nd Grade & Emergent Readers

Letters & Sounds
Practice quick daily letter-sound review.
Go on “sound hunts” in poems or books.
Practice blending and segmenting sounds when reading together.

Building Heart Words
Work on 2–3 heart words each week.
Talk about the sounds in the word and the “heart part” that must be remembered. Practice writing heart words in simple sentences.

Read Alouds (Very Important!)
Read to your child daily.
Reread favorite books to build confidence and fluency. Pause to ask questions and talk about new vocabulary.

2nd Grade & Up

Fluency Practice
Take turns reading aloud (echo reading or choral reading). Older students love being read to still!
Reread short poems or passages to build smooth, expressive reading.
Encourage reading with expression and appropriate pacing. Pause and have students retell with summary.

Poetry is especially helpful for fluency—its rhythm and repetition help students build automaticity and confidence. We hope you’ll join us for our annual Poetry Slam at Art & Literacy Night!

📚 Literacy Into Summer

As we move toward summer:
Keep independent reading and reading-together routines strong.
Visit local libraries and check out Dion’s summer reading programs.
Look for our new Battle of the Books reading list (grades 4-6).
All summer reading information and supports will be available in the gym for Art & Literacy Night. Encourage writing journals, response notebooks, or even letter writing to friends and family—writing builds strong readers!

Consistent practice with letters, sounds, heart words, read alouds, comprehension, and fluency will protect your child’s growth and help them start next year strong.

Thank you for your continued partnership in building confident, capable readers!