The most important factor in a child's success as a reader is practice. Every year, enthusiasm for reading escalates, as students at Gainfield participate in the reading incentive program. This year's theme was mysteries, as readers will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Nancy Drew series, by Carolyn Keene. The students were introduced to the reading incentive program with an entertaining skit about the mystery of the "stolen" Gainfield Cougar that is missing from the media center.

    Gainfield staff "suspects" for the case of the missing cougar were pictured on the front bulletin board in the main school hallway. You will be able to see "suspects" identified as "innocent" every 50,000 minutes as students read to solve this mystery. When 500,000 minutes were read, the "guilty" party was revealed!

     Students recorded the minutes they read outside of school daily and returned the reading slip to school on Friday mornings. Students could earn minutes by reading to family members, listening to stories, or reading silently.

     Research suggests that at least 20 minutes per day be devoted to reading.

     For every 50,000 combined minutes of reading done by students one of the crime suspects was eliminated. Upon arrival at 500,000 minutes, the “guilty” party was revealed to be 2nd grade teacher, Jennifer D’Uva . “The Case of the Missing Cougar” was organized by school Reading Consultant, Rima Zelvis and Media Specialist, Rachel Newman to foster increased student and family reading time. 

     Click here for photos of the suspects.