BAM

Books-A-Million statewide book fair to be held September 30

by BooksEventsNewsSocial MediaSupporters

Mark your calendars for September 30th! The statewide Books-A-Million book fair benefiting Read Aloud West Virginia will return in ten West Virginia locations.

Customers visiting BAM stores on Saturday, September 30th, can donate 10 percent of their total purchase to benefit reading programs across the state. Individual stores will also host story times, and Read Aloud volunteers will visit with customers throughout the day.

Due to the hard work of Read Aloud volunteers, last year’s event was a huge success and provided the opportunity to have the event again this year!

“Based on last year’s book fair, Books-A-Million stores in West Virginia are honored to be working with Read Aloud West Virginia again,” said BAM District Manager Ed Reidy. “We understand the importance of creating a love for reading in our children. The Read Aloud organization, through their various programs, combined with their reach into almost every West Virginia county, presents the perfect partnership.”

Advertising for the book fair can be seen on social media, the Read Aloud website and flyers in the BAM stores a week before the event. Please help Read Aloud share the news of this great event! It is extremely important to bring as many people into the participating BAM stores as possible.

“Read Aloud volunteers and board members are welcome to share information about the book fair on social media.” Reidy said. “The more customers coming to shop that day, the better it is for the organization.”

So, PLEASE, on September 30, go to your local Books-A-Million and make a purchase! You can pick up birthday or early Christmas gifts while there and help Read Aloud in the process. Read Aloud hopes that through the work of volunteers across the state and attendance by people like you, this year’s fair will be an even greater success!

 

Returning readers: what to expect as the school year begins

by ReadingVolunteer Readers

We’re happy to report that as early as July we began hearing from volunteers who are eager to get back to their classrooms and schools. Here’s what the state Read Aloud office, school principals and school coordinators are doing behind the scenes to make sure that happens as soon as possible!

Enrollment packets for the new school year were sent to principals in early August with a request that schools enroll in the program no later than September 1st. Each principal is asked to designate a Read Aloud school coordinator for their school when they submit the enrollment form to Read Aloud.

Once Read Aloud receives the enrollment form, we compile a packet of information and forms for the school coordinator. This packet contains the results of the reader surveys we received from you over the summer and is used by the coordinator to contact readers who want to return to their school for the new year. This is why reader surveys are an important part of the Read Aloud process! (It is also why we are grateful for the high response rate!)

Schools in the counties served by Read Aloud had varying start dates this year from August 10 to August 24, 2017. The goal is to have all returning readers back in their classrooms no later than October 1st. If you don’t hear from your school coordinator, or if you have questions, please contact your school or the state Read Aloud office at  (304) 345-5212.

 

Beyond reading: a grab bag of ideas for classroom enrichment

by ReadingVolunteer Readers

By Bethany Kinder

The annual Read Aloud Conference brings chapter representatives together from all across West Virginia and gives them opportunities to share challenges, success stories and reader experiences from their counties. Here are a few ideas shared at this year’s conference from readers around the state. Perhaps one will inspire you!

A Cherished Note

Lesley McCullough McCallister of Kanawha County found that reading to a combined class of 23 second graders at Mary C. Snow Elementary was a rewarding experience for her and one that had a dramatic impact on her students, one in particular. Lesley’s children attend a different school but she already reads to them and wanted to reach out to another school in the community. By the end of the school year, she witnessed students who were once unsettled become attentive listeners. Lesley felt that it was a “privilege to come into the classroom each week” and wanted to thank the students for letting her share reading with them. She gave each student a stuffed “Pete the Cat,” the featured character in their favorite books—some  of which she read to the students more than once based on their requests. She also included a thank you note to each student expressing her gratitude for a great year and also encouraging the students to continue reading throughout the summer. (She noted Pete the Cat loved to read.) The children were delighted with their gifts but the note struck a particular chord with one child.

A young boy in Lesley’s class approached her with the note he had received. “I will cherish this always,” he said. “This is my most prized possession.” Lesley noted that students may have never received individual notes of appreciation. This simple personal touch reaches students beyond the interaction volunteers have while reading and leaves a lasting impression on the students. Lesley said it well, “sometimes you don’t realize you are reaching them, but you are.”

Personalized Bookmarks

Casey Willson of Berkeley County made that same connection by creating personalized bookmarks which he distributed to each student in the class he read to at the end of the school year. Casey and Ms. Edwards, the classroom teacher, were featured in group photos on the bookmarks along with an encouraging message to the students to keep reading through summer. The bookmarks are useful and serve as a reminder of their experience with the reader.

