FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
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John L. Winn
Commissioner of Education
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
Members
DONNA G. CALLAWAY
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
PHOEBE RAULERSON
KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
LINDA K. TAYLOR
April 19, 2006
M E M O R A N D U M
TO:
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District School Superintendents
Middle
School
Principals
FROM:
John
L.
Winn
Commissioner
of
Education
SUBJECT:
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“For Teens, by Teens” Recommended Reading List Database
Yesterday I launched the Just Read, Florida! “For Teens, by Teens” recommended reading list
database as part of the
Shoot for the Stars: A Record Breaking Year for Middle Schools
initiative. Students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades are encouraged to submit their favorite
books online and view recommendations from other students. This database will also be used as
part of K-12 Public Schools Chancellor Cheri Pierson Yecke’s Summer Book Reading
Challenge, the second contest in my year-long middle school reading initiative.
Middle school students struggle with reading for a variety of reasons: they have little time to
practice reading, and they have little motivation to read – and, because of that, they are not
developing vocabulary and background and content knowledge that they can apply in other
areas. Research tells us that students who do not read during the summer may lose, on average,
two to three months of skill. This interactive reading list is a great way to get kids excited about
reading because it is a list of books that their peers have recommended.
Students can list their favorite books online, submit a rating and a mini-review on the Just Read,
Florida! website at www.justreadflorida.com. Each submission will be reviewed for
appropriateness of content before being posted for other teens to consider.
325 W. GAINES STREET • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0505 • www.fldoe.org
Memo to Superintendents and Middle School Principals
Page 2
There are plans to expand the database for all grade levels in the near future.
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Please share with your teachers and encourage your students to participate. Attached is a poster
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that you can print and hang in your school halls and media center.
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Thanks for all you do for reading in Florida!
JLW/mlo
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