Hello, and welcome to the Resurrection Catholic School library! My name is Lydia-Anne Loehr, and I am honored to begin my first year as the school’s library paraprofessional. I look forward to creating a welcoming library where students can grow in knowledge, imagination, and, above all, faith.

I earned my degree in Social Work from Wichita State University and have worked in social services, parish ministry, and education. Most recently, I taught middle school literature and served as librarian at All Saints Catholic School, where I discovered how much I enjoy helping students develop a love of reading and learning.

My husband, John, and I have been married for 26 years and are blessed with six children. Outside the library, I enjoy reading, hiking with my family, spending time with our dogs, cooking, baking, and gardening. I also volunteer as the Parish School of Religion Coordinator at Church of the Resurrection and am completing training in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

I am delighted to be part of the Resurrection Catholic School community and look forward to sharing the joy of reading with our students!

Ravens Read Program 

Ravens Read is our schoolwide reading program designed to encourage students to read more, explore the library, discover new books, and grow together as a community of readers!

Students in Grades K–4 use feather trackers, while students in Grades 5–8 use monthly reading logs.

Our focus is reading for enjoyment, not quizzes or points! Students build reading habits, work toward personal goals, and earn rewards at the Ravens Store.

What Counts as Reading for Pleasure?

Reading for pleasure means reading something because of personal interest and enjoyment, not because it is assigned. Students may choose whatever interests them, including:

• Fiction: Fantasy, science fiction, mysteries, historical fiction, adventure, and graphic novels.

• Nonfiction: Biographies, sports, history, science, and other topics of personal interest.

• Poetry and drama: Poetry collections and plays, including scripts students enjoy reading.

• Faith-based reading: Scripture, books about the saints, and other Catholic literature.

Reading for pleasure counts anywhere: at home, at school, or wherever students enjoy reading!

Ravens Read Store

Our next Ravens Store will be held in December! Students earn rewards by recording their reading minutes.

• 500 minutes: Our reading goal for the December Ravens Store.

• 100 minutes weekly: Just 20 minutes a day, five days a week.

• 60 minutes: Enough to earn a prize!

Students do not need to reach 500 minutes to participate. Every minute matters!

Reading Trackers and Forms

We know that occasionally, very, very occasionally, of course, a school paper may mysteriously disappear somewhere between a desk, backpack, car, and home. Families may print replacement forms using the links below.

Grades K–4: Feather Trackers

Students earn one feather for every 20 minutes of reading. Simply color a feather and have a parent or family member initial it. Reading aloud to a child or taking turns reading together counts, too!

Keep the tracker in a visible spot, like the refrigerator, so children can watch their feathers add up. Many of our Ravens thought 500 minutes sounded impossible at first, but they did it, one feather at a time!

25 feathers = 500 minutes. Prizes start at just 3 feathers!

Download the K–4 Feather Tracker

Grades 5–8: Monthly Reading Logs

Students record their reading minutes on a monthly log.

• Choose: Students select books based on their own interests and enjoyment. There are no required genres or book categories.

• Track: Record book titles and minutes read. Ditto marks may be used when continuing the same book.

• Sign: Have a parent sign the log at the end of the month.

• Earn: Reading minutes count toward rewards at the Ravens Store.

Download the 5-8 Monthly Reading Log

Download the 5-8 Student Handout

Why Reading Matters

Research has found some surprising connections between reading for pleasure and children's development:

• Reading may actually shape the brain! A Cambridge study of more than 10,000 children found that those who began reading for pleasure at an early age tended to have larger brain volumes and cortical surface areas in regions associated with language, learning, and attention.

• Better at math, too? A long-term British study found greater progress in vocabulary and mathematics among young people who read for pleasure between ages 10 and 16.

• Attention and emotional well-being: Cambridge researchers also found fewer attention and behavioral difficulties and better mental-health indicators among young people with early reading-for-pleasure habits.

Research and Resources

• University of Cambridge (2023): Reading for pleasure and brain development

• Sullivan & Brown (2015): Reading for pleasure, vocabulary, and mathematics

• National Literacy Trust: Reading for pleasure

Happy reading, Ravens!

Together We Read ♡ Together We Grow in Faith