Secondary ELA Reading List Teacher Information MS

The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

by Pablo Cartaya MS Reading List

From Amazon: Save the restaurant. Save the town. Get the girl. Make Abuela proud. Can thirteen-year-old Arturo Zamora do it all or is he in for a BIG, EPIC FAIL? For Arturo, summertime in Miami means playing basketball until dark, sipping mango smoothies, and keeping cool under banyan trees. And maybe a few shifts as junior lunchtime dishwasher at Abuela’s restaurant. Maybe. But this summer also includes Carmen, a poetry enthusiast who moves into Arturo’s apartment complex and turns his stomach into a deep fryer. He almost doesn’t notice the smarmy land developer who rolls into town and threatens to change it. Arturo refuses to let his family and community go down without a fight, and as he schemes with Carmen, Arturo discovers the power of poetry and protest through untold family stories and the work of José Martí.

Patina

by Jason Reynolds MS Reading List

From Amazon: Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team—a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves. Patina, or Patty, runs like a flash. She runs for many reasons—to escape the taunts from the kids at the fancy-schmancy new school she’s been sent to since she and her little sister had to stop living with their mom. She runs from the reason WHY she’s not able to live with her “real” mom any more: her mom has The Sugar, and Patty is terrified that the disease that took her mom’s legs will one day take her away forever. So Patty’s also running for her mom, who can’t. But can you ever really run away from any of this? As the stress builds up, it’s building up a pretty bad attitude as well. Coach won’t tolerate bad attitude. No day, no way. And now he wants Patty to run relay…where you have to depend on other people? How’s she going to do THAT?

Refugee

by Alan Gratz MS Reading List

From Scholastic: A tour de force from acclaimed author Alan Gratz (Prisoner B-3087), this timely and powerful novel tells the story of three different children seeking refuge. JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world… ISABEL is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety in America… MAHMOUD is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe… All three kids go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers, from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, shocking connections will tie their stories together in the end.

Full Cicada Moon

by Marilyn Hilton MS Reading List

From Amazon: It’s 1969, and the Apollo 11 mission is getting ready to go to the moon. But for half-black, half-Japanese Mimi, moving to a predominantly white Vermont town is enough to make her feel alien. Suddenly, Mimi’s appearance is all anyone notices. She struggles to fit in with her classmates, even as she fights for her right to stand out by entering science competitions and joining Shop Class instead of Home Ec. And even though teachers and neighbors balk at her mixed-race family and her refusals to conform, Mimi’s dreams of becoming an astronaut never fade—no matter how many times she’s told no.

This historical middle-grade novel is told in poems from Mimi’s perspective over the course of one year in her new town, and shows readers that positive change can start with just one person speaking up.

Restart

by Gordon Korman MS Reading List

Chase doesn’t remember falling off the roof. He doesn’t remember hitting his head. He doesn’t, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name.

He knows he’s Chase. But who is Chase? When he gets back to school, he sees that different kids have very different reactions to his return. Some kids treat him like a hero. Some kids are clearly afraid of him. One girl in particular is so angry with him that she pours her frozen yogurt on his head the first chance she gets. Pretty soon, it’s not only a question of who Chase is–it’s a question of who he was . . . and who he’s going to be.

The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane

Author: Julia Nobel Sping 2019

From Amazon: The first in an exciting new series, this suspenseful debut brings readers on a journey filled with secrets, mystery, and unforgettable characters.

With a dad who disappeared years ago and a mother who’s a bit too busy to parent, Emmy is shipped off to Wellsworth, a prestigious boarding school in England, where she’s sure she won’t fit in.

But then she finds a box of mysterious medallions in the attic of her home–medallions that belonged to her father. Her father who may have gone to Wellsworth.

When she arrives at school, she finds the strange symbols from the medallions etched into walls and books, which leads Emmy and her new friends, Jack and Lola, to Wellsworth’s secret society: The Order of Black Hollow Lane. Emmy can’t help but think that the society had something to do with her dad’s disappearance and that there may be more than just dark secrets in the halls of Wellsworth.

The RRISD Secondary Reading List Review Process is used for whole class/small group classroom instruction (e.g., novels; large, expository texts; book club; and literature circle choices). The secondary reading list does not pertain to independent reading titles that the student has self-selected even if there is an instructional assignment attached to the title.

Middle School Parent Letter Digital Form Template

This link creates your own copy of the form and will only include responses from your students’ parents.

