Mustang Monthly

• PreK AM – Stevie Garcia

• PreK PM – Zaria Myers

• Mrs. Hettich – Irelynn Clementi

• Mrs. Thompson – Nayeli Sandoval

• Ms. Baker – Aya Martinez

• Mrs. Eccles – Lorena Nito Burgos

• Mrs. Reid – Luana Solano

• Ms. Rodarmel – Sophia Garcia

• Mrs. Grasmick – Melarae Martinez

• Mrs. Ryan – Daniel Rascon Jr.

• Mrs. Froman – Piper Dowling

• Mrs. Grubb – Bryson Aragon

• Mrs. Green – Avis Bickle

• Mrs. Rountree – Peyton Maroni

• Mr. Ware – Katya Allen

• Mr. Ryan – Eva Dalgliesh

• Mrs. Quade – Taylor Douglass

• Mr. Stupar – Ravah Sandoval

At Vineland, we want summer reading to feel joyful, manageable, and meaningful — not stressful or overwhelming. Research shows that even a few small habits can help children maintain reading confidence, fluency, and momentum over the summer months. Our summer goal is simply to keep the reading brain active.

1. Read Every Day — Even For a Short Time

Short, consistent reading is more powerful than occasional long sessions. A good goal is 10–20 minutes of reading on most days. This can include:

• reading independently
• reading with an adult
• listening to books
• taking turns reading aloud

2. Rereading Books is a GOOD Thing

Children build fluency and confidence by rereading favorite books. Repeated reading helps:

• reading become more automatic
• words become easier to recognize
• children sound smoother and more confident

If your child wants to read the same book again, that’s actually helpful!

3. Let Your Child Choose Books They Enjoy

Motivation matters. Comic books, nonfiction, magazines, joke books, graphic novels, sports books, and favorite series all count as reading. Children are more likely to keep reading when they feel successful, are interested in the topic, and can read most of the words comfortably. Reading at home does not need to look traditional to be meaningful.

4. Reading Should Feel Successful

Books that are too difficult can sometimes create frustration. It’s okay — and often beneficial — for children to read books that feel “easy.” Easy reading helps fluency, confidence, stamina, and automatic word recognition. It’s also okay to stop while reading is still going well and enjoyable.

5. Talk About the Reading

Simple conversations about books are powerful, especially when they don't feel like a quiz. Even short conversations help strengthen comprehension and vocabulary. Try asking:

• “What was your favorite part?”
• “What surprised you?”
• “Why do you think the character did that?”
• “What do you think will happen next?”
• “Does this remind you of anything?”

These conversations can happen during meals, car rides, walks, or bedtime — and do not need to feel like school.

6. Playing with Language Matters — Especially for Early Readers

Playful language activities help children develop important early reading skills — often without it even feeling like “reading practice.” Short, playful conversations and word games throughout the day can help strengthen listening, sound awareness, vocabulary, and confidence with language. Simple ideas include:

• playing with rhyming words
• clapping syllables in names and words
• noticing beginning sounds (“What starts like ball?”)
• stretching and blending sounds in simple words
• practicing letter sounds
• singing songs and nursery rhymes
• reading aloud often

These activities are especially helpful for younger readers because they strengthen the sound and language systems that support fluent reading later on.

7. Visit the Library

A library visit can help children discover new interests, build excitement around books, and develop independence as readers.The Pueblo Library has a terrific summer reading program.

8. Audiobooks Count, Too

Listening to stories helps develop vocabulary, comprehension, background knowledge, and a love of reading. Audiobooks are especially helpful in the car, before bed, during quiet time, and on long trips.

Our rising first graders will benefit most from practice that strengthens letter-sound automaticity, blending, decoding fluency, and phonemic awareness. Play with sounds, practice easy reading, and help letter sounds become quick and automatic. These can be practiced through playful, short, repeated practice.

* Help Letter Sounds Become Quick and Easy

These activities should feel short, playful, and low-stress — just a few minutes at a time. Key Goal: “Can your child retrieve letter and blend sounds quickly and confidently?” Helpful examples:

• “What sound does this letter make?”
• “Can you find something in the room that starts with /b/?”
• “How fast can you say these sounds?”
• “Can you build the word map with magnets?”

