RIF Librarian Training Site Coordinator/Librarian Handbook. Page 1 of Handbook

Transcription

1 RIF Librarian Training Site Coordinator/Librarian Handbook Page 1 of 8

2 Table of Contents Welcome to BookSpring.. 3 BookSpring Programs. 3 Quality Measures.. 4 The BookSpring Team.. 4 RIF Site Coordinator Responsibilities Motivational Activities 7 RIF at BookSpring Important Dates. 8 Appendix Volunteer Information Guidelines for 3 rd RIF Event 5 Essentials Things to Know about RIF How do I calculate # of books to request? Book Order/Packing form (sample) RIF Post Event Report RIF Calendar Literacy Games Summary Page 2 of 8

3 Welcome To BookSpring! The mission of BookSpring is to provide reading experiences, tools, and books to children and their families so they can develop a desire to read and succeed in school. We do this by offering a range of programs that support early literacy. It is our goal to establish a life-long love of reading, motivate children and their families to read more often, and increase the number of children s books in their homes. BookSpring s vision is a community in which all children have the opportunity to become literate. Since 1974, RIF (and later BookSpring) has been putting books into the hands and homes of the community s most vulnerable children. In over 166,000 books were distributed by BookSpring. Over 43,000 of those books were provided through the RIF program. BookSpring s Programs Reading is Fundamental (RIF) was established in Austin in The RIF program motivates children to read by working with them, their parents, and community members to make reading a fun part of everyday life. BookSpring s RIF program works with underserved children from birth through age 11. Reach Out and Read (ROR) The Reach Out and Read Program prepares young children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors who prescribe books and encourage families to read together. The program works with care providers to develop critical early literacy skills in children from 6 months to 5 years of age. Parent Book Club: Parent Book Club provides parents with instruction using books at home with their pre-k and kindergarten age children during six Parent Book Club sessions. Parents build confidence as they learn how to read with their child. Parents receive read-aloud instruction, in-class practice, and a free book each week. Play to Learn: BookSpring will become a Play to Learn program this year. This program works with parents with toddlers. During 10 weekly sessions, parents learn tips on how to read, play and use technology with their young children Families receive a book each week and a tablet computer at the end of the class. This program is a collaboration with United Way. ReBook: Through ReBook, BookSpring collects, organizes, and places donated children s books into the hands of children in need Read-A-Thon: This annual event inspires and motivates children to read actively and encourages community service. Each year, local students set reading goals and secure monetary pledges from friends and family for the amount of pages and minutes they read during the two week Read-A-Thon. Page 3 of 8

4 Quality Measures Quality Improvement is a priority of BookSpring. All of our programs are evaluated. Common challenges and best practices are identified. For the Books for Ownership program, BookSpring utilizes the following information: librarian feedback, volunteer feedback, teacher, student and parent survey results and BookSpring staff input. Teacher, parent and student surveys are conducted yearly. Four to six schools are surveyed per year. Through these assessments, we measure program quality, document innovative ideas and learn how we can make the program better. We are also able to measure the impact our programs are having in the community. We appreciate your feedback! THE BOOKSPRING TEAM Please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help! Jill Gonzalez, Interim Executive Director Wayne Holstine, Interim RIF Program Manager Jane Reinig, Programs Assistant Amanda Shaver, Volunteer Manager Donna Ellis, Controller Michelle Heward, Reach Out and Read Manager Amanda Brawner, Read-A-Thon Manager Brenda Brantley, Communications Manager Lili Cantu, Book Club Manager x 106 jill.gonzalez@bookspring.org x104 wayne.holstine@bookspring.org x 109 jane.reinig@bookspring.org x 101 amanda.shaver@bookspring.org x 108 donna.ellis@bookspring.org x 107 michelle.heward@bookspring.org x 110 amanda.brawner@bookspring.org x 102 brenda.brantley@bookspring.org x 103 lili.can2@gmail.com Page 4 of 8

5 RIF Site Coordinator Responsibilities Reading is Fundamental programs always meet five essential guidelines: Books are provided to children at no cost to them or their families. Adults may not interfere with a child s choice. Absent students are allowed to choose a book when they return to school. A motivational activity and read-aloud are part of RIF day. (The FUN part!) Children are encouraged to share their books with their family. Books are not part of an assignment or project. They are for fun Submit RIF Application: Applications for the following year s program are sent out via in the spring. Please submit by the given deadline for consideration. Schedule Programs: Identify and confirm dates for two RIF events within the scheduling windows. Identify a date for a Book Swap event. (optional) Determine a date for a 3 rd nontraditional RIF event (optional.) Please let us know about fall dates by October 1 and spring days by January 15. Attend RIF Meeting: BookSpring hosts an annual, required meeting for RIF each year. Site Coordinators must attend. Administrators are welcome. Submit Enrollment Information: The information contained in the enrollment form is critical! This is how we determine the sorts of books your school will receive. We ask you to update the RIF Enrollment Form four to five weeks prior to your RIF events. The comments boxes are important for noting special needs and preferences. Communicate with BookSpring s Volunteer Manager: If you need assistance finding volunteers, please contact with the volunteer manager. She will attempt to match you with a group or individuals to help out with your RIF event. She will request your RIF schedule in advance of the event. Receive and sort RIF Books: : One week before your RIF event, you will receive a shipment of books. BookSpring will contact you in advance to let you know when your books are scheduled to arrive. It is your responsibility to count the books to make sure they are all there. If your delivery is delayed, please call BookSpring as soon as possible so we can address this. Your books will arrive in mixed boxes. You must sort them according to grade level. (PK-K, 1-2, 3-4, etc..) You will receive an extra 10% of books so that all children have a choice when they pick their book. Infant and Preschool site coordinators will sort the books by classroom or home visitor. RIF staff or volunteers will be available if needed to help out with this process. For the 3 rd optional event, we will ask you to come to the BookSpring office and pack and transport (if feasible) your collection. Get Ready for RIF Day(s): Remind teachers and staff about this event at least one week ahead of time and distribute any materials from BookSpring. Review RIF guidelines, especially with new teachers. Review the motivational activity and read-aloud and plan in advance how you will conduct the program. Use a plan BookSpring has provided or substitute your own creative ideas. Page 5 of 8