Process for Digital Retrieval of Signatures

Click on the appropriate link above.
Click on Copy
Edit the form to include the books you are using in instruction.
To share with parents: click SEND
- email directly to parents or
- click the link icon and share the address of the form with parents or
- Click the code icon and use the code to add the form to your website
Click on RESPONSES to see who has completed the form and their responses. You can also create a spreadsheet of the responses.

Each teacher has the option to send the parent notification letter to parents/guardians in digital or written, hard-copy form. Expand to read RRISD School Board policy.

Secondary Reading Assignments

Secondary parents/guardians shall be sent a digital or written notification letter of possible reading selections assigned for the students’ whole class/small group classroom instruction. [See EF(EXHIBIT) and (REGULATION)] Parents/guardians are encouraged to examine the District’s secondary reading list and decide what titles their students may read.

Printable MS Parent Letter Template – ENGLISH Printable MS Parent Template – SPANISH

Teacher Book Submission Form

PROCEDURE FOR TEXT REVIEW PROCESS

At least two professional staff members will read the text under consideration. Staff members may include teacher(s), an instructional coach, and/or a librarian. The teacher submitting the request will complete one RRISD Secondary Reading List Review Google Form. The teacher submitting the request will forward the form and required documentation for the Round Rock ISD Secondary Reading List Review Committee to Caron Sharp, Secondary ELAR Curriculum Coordinator: caron_sharp@roundrockisd.org. The RRISD Governing Secondary Reading List Review Committee will be comprised of the Director of Curriculum, Director of Library Services, and the Secondary ELAR Curriculum Coordinator. Areas of possible objection including profanity, violence, religion, drugs/alcohol, and sex will be reviewed by the RRISD Governing Secondary Reading List Review Committee to determine the overall merit of the work.

CRITERIA FOR A TEXT TO BE PLACED ON THE RRISD SECONDARY READING LIST*

* supports state ELA/R TEKS * reinforces the Aligned Round Rock ISD Curriculum (ARRC/grade-level content) * meets course and grade appropriateness * matches age and cognitive development. Additional information is also requested on the form including readability, synopsis, and potentially objectionable material.

IMPORTANT: The required documentation was developed with the “NCTE Guidelines for Selection of Materials in English Language Arts Programs”. The RRISD Governing Secondary Reading List Review Committee must determine if the proposed text (1) has a clear connection to established educational objectives and (2) addresses the needs and maturity level of the students for whom it is intended.

TIMELINE FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR THE RRISD SECONDARY READING LIST 2018-2020**

1. Title nominations for the spring semester 2019 are due November 2, 2018. The RRISD Secondary Reading List Review Google Form and substantiating text documentation for the title must be submitted by this date. Early submission(s) are encouraged.

2. Title nominations for the fall semester 2019 are due May 1, 2019. The RRISD Secondary Reading List Review Google Form and substantiating text documentation for the title must be submitted by this date. Early submission(s) are encouraged.

The RRISD Governing Secondary Reading List Review Committee will meet after each submission deadline. Title submission(s) will be assigned to participating review committee members. The RRISD Governing Secondary Reading List Review Committee and designated committee members will reconvene to approve/reject proposed title submission(s). Caron Sharp, Secondary ELAR Curriculum Coordinator, will notify teacher(s)/librarian(s) if title submission(s) were approved or rejected.

Note: The timeline is subject to modification.

Board Policy

The District shall provide a wide range of instructional resources for students and faculty that present varying levels of difficulty, diversity of appeal, and a variety of points of view. Although professional staff members may select instructional resources for their use in accordance with District policy and administrative regulations, the ultimate authority for determining and approving the curriculum and instructional program of the District lies with the Board.

Objectives

In this policy, “instructional resources” may include textbooks, library acquisitions, supplementary resources for classroom use, and any other instructional resources, including electronic resources, used for formal or informal teaching and learning purposes. The primary objectives of instructional resources are to implement, enrich, and support the District’s educational program. The Board shall rely on District professional staff to select and acquire instructional resources that:

1.Enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration students’ varied interests, abilities, learning styles, and maturity levels.

2. Stimulate growth in factual knowledge, enjoyment of reading, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and societal standards.

3.Present various sides of controversial issues so that students have an opportunity to develop, under guidance, skills in critical analysis and in making informed judgments in their daily lives.

4. Represent many ethnic, religious, and cultural groups and their contributions to the national heritage and world community.

5. Provide a wide range of background information that will enable students to make intelligent judgments in their daily lives.

Selection Criteria In the selection of instructional resources, professional staff shall ensure that the resources:

1. Support and are consistent with the general educational goals of the state and District and the aims and objectives of individual schools and specific courses consistent with the District and campus improvement plans.

2. Be chosen to enrich and support the curriculum and the personal needs of users.

3. Meet high standards of quality in:

a. Presentation.

b. Physical format.

c. Educational significance.

d. Readability.

e. Authenticity.

f. Artistic quality and/or literary style.

g. Factual content.

4. Be evaluated as a whole and selected for their strengths rather than rejected for their weaknesses. Selected resources will not be masked, clipped, or altered in any manner inconsistent with the author’s intent.

5. Are appropriate for the subject area and for the age, ability level, learning styles, and social and emotional development of the students for whom they are selected.

6. Are designed to provide information that will motivate students and staff to examine their own attitudes and behavior; to understand their duties, responsibilities, rights, and privileges as citizens participating in our society; and to make informed choices in their daily lives.

7. Provide information on opposing sides of controversial issues so that users may develop under guidance the skill of critical analysis.

The selection of learning resources shall be directed toward maintaining a diverse collection representing various views.

Administrators, teachers, library media specialists, other District personnel, parents, and community members, as appropriate, may recommend instructional resources for selection. Gifts of instructional resources shall be evaluated according to these criteria and accepted or rejected in accordance with CDC(LOCAL).

Selection of resources is an ongoing process that includes the removal of resources no longer appropriate and the periodic replacement or repair of resources that still have educational value.

Challenged Resources

The District shall not remove resources from a library for the purpose of denying students access to ideas with which the District disagrees. Any resident or employee of the District may challenge learning resources used in the District’s educational program on the basis of appropriateness.

Secondary Reading Assignments

Elementary Reading Assignments

Elementary parents/guardians shall receive a parent notification statement regarding elementary reading selections for English Language Arts instruction in the elementary student-parent handbook. [See EF(EXHIBIT) and (REGULATION)] Parents shall receive this information at the beginning of each school year or upon enrolling their children in a District elementary school.

Request for Informal Reconsideration

The school receiving a complaint regarding a learning resource shall try to resolve the issue informally:

Step One

Within five working days of the receipt of a complaint, the teacher or librarian whose students are using the learning resource shall meet with the complainant; listen to his or her concerns; explain the learning resource selection procedures; the particular place the questioned resource occupies in the educational program; its intended educational usefulness; and work with the complainant to resolve his or her concerns, including but not limited to, offering the student, if a student is involved, another comparable and acceptable learning resource.

Step Two

If the complainant is not satisfied with the results of the Step One conference and wishes to continue the challenge, the complainant shall meet with the principal regarding the learning resource. The Step Two conference shall occur within five working days after the completion of the Step One conference. The principal shall meet with the complainant, listen to his or her concerns, and work with the complainant to resolve his or her concerns. The principal may also refer the complainant to someone else who could provide additional information as needed. The informal process may not be used to remove resources from the District instructional curriculum or from campus libraries. Resources may only be removed if that is the result of completing the formal challenge process detailed below.

Request for Formal Reconsideration of a Learning Resource

If the complainant wishes to file a formal challenge, all steps in the Request for Informal Reconsideration of this policy must have been completed. The complainant shall then notify the campus principal who, in turn, shall provide the complainant with a copy of this policy and copies of forms entitled Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources—Level I and Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources—Level II, found in EF(EXHIBIT). Not later than ten working days after the Step Two conference, the complainant shall file a completed Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources—Level I form with the principal. In addition, the principal shall immediately notify the director of legal services regarding the challenge. The director of legal services shall facilitate the formal challenge to its completion.

Level I

Upon receipt of a completed Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources—Level I form, the principal shall form a Reconsideration Committee consisting of:

1. Two teachers from the area of concern and/or grade level chosen by the area or grade-level coordinator.

2. A Parent-Teacher Association representative chosen by the executive committee of the PTA.

3. A parent recommended to the principal by the campus site-based decision-making committee.

4. A nonschool District employee member of the campus site-based decision-making committee.

5. The school library media specialist.

6. The principal, who shall facilitate the committee and in case of a tie, shall break the tie.

All members of the committee shall review the challenged resource in its entirety. Within ten working days of the receipt of a completed Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources—Level I form, the appointed reconsideration committee shall meet and review the challenged resource and judge whether it conforms to the Criteria for Selection as outlined in this policy. The reconsideration committee shall meet in closed meeting with the complainant and other school staff as needed. The reconsideration committee shall complete and sign the Checklist for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources found in EF(EXHIBIT).

No later than ten working days after the reconsideration committee meeting, the complainant, teachers who served on the committee, the campus library media specialist, the director of library/media services, and the Superintendent shall receive signed copies of the completed and signed Checklist for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources form.

The decision of this reconsideration committee is binding for the individual school where the challenge was filed. Notwithstanding any procedure outlined in this policy, the complainant shall have the right to appeal any decision of the reconsideration committee to the Superintendent.

Level II

Within ten working days of the receipt of the completed and signed campus-level Checklist for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources—Level I form, the complainant may appeal the decision of the campus-level reconsideration committee to the Superintendent. To appeal, the complainant shall submit to the Superintendent a completed and signed copy of the Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources—Level II form found in EF(EXHIBIT). Only those specific complaints presented in the Request for Reconsideration of Resources—Level I form may be presented at Level II.

Upon receipt of a completed Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources—Level II form, the Superintendent shall appoint a District-level reconsideration committee consisting of:

1. A school library media specialist, teacher, counselor, and principal from the appropriate instructional level.

2. A representative from the District council of Parent-Teacher Associations.

3. A parent member at large.

4. Two community members at large.

5. A coordinator or director in the area of concern.

6. A high school student council representative.

7. A member of the administrative staff who shall convene the committee, facilitate the operations of the committee, and vote only in the event of a tie vote.

Within ten working days of receipt of the completed and signed Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources—Level II form, the appointed District-level reconsideration committee shall meet, evaluate the challenged resource, and judge whether it conforms to the Criteria for Selection as outlined in this policy. The District-level reconsideration committee shall meet in closed session with the complainant, the school library/media specialist, teachers, and the principal from the campus where the challenge was originally filed. The District-level reconsideration committee shall complete and sign the Checklist for Reconsideration of Instructional Resources form found in EF(EXHIBIT). This form and a written recommendation shall be submitted to the Superintendent for review, consideration, and decision. The decision of the Superintendent is binding for all campuses in the District.

Notwithstanding any procedure outlined in this policy, the complainant shall have the right to appeal any Level II decision to the Board.

Level III

The decision of the Level II Reconsideration Committee may be appealed to the Board at Level III by completing and filing a Level III Reconsideration form within ten working days of receipt of the Level II Reconsideration checklist. The appeal must be presented in writing at the time on a form provided by the District. It shall include a written description of the decision or action causing the appeal, specific facts supporting the appeal, the date it occurred, the remedy sought, the name, address, and telephone number of the person appealing, and/or the person’s representative, if any. Only those specific complaints and supporting facts presented at Level II may be presented at Level III.

During the Board meeting following the Level III filing, when decisions are made regarding future agenda items, it shall be determined whether to place the matter on the agenda of a future Board meeting. The administrative decision at Level II shall be upheld if the Board does not request that the matter be put on the agenda for possible Board action. The lack of official action by the Board upholds the administrative decision at Level II.

If the matter is placed on the agenda of a subsequent Board meeting, the Board President may set reasonable time limits on reconsideration presentations and the Board shall listen to the reconsideration request.

Once the Board has responded to the appeal as stated above, the matter is concluded.

Guiding Principles

The following principles shall guide the Board and staff in responding to challenges of instructional resources:

1. A complainant may raise an objection to a learning resource used in a school’s educational program despite the fact that the individuals selecting such resources were duly qualified to make the selection, followed the proper procedure, and observed the criteria for selecting learning resources.

2. The principal or designee shall review the selection and objection rules with the teaching staff at least annually. The staff shall be reminded that the right to object to learning resources is one granted by policies enacted by the Board.

3. No parent has the right to determine reading, viewing, or listening matter for students other than his or her own children.

4. When a learning resource is challenged, the principles of the freedom to read/listen/view must be defended.

5. Access to a challenged resource shall not be restricted during the reconsideration process.

6. The major criterion for the final decision is the appropriateness of the challenged resource for its intended educational use. No challenged instructional resource shall be removed solely because of the ideas expressed therein.

7. A decision to sustain a challenge shall not necessarily be interpreted as a judgment of irresponsibility on the part of the professional involved in the original selection and/or use of the resource.