BW Reading Program Recognized by Follett Corporation

One year ago today, Belleville West High School was named a semi-finalist in the 2014 Follett Challenge.  The annual contest rewards innovative and ground-breaking educational programs.

Last May, Belleville West was named the 2014 grand prize winner of the Follett Challenge.  As the grand prize winner, Belleville West High School hosted visitors from the Follett Corporation in September.  During the visit, the Follett team prepared this video to celebrate Belleville West’s reading program.

Belleville West Readers Pass 4.35 Million Pages

Belleville West reads!  The BW English Department challenged the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes to each read one million pages of pleasure reading during this school year.  At the end of the fifth triad, EVERY CLASS has passed ONE MILLION PAGES!  (But that’s no excuse to stop reading.  Let’s see how many pages we can read before the end of the year!)

At the end of the fifth triad, the SOPHOMORE CLASS maintained the top spot, with 1,149,758 pages of pleasure reading.  (The sophomore class read 240,784 pages during the fourth triad—an average of 450 pages per sophomore.)  These sophomore classes read more pages during the fifth triad than they did during the fourth triad:

Ms. Schloesser’s sixth hour – 10,181 pages more

Mr. Johnson’s second hour – 7,709 pages more

Ms. Chalmers’s first hour – 4,801 pages more

Ms. Chalmers’s sixth hour – 4,538 pages more

Ms. Ursani’s seventh hour – 3,752 pages more

Mr. Johnson’s first hour – 3,259 pages more

Ms. Schloesser’s fourth hour – 2,468 pages more

Ms. Ursani’s sixth hour – 1,644 pages more

Ms. Schloesser’s seventh hour – 1,298 pages more

Mr. Garland’s fifth hour – 482 pages more

Ms. Lewis’s fifth hour – 265 pages more

Mr. Reidelberger’s seventh hour – 264 pages more

At the end of the fifth triad, the FRESHMAN CLASS has jumped to second place, with 1,081,063 pages of pleasure reading.  (The freshman class read 211,970 pages during the fifth triad, an average of 406 pages per freshman.)  These freshman classes more pages during the fifth triad than they did during the fourth triad:

Dr. Etter’s seventh hour – 5,299 pages more

Ms. Hunter’s seventh hour – 3,071 pages more

Ms. Sage’s fourth hour – 1,910 pages more

Mr. Schobert’s second hour – 1,777 pages more

Ms. Hunter’s second hour – 1,606 pages more

Ms. Thurnau’s fifth hour – 1,574 pages more

Mr. Schobert’s third hour – 1,093 pages more

Ms. Ursani’s first hour – 499 pages more

At the end of the fifth triad, the JUNIOR CLASS has climbed to third place, with 1,069,618 pages of pleasure reading.  (The junior class read 248,192 pages in the fifth triad—an average of 459 pages per junior, and their best triad for the year!)  These junior classes read more pages during the fifth triad than they did during the fourth triad:

Mr. Brunner’s second hour – 16,490 pages more

Ms. Hoelscher’s sixth hour – 8,914 pages more

Mr. Brunner’s sixth hour – 8, 801 pages more

Mr. Spriggs’s fifth hour – 5,608 pages more

Mr. Brunner’s first hour – 4,259 pages more

Mr. Spriggs’s sixth hour class – 3,569 pages more

Mr. Spriggs’s seventh hour class – 2,792 pages more

Mr. Schobert’s first hour – 1,709 pages more

Mr. Schobert’s fifth hour – 1,703 pages more

Mr. Spriggs’s third hour – 1,453 pages more

Ms. Hoelscher’s first hour – 531 pages more

Ms. Sage’s fifth hour – 126 pages more

At the end of the fifth triad, the SENIOR CLASS has slipped to last place, with 1,056,871 pages of pleasure reading.  (The senior class read only 156,405 pages during the fifth triad, an average of 371 pages per senior and their lowest total for the year.)  These senior classes read more pages during the fifth triad than they did during the fourth triad:

Mr. Brunner’s fifth hour class – 9,459 pages more

Mr. Garland’s third hour class – 3,172 pages more

Ms. Hoelscher’s second hour class – 2,538 pages more

Mr. Johnson’s fourth hour class – 2,178 pages more

Ms. Hoelscher’s third hour class – 2,050 pages more

Mr. Jenkins’s fourth hour class – 560 pages more

The BW ENGLISH TEACHERS read 19,070 pages of pleasure reading during the fourth triad.  That’s an average of 954 pages per English teacher.

Can the sophomore class maintain the lead?  Can the freshman class make it all the way to the top?  Can the senior class climb out of the basement?  Keep reading, Belleville West!

Belleville West Celebrates National Poetry Month

April marks the celebration of National Poetry Month.  At Belleville West, English classes will observe the month by incorporating a new poem in class each day.

March Madness Ends with Close Vote

On this final day of March, we have a winner in the Belleville West March Madness reading event!  By one vote (that’s right—just one vote), The Fault in Our Stars defeated The Giver.  Names were drawn from all students who participated in the event, and the following students will receive free books: freshman Cassidy Farrar, freshman Briley Maisel, junior Aaron Epps, and junior Nick Foster.  Thanks to everyone who voted!

March Madness Reading Event Concludes this Week

In celebration of March Madness, the BW English Department is asking students to participate in a game of brackets to select their favorite Young Adult literature.  Each week in March, students can vote for their favorite books by visiting this link.  Every student who participates will be entered in a drawing, with the prize winners announced at the end of the month.

This week, the final two books face off:  The Giver by Lois Lowry vs. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  The deadline for voting is Friday, March 27.