6 Publicize your RIF event in the school newsletter, on the marquee or by a flyer in take home folders. Invite parents to participate and/or volunteer. Celebrate Reading with your RIF Event: Set up the environment for RIF day using the motivational activity kit or other materials of your own. Welcome the students to the RIF event and proceed with the motivational activity. Encourage volunteers to assist with reading aloud, if they are comfortable. Fully engage in the motivational activity to get children and guests excited about reading. Set out a variety of books for the first groups of children to select from. Instruct volunteers to let children make their own choices. Allow each group of children at least 10 minutes to decide on their choices. Monitor the tables and make sure that everyone has opportunity to see the books. As students have selected a book, have them place a RIF sticker inside the front cover, write their name in it and get a stamp. Encourage students to read to each other, or with their teacher or a volunteer while they are waiting for others to finish. Fall: Send home a Parent Information Sheet with each child s RIF book. BookSpring will provide you with a Helping Your Child Become a Reader bilingual tip sheet. Spring: When available, BookSpring will send bookmarks for your 2 nd -5 th grade students. Make sure that each absent child has the chance to choose a book. Pack and store extra books for the next event. After the second event, extra books can be stored for next year, used to supplement the Book Swap or used in any way you choose that will benefit the children at your site. Report on your RIF Event: Staff will you a link to the Post Event Report on the last day of your RIF event. Alternately, you are welcome to fill out the paper copy in your librarian folder. Fill out the Post Event Report and return it to BookSpring with your motivational activity supplies or within 1 week of your event. This report will help us to continually improve our services and provide information required by grantors and RIF. This is also your opportunity to help us in selecting books for your site. Please make sure to let us know: What books did your kids want more of? What books did they look for but could not find? Which books were not popular? Read-A-Thon: We encourage you to participate in both the Read Across Austin art contest and Read- A-Thon. Children will be able to showcase their artwork based on the theme and each child will be recognized for their work. Read-A-Thon is not only a fundraiser, but provides children with motivation to read and a challenge to achieve. For more information contact the BookSpring Read-A-Thon Coordinator. Spread the Word: BookSpring s RIF programs depend on community, school and family awareness and support to provide programs. Please help us reach even more families by publicizing your RIF events, notifying parents about the RIF program and the importance of reading with children, putting up the RIF banner and posters on your campus and Page 6 of 8

7 publishing articles in your school newsletters and on your websites. The more we get the word out, the more of an impact we can have on the community Elementary Motivational Activity Kits Be A Book Hero: How well do you know your superheroes? Do you know any everyday heroes? Book a Trip on RIF Airlines: Travel, via airplane to global destinations! Celebrate Seuss!: Reader s Theater and all things Seussical. Dig It!: Gardening, wildflowers, things that grow. Dive into RIF for a Great Catch: Ocean, under the sea, pirates, and treasure Food for Thought (Reader s Café:) Fun food poetry and the new U.S. food plate guidelines. Fun with Folklore: Enjoy timeless stories from different cultures. Go Team RIF!: Team sports, working together. Monster Readers: Making monsters, getting rid of a monster, mythological creatures. Pet Parade: Pets, responsibilities of caring for them. Reading is Magic: Magic tricks, illusions and magical stories abound! Reading is Out of this World: Explore outer space and space travel Read Around the World: Explore different continents and countries through books. RIF Explores the Great Outdoors: Camping, exploring nature. Reading on the Ranch: Farm, ranch, cowboys, agriculture. The ART of Reading: Explore artists, illustrators and making art. Page 7 of 8

8 Reading is Fundamental at BookSpring Important Dates 2014 September 1: September 15: September 17: September 17: September 18: September & ongoing: October 1: Ongoing: October 31: November December 20: BookSpring requests payment from all sites. Invoices are sent to non- AISD sites. Fall RIF programs begin. RIF training Encourage student participation in Reading All-Stars art contest. Investigate the possibilities for a third RIF event. Make arrangements for RIF day, motivational activity, class schedule, volunteers. Register for the BookSpring Read-A-Thon! Art contest entries due to BookSpring Submit RIF Post Event report within 1 week of completing RIF. Program fees due. Failure to submit fee by this date may result in the delay of your RIF event. BookSpring Annual Appeal please respond generously and encourage others to help too! Last day of fall RIF events. Please submit ALL RIF post event reports January 26: BookSpring Read-A-Thon Begins! January/February: RIF: Parent-Teacher-Student surveys are sent out. March 23: RIF applications for sent via . April: Prepare for May Book Swaps. Confirm dates with the BookSpring office. April 24: RIF applications DUE at the BookSpring office. ( and fax submissions will be accepted) May (Ongoing) RIF Book Swaps! May 5: RIF Contracts for sent via . May 6 or 7: May 22: May 22: Storybook Heroes Luncheon to support BookSpring. Winnie the Pooh and the Hundred Acre Wood is the theme of this year s event. Please call x110 for more information RIF Contracts for DUE (2 signed original copies) Last date of RIF events. All event reports due. Page 8 of 8