* Blend Sounds Together Orally

These simple word games help children hear and blend sounds more easily — an important skill for becoming a smoother, more confident reader. Examples:

• “What word is /m/ /a/ /p/?”
• “Say CAT without /c/.”
• “What sounds do you hear in ship?”

These playful oral activities help children become smoother and more confident readers.

* Read Decodable or “Easy” Books Repeatedly

If your child can read most of the words successfully without becoming frustrated, the book is probably a good fit. It is perfectly okay for children to reread familiar books many times. Repeated reading helps fluency increase, word recall becomes effortless, and confidence grow. Have your child read the decodable texts sent home by the kindergarten teachers.

* Avoid Frustration Books

If children spend the summer guessing, struggling, or avoiding reading, they may lose automaticity heading into 1st grade. Books should feel successful, comfortable, and manageable.

Our rising second graders will benefit most from practice that builds fluency, stamina, and confidence through short daily reading and rereading of favorite books.

* Read OUT LOUD Daily

Even if children can read independently, hearing fluent reading helps with vocabulary development, expression, comprehension, pacing, and sentence structure. These are important skills heading into second grade.

* Encourage Repeated Reading

Repeated reading helps words become more familiar and automatic, allowing children to read more smoothly and confidently. Suggested activities include:

• rereading favorite books
• reading aloud to a sibling or stuffed animal
• taking turns reading pages with an adult
• practicing a favorite page until it sounds smooth and expressive

* Increase Reading Volume

Our rising second graders will benefit from ongoing successful reading experiences connected to their interests and favorite types of books. As reading volume increases, fluency develops, and comprehension strengthens. Families may want to encourage exposure to series books, graphic novels, nonfiction texts tied to interests, and/or audiobooks + print books together.

* Read Decodable or “Easy” Books Repeatedly

If your child can read most of the words successfully without becoming frustrated, the book is probably a good fit. It is perfectly okay for children to reread familiar books many times. Repeated reading helps fluency increase, word recall become effortless, and confidence grow.

* Blend Sounds Together Orally

These simple word games help children hear and blend sounds more easily — an important skill for becoming a smoother, more confident reader. Examples:

• “What word is /m/ /a/ /p/?”
• “Say CAT without /c/.”
• “What sounds do you hear in ship?”

These playful oral activities help children become smoother and more confident readers.

* Practice High-Frequency Words Naturally

Children need to develop comfort and fluency with sight words, but practicing these in context is more meaningful than rote memorization. Families may want to encourage repeated exposure through reading, noticing common words, and rereading familiar texts. In addition, play word games with high-frequency words — with a goal of automatic and fluent recall and use in context.

• play memory or matching games
• write words with sidewalk chalk
• build words with magnetic letters
• notice common words while reading together
• practice words during car rides or meals

Our rising third, fourth, and fifth graders (and sixth graders too) will benefit most from continued reading volume, fluency practice, vocabulary growth, and meaningful conversations about books. At this age, helping children develop strong reading habits and confidence can make a lasting difference.

* Encourage Independent Reading

Children become stronger readers by spending time with books they enjoy. Encourage reading connected to your child’s interests and curiosities. Series books, nonfiction texts, graphic novels, magazines, and audiobooks all count. Continued reading helps children build vocabulary, knowledge, fluency, and stronger comprehension over time.

* Talk About What They Read

Simple conversations help deepen comprehension and vocabulary. Ask questions like:

• “What was the most interesting part?”
• “What surprised you?”
• “Would you recommend this book to someone else? Why or why not?”

* Keep Reading Feeling Positive

Summer reading should continue building confidence and stamina. Successful, enjoyable reading experiences are often more beneficial than pushing children toward books that feel frustrating or overwhelming.

*The 4th Grade list was updated on June 15th, so if you printed the list prior to that, it has changed.

New students are welcome to join our Mustang family! We have openings in 1st through 4th grade. The enrollment link is below. We need a birth certificate, immunization records, and proof of residency.

We have openings in our afternoon preschool. Parents must submit an application with UPK Colorado as well as register on PowerSchool with the enrollment link above and provide a birth certificate, immunization records, and proof of residency.

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