Readers Find Creative Ways to Continue Connection When Out of Town

Sometimes readers are unable to make their scheduled classroom time. Bob Fleenor (Berkeley County) and Betsy Howard (Fayette County) used technology to avoid missing a visit with their respective classes. Working in advance with the teachers in those classes, they arranged  to use Skype or FaceTime to read to the kids. Other readers have sent postcards to their classes to let them know they miss them. Each strategy reinforces the importance of the read aloud experience to the reader as well as the students.

Bringing the Book to Life

Mary Boyd is a busy woman! She is a pediatrician, President of the Randolph County Read Aloud Chapter and a regular Read Aloud volunteer. Most of her classroom visits and readings do not include props, but last year she treated the class to one visit with a more dramatic flair. Mary brought a special guest, one of her medical students, Will, to her regular class of kindergarten students. Will dressed as a shark and Mary dressed as a fisherman as they read The Rainbow Fish and a book about sea turtles. The students were given a real-life commercial for reading and had a lot of fun seeing the books come to life.

Though it is not required of volunteer readers to go the extra mile with personal touches like books, notes, Skyping and props, these simple but creative ideas are great ways to impact students not just through summer, but for a lifetime.

Berkeley County Chapter Board Member and Volunteer Reader Casey Willson poses with his class after a successful year!

 

 

 

Mary Boyd (right) of Randolph County, with her medical student (left), successfully brought the book to life!
Twitter - Kroger

Kroger Community Rewards

by NewsParents and FamiliesSupporters

Did you know you can contribute to Read Aloud while you shop? If you enroll in Kroger Community Rewards, a percentage of your purchases at Kroger will be donated to Read Aloud!

To enroll, visit https://www.kroger.com/account/enrollCommunityRewardsNow.

Then, create an account, search for Read Aloud West Virginia and within 7-10 business days, you will be enrolled in the program.

This enrollment is completely free and Kroger directly donates a percentage of your purchases to Read Aloud West Virginia.

Purchases are eligible at any West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky or Virginia location.

Kroger Fuel Points are not impacted by your enrollment.

Once enrolled, simply swipe your Kroger Plus card or enter your alternate ID (typically a phone number) at check out and Read Aloud benefits from your shopping!

Please be advised that each year you must re-enroll in the program.

This is a great way to be involved with Read Aloud and give back to your community!

 

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WVDE brings good news to Read Aloud’s annual conference

by NewsPartnersSupporters

Another successful Read Aloud Conference is in the books! Chapter representatives gathered July 24 and 25 at Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, West Virginia to network, share ideas and plan for the year ahead.

Read Aloud West Virginia welcomed not only chapter representatives, but also State Associate Superintendent of Schools Clayton Burch, along with Charlotte Webb, Coordinator of the Department of Education’s Office of Early Learning. Burch, who was the featured keynote speaker for the conference, affirmed an ongoing, natural partnership between Read Aloud West Virginia and the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE).

Reiterating Read Aloud’s core values, Burch noted the important work the organization is doing in the classroom and in support of parents and families. Burch believes we can only “move the needle” on educational improvement if we change our culture to place a high value on education and engage families as well as educators to expect the best from our children. He cited the success of a Read Aloud summer reading project at Crichton Elementary as an example of engaging families and encouraging reading outside the classroom. At Crichton, students were able to choose six books to add to their home libraries and read during the summer. This project served to prevent the phenomenon known as “summer-slide.”

As he brought his remarks to a close, Burch surprised his audience with the announcement that the WVDE had chosen to award two grants to Read Aloud West Virginia, totaling $75,000. These grants are the first Read Aloud has received from the WVDE and are a significant tribute to the work of our volunteers around the state.

Following a motivating opening, the conference attendees were briefed on the Read Aloud “Year in Review” and chapters were given the opportunity to share their success stories as well as challenges they faced in the previous year. An entirely new Resource Kit was distributed to each representative in attendance and new marketing materials such as brochures and banners were on display for chapters’ use.  Staff members of the state Read Aloud office also shared reports from their departments.

Following the sessions, representatives networked with other attendees to develop connections and share resources from their respective locations. Attendees consisted of both veterans and newcomers to the conference, but the passion they share for Read Aloud West Virginia united them and yielded a productive retreat for all.

Banking on Books

Local banks put books into kids’ hands

by BooksChaptersNewsSupporters

A summer program by Jackson County—reprinted with permission from Jackson Newspapers

In the financial world, it’s common for banks to be in stiff competition with each other, offering better rates and incentives to gain new customers.

In Jackson County, three banks are joining together as a team on a project that will make a positive impact on the lives of children, ages 10 and under.

Starting June 19, United Bank, City National Bank and BB&T offered the second annual “Banking on Books” campaign.

In cooperation with Jackson County Read Aloud, each bank purchased 250 books to give to drive-through customers who have children under the age of 10 in the car with them. One book was given to each vehicle. The books were available at United Bank in Ripley, City National Bank in Ripley, and BB&T in Ripley and Ravenswood.

Both Kerry Casto, Market President for United Bank and Nick Miller, BB&T Vice-President, were enthusiastic about this opportunity to encourage and support reading.

“I serve on the Jackson County Read Aloud Board,” Casto said. “There’s no greater reward than to see a child excited about getting a book. With “Banking on Books,” our window tellers can see the kids’ faces light up when they’re handed a book. It’s a lot better than candy.”

Miller agrees with the importance of this campaign. “Our banks definitely support reading and life-long learning,” he said. “We were concerned last year that doing this might be a burden to our tellers. But it was just the opposite. They loved it.”

Jackson County Read Aloud worked closely with the book selection. There was a variety of books, geared mainly to elementary level, including board books and chapter books.

According to Linda Dickirson, Jackson Read Aloud board member, the inspiration for the book give away came from the Read Aloud West Virginia Conference.

“We learned about Lewisburg’s Literacy Day and their bank giveaway,” she said. “When we brought the idea back with us, our board and these three banks enthusiastically embraced it. And it’s really taken off. We hope it expands to the other banks in the area as well. There’s no doubt they all support reading and education.”

Book review – Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsBooksVolunteer Readers

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk by Liesl Shurtliff

Reviewed by Matt Harmon

Grades 2+ • 350 pages

I read this to a group of 2nd-5th graders for the Read Aloud organization. It was a fun adventure tale, but couched within it are great lessons for kids regarding worth, value, and the nature of money.

In the story, the giant King, King Barf, covets gold above all else; he equates his massive gold stock with a rich kingdom. Yet, his people are suffering a famine due to crop failure. When the people complain to King Barf that they are poor and hungry, he dismisses their concerns because the kingdom has so much gold, so it must be rich.

This illuminates a fundamental principle of money—it exists to facilitate exchange, but it is not valuable in and of itself. What good is gold (or paper currency) if it cannot buy food? This is a lesson the world should have learned during the Great Depression, particularly France. Under the gold standard era, France increased its share of world gold reserves by 20 percent, in essence taking money out of the world financial system and leading to a massive deflation spiral. But I digress.

Jack and his sister Annabella save the day, with some help from the pixies, by turning the king’s golden eggs back into seeds that sprout plants. They took gold, which only has value in exchange, and turned it into crops which have value in use. My hat is off to Ms. Shurtliff for so elegantly illuminating key economic principles to children. Bravo!

Matt Harmon is a volunteer reader at Charleston Montessori School in Kanawha County.

 

 

Read Aloud reader survey results

by ReadingVolunteer Readers

By Lesley McCullough McCallister

At the conclusion of each school year, Read Aloud West Virginia distributes a volunteer reader survey soliciting feedback regarding their Read Aloud placement and experience. This year, Read Aloud created an electronic version which allowed volunteers to complete their survey quickly and easily online, in addition to the few paper copies that were still provided to those volunteers who do not have an email address.

While the national average response rate for email surveys is about 25 percent, Read Aloud was delighted to receive feedback from 57 percent of volunteer readers.

“We are extremely grateful to hear directly from our volunteers about the good things they experienced, as well as areas of the program that can be improved,” said Read Aloud Executive Director Mary Kay Bond. “These valuable responses help us gauge strengths and weaknesses of our program either at the state, chapter or school level.”

The collected Read Aloud feedback is shared with chapter leadership in each county, and in turn helps themprepare for the upcoming school year. In some cases, chapter boards will reach out directly to readers who were involved but failed to respond to the survey.

Some of the most important information collected in the volunteer reader survey concerns each individual reader’s plans for the upcoming school year and if they wish to return to their previous placement.

Once a school principal submits their Read Aloud enrollment form and identifies the school coordinator, Read Aloud sends the placement data to the school coordinator so that returning readers can be placed early in the new school year.

Based on this year’s survey results, 63 percent of volunteer readers plan to return to their previous placement and continue to read to the same grade and classroom during the upcoming school year. While 28 percent requested to continue reading but change their current placement, Bond explained this is usually due to the desire to follow a particular child or grandchild to the next grade level.

The electronic survey also provided volunteer readers a quick and easy way to update their contact information, which is then shared with the local chapter leadership. The last open-ended questions on the survey asked for general comments and book suggestions. Read Aloud was delighted to receive numerous book suggestions by grade level and plans to add the compiled list to the suggested titles already listed on the Read Aloud website. This is a valuable resource for both parents and new readers who are looking for  suggestions that have worked for other readers in the past.

Visit readaloudwestvirginia.org/book-lists-and-reviews/ for reader recommended book titles.

Read Aloud is grateful for the dedication of its volunteer readers and chapter leadership and is gearing up for another successful school year as they try to help raise a new generation of readers in West Virginia.

Lesley McCullough McCallister is a Read Aloud supporter, volunteer reader, newsletter contributor and a  freelance journalist.

 

 

Is your school ready for 2017-2018 Read Aloud enrollment?

by ChaptersPartners

While our children are enjoying the lazy days of summer, teachers, principals, coordinators and readers throughout West Virginia (as well as the Read Aloud staff!) are looking ahead to fall and a new school year of reading. Here is a brief rundown of enrollment procedures and what schools can expect in the coming months.

Each August (typically in the first week), RAWV sends enrollment packets to schools in participating counties. The packets consist of a cover letter, enrollment form, School Coordinator’s job description, and a stamped, addressed return envelope. It is very helpful if these are returned ASAP so readers can be recruited and placed in classrooms. There is usually a deadline of the second week of September so that is ample time, but RAWV likes to get them sooner, if possible.

Why do schools need to enroll each year? Principals and staff change from year to year. The program needs the support of the principal to be successful. RAWV wants to make sure the principal and school are committed to participation in the program each year. Also, the principal may wish to name a new school coordinator, and the enrollment form offers him/her the chance to do that.

Read Aloud Executive Director Mary Kay Bond compares the process to an insurance re-enrollment. “You need to do it once a year,” she explains.

After the enrollment form is received by the RAWV office, the school coordinator (named by the principal) receives a cover letter, a list of the previous year’s readers with their intentions about returning in the fall, and a sign-up sheet for teachers.

Coordinators then ask teachers if they want readers and the best days and times for readers to come to their respective classrooms. Coordinators then contact last year’s readers and arrange for their return! Newly trained readers are placed, as well.

“Timing is important. If readers indicate they want to return and aren’t contacted, they feel unwanted,” Bond explained. “Also, if we do not know which schools (and which classrooms in those schools) will be participating, we do not know how many readers we need. We want this to be a full-year program so students get the full benefit, and that a consistent message is sent.”

Finally, there are many advantages of enrollment:

  • A consistent “commercial” for reading in the form of a dedicated volunteer who has attended a Read Aloud orientation and knows classroom expectations.
  • Eligibility to participate in the Book Distribution program.
  • Eligibility to receive parent education materials.
  • Eligibility to borrow book trunks to supplement class libraries.

Watch your mailbox for your packet, and get ready for reading during the 2017-2018 school year!

 

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What’s the point of a Read Aloud conference?

by ChaptersNews

By Melody Simpson

The fourth annual Read Aloud Conference will be held July 24-25 at Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, West Virginia. As in prior years, Read Aloud West Virginia will pay for two representatives from each county chapter to attend the conference, but more may attend at personal or county expense. Information on this year’s conference has been sent to county chapter leadership, along with a pre-conference survey for registering attendees and seeking input for the content of the conference.

This event offers the only chance each year for representatives from all participating county chapters to gather together and share successes, failures, ideas, plans, and challenges, and to prepare for the year ahead. With 30 West Virginia counties participating in Read Aloud, it is likely that there are 30 different projects, approaches, or ideas being used. West Virginians have always been creative, and this is as true when promoting a love of reading as it is anywhere else. Many participants in past years have reported leaving the conference energized and freshly motivated, with new ideas and partners (both within and outside their county) identified.

In addition to the networking and collaborative opportunities, Read Aloud West Virginia uses the conference to distribute support materials, such as updates to the Read Aloud Resource Kit and new posters or pamphlets, and to introduce other materials being developed for “testing” during the upcoming year. Finally, the conference provides an opportunity for Read Aloud West Virginia to acquaint county chapters with other organizations or programs working to improve reading readiness and literacy, where opportunities for additional collaboration or partnerships at the local level may exist.

The conference will begin at noon on Monday and end around 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday. So, county leadership, be sure to identify and register the two (or more!) representatives from your chapter who will attend this year!

Melody Simpson is an attorney at Bowles Rice LLP, a volunteer reader and a member of the Read Aloud West Virginia board and newsletter committee.