The ReadBoston Storymobile will be visiting over 70 locations throughout the city providing kids with fun storytelling events and free books. Please click here for the 2008 summer schedule. Please contact Pierrette Lassiter, 617-918-5290, or Pierrette.Lassiter.jcs@cityofboston.gov if you plan to attend a site. Please include your name, how many children you will bring, the site you will be going to, and on which dates you will attend.

Early Words

Early Words Campaign, in partnership with Staples

Run for Reading!

Join the ReadBoston Marathon Team in Chicago and New York City to run and raise money for the Storymobile! ReadBoston is a charity of the ING New York City Marathon, November 2, 2008 and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, October 12, 2008. The fundraising minimum is $1,000. To become eligible to be on the team, please fill out the attached application. Click here for the Chicago application and click here for the New York City application. Please submit applications to Erin.Smith.JCS@cityofboston.gov. Or, fax them to Erin Smith, 617-918-5289. Questions, please call 617-918-5289. The deadline is rolling.


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The Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers Swan's Café Summer Iced Tea Series Supports ReadBoston!

When a child donates a new unused children's book to ReadBoston they will receive half off of their children's iced tea experience. Click here for more information.

Summer Getaway

Receive a $30 discount on a package rate at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel when you donate a new children's book. All books collected will benefit ReadBoston. Visit the Park Plaza's website for complete details.

   
 

ReadBoston's After School Reading Initiative

After school programs are invited to participate in ReadBoston's After School Reading Initiative. Created in 2000, ReadBoston's After School Initiative has worked with over 60 after school programs throughout the city of Boston promoting a love of reading, literature, and literacy. At its core, ReadBoston's After School Initiative increases the exposure of children and youth to reading, and builds their engagement, interest and skills. To accomplish this, ReadBoston partners with after school directors and staff for six months to one school year, coaching staff to lead engaging literacy activities. These activities include reading aloud with groups of students, singing, poetry, movement, and book-related arts projects. ReadBoston also purchases and develops book collections in after school programs, creating inviting spaces for reading. Since its inception, ReadBoston's After School Initiative has been a leader in the after school field, developing innovative approaches and practices. An evaluation of the After School Initiative completed in 2006 confirms this.

Both school-based and community-based programs are invited to apply. Individual providers may choose to apply to enroll for more than one site, but must submit separate applications for each site. Please click here to find an application for participation in this professional development initiative.

Programs should submit all application materials by Friday, May 23, 2008. Emailing/mailing instructions and other details for submission are located in the application mentioned above. All questions about the application process should be addressed to Anna Adler, Manager of Literacy Programs, ReadBoston, 617-918-5247, Anna.Adler.jcs@cityofboston.gov. We look forward to receiving your application.


 

Every Word Counts

For nearly a decade ReadBoston has been driven by our mission to have children in Boston reading on grade level by the time they complete third grade. Founded by Mayor Thomas M. Menino in 1995 to address low literacy levels among Boston’s youth, ReadBoston has since grown into a city-wide leader in the field of early literacy. Our programs reach into every level of a child’s life from birth through elementary school. In a child’s early years, ReadBoston staff provide child care centers with materials and training to set up home reading programs and work with teachers to improve their literacy teaching skills. At the elementary level ReadBoston helps schools to foster home-school connections, and provides classroom libraries that allow students to take books home to read with their families. ReadBoston also provides students with three free books each year to create their own libraries at home. Outside of school, ReadBoston focuses effort to integrate literacy into after school programs and provides children with free books and fun storytellings during the summer.

ReadBoston and Early Literacy

ReadBoston recently reinforced its focus on the importance of early literacy when we opened the doors to Early Literacy Links, a branch office in Dorchester. A major thrust of ReadBoston's campaign is to promote more effective reading instruction through teacher training. Three literacy specialists and one resource librarian focus intensively on a smaller number of early childcare centers in Boston to help train teachers and daycare providers how to best prepare young children to become able readers. Another program that focuses on early childhood literacy is The Reading Trail. This program promotes family involvement in children's literacy development. The Reading Trail establishes home lending libraries in day care centers around Boston. Children are encouraged to read, have a family member read with them, visit the library, and use individual "trail guides" to keep a record of books read. As children reach benchmarks along the Trail, they receive take home books and other reading incentives. Reading Trail sites receive books to establish libraries as well as training on how to integrate family reading activities into their current curriculum.

ReadBoston in the Boston Public Schools

ReadBoston also devotes much time and energy to promoting children's literacy in Boston's elementary schools. Our largest in-school program is the Family Literacy Project. The Family Literacy Project encourages family involvement in children's literacy by two central methods. The program sets up home lending libraries in classrooms and promotes twice yearly parent-teacher conferences. The FLP provides books for classroom libraries, as well as teacher training and support to help each school incorporate the program into the existing curriculum. The Family Literacy Project is currently working in 21 BPS elementary schools, and hopes to eventually expand to every elementary school in Boston. The Reading Is Fundamental program (RIF) is another ReadBoston program that operates in the Boston Public Schools. The program provides three new books to each student that participates. Fun activities that encourage reading as a worthy pastime are also a hallmark of this program. Each year, 15,000 children in the Boston Public Schools receive books through ReadBoston's RIF program.

ReadBoston and Out-of-School Time

ReadBoston literacy specialists promote literacy instruction in Boston's after-school programs. The specialists provide literacy training, advice, and books to increase the presence of literacy instruction in the after-school arena. Families And Books also endeavors to reach Boston's children during out-of-school time, by setting up lending libraries in 15 of Boston's Family Homeless Shelters. During the summer months, ReadBoston's colorful Storymobiles roll out to community locations to promote reading. Two Storymobiles visit 40 neighborhood sites each week from July through August accompanied by storytellers and 10,000 take-home books for children.