Raising A Read Site Coordinator Training
Raising A Reader (RAR) is a national nonprofit organization that helps children and families successfully build, practice and sustain literacy routines vital to academic success, with special attention to children at highest risk for educational failure. RAR’s mission is to engage caregivers in a routine of book sharing with their children from birth through age eight to foster healthy brain development, healthy relationships, a love of reading, and the literacy skills critical for school success.
RAR rotates bright red bags filled with award-winning books into children’s homes on a weekly basis, exposing children to over 100 books per rotation cycle. RAR pairs this book rotation with parent training and information on how to effectively share books to promote children’s early literacy skills and love of learning. Families are also connected with their local public and school libraries through special ‘graduation’ ceremonies and literacy events. At this time, children receive their own blue library book bag so they can continue the practice of borrowing books and build a lifelong habit of reading. RAR is an evidence-based, scalable and affordable model through which schools can engage families in home-based literacy practices.
Founded in 1999 as one of the nation’s earliest venture philanthropy enterprises, RAR occupies a unique space in the nonprofit literacy world by filling a gap in family engagement programming for children ages 0-8. Today, RAR reaches more than 130,000 children and families each year throughout the US, 80% of whom are living at or below the poverty level and more than 50% of which are English Language Learners. Since its inception 15 years ago, RAR has reached over 1.75 million children and families throughout the country.
RAR rotates bright red bags filled with award-winning books into children’s homes on a weekly basis, exposing children to over 100 books per rotation cycle. RAR pairs this book rotation with parent training and information on how to effectively share books to promote children’s early literacy skills and love of learning. Families are also connected with their local public and school libraries through special ‘graduation’ ceremonies and literacy events. At this time, children receive their own blue library book bag so they can continue the practice of borrowing books and build a lifelong habit of reading. RAR is an evidence-based, scalable and affordable model through which schools can engage families in home-based literacy practices.
Founded in 1999 as one of the nation’s earliest venture philanthropy enterprises, RAR occupies a unique space in the nonprofit literacy world by filling a gap in family engagement programming for children ages 0-8. Today, RAR reaches more than 130,000 children and families each year throughout the US, 80% of whom are living at or below the poverty level and more than 50% of which are English Language Learners. Since its inception 15 years ago, RAR has reached over 1.75 million children and families throughout the country.
Site Coordinator Training Objectives
Obj 1: Program Materials
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
Obj 2: Recruiting and Training Implementers
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
Obj 3: Program Evaluation
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
Obj 4: Program Sustainability
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
- Configure an order that is appropriate for the ages and needs of your population
- Be prepared for all stages of the ordering process (placing the order, payment and receiving)
- Properly care for your materials
- Describe the book selection process
Obj 2: Recruiting and Training Implementers
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
- Recruit and ensure buy-in from your program implementers
- Plan for and conduct a kick-off training for your program implementers
- Effectively conduct site visits and provide coaching for your program implementers
Obj 3: Program Evaluation
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
- Understand the who, what, why and how of evaluation
- Locate and utilize the Raising A Reader shared evaluation tools
- Prepare for participation in the National Office Annual Affiliate Check In
Obj 4: Program Sustainability
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
- Understand your role as the coordinator in ensuring the sustainability of your program
- Be prepared to take concrete steps to increase the visibility of your program in your community and to network in order to create a circle of supporters
