January 15th kicks off the 17th Annual SchoolForce Reading Power Read-a-thon. Reading Power, our largest fundraising event of the year, encourages the love of reading and raises funds to support our schools. Last year during Reading Power, our kids read over 3,000,000 minutes and raised over $466,000 for BRSSD schools! Many thanks go to Jacklyn Kurth Orthodontics, the sponsor of this year’s Reading Power event.
- Overview and Instructions
- Contacts
- FAQs
READ-A-THON INSTRUCTIONS
Please have each child set a goal on their Reading Log Tracking Sheets. This should be a personal, obtainable goal that makes them stretch a little to achieve it. TK , Kindergarten and 1st grade students can count minutes read aloud to them. Below you will see a daily reading minutes guide for each grade. While this is adjustable for every student, the most important part is that students continue their normal after school activities and still get enough sleep at night to be successful during school. Teachers can also give guidance regarding goals. There will not be prizes or recognition for the most minutes read; students and classes will be rewarded for achieving their minutes read goals.
January 15th – Getting Started is as easy as 1-2-3:
January 15th – Getting Started is as easy as 1-2-3:1. TRACKING: Log your reading minutes and donations on a Google Tracking Sheet. Teachers will share a link to the Tracking Sheet template (see instructions here). Create the Sheet in your BRSSD account so you can easily find and update it, and your teacher can view it. If you have misplaced the link, or if a parent will be tracking minutes and donations for you, you can create a copy of the template here.
2. REPORTING YOUR PROGRESS: Report reading minutes and donations with the Google Check-in Form. Update your Check-in Form as often as you like so you get credit for it all (see instructions here). Please create and update only ONE Google Check-in Form. If you have misplaced the link, or if a parent will be tracking minutes and donations for you, you can access the Form here.
3. ONLINE FUNDRAISING PAGES: Set up an online fundraising page on Kindful for each student. It takes less than 5 minutes! Share pages with friends and family to make fundraising easy (see instructions here).
January 15th to January 29th
January 15th to January 29thStudents log each reading session (book titles and minutes) and donation (donor names and $ amounts) on their personal Google Tracking Sheet. Students report their progress to SchoolForce on their Google Check-in Form as often as they like to get credit for their minutes and donations. Ask friends, neighbors, and family members to sponsor you by donating money for the time you spend reading. Be sure to log each donation. The money you raise will help fund valuable programs at our schools!
January 29th to February 5th
January 29th to February 5thBe sure your minutes and donations are recorded on your Google Tracking Sheet and reported on your Google Check-in Form. We STRONGLY prefer online donations. For any donations not made online, please mail checks to: SchoolForce, P.O. Box 5196, Belmont, CA 94002 no later than February 5th.
Suggested Daily Reading Guide
Suggested Daily Reading Guide
TK and Kindergartners: 20 to 75 minutes1st Grade: 40 to 75 minutes2nd Grade: 40 to 90 minutes | 3rd Grade: 40 to 120 minutes4th Grade: 60 to 120 minutes5th through 8th Grades: 60 to 120 minutes |
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Report Your Minutes and Donations on Mondays & Thursdays
to See Your Progress on Your School’s World Map, Win Prizes and More!
You can report your reading minutes and donations as often as you like on your Google Check-in Form. Be sure to report them each Monday and Thursday to see your school’s progress, win prizes and more. Check readingpowerfun.org on Tuesday and Friday afternoons to see how everyone is doing on your school’s mural!
Minutes you read and report on your Check-in Form will be included on your school’s world map at readingpowerfun.org (once a student has read 100 minutes or more).
Special prizes will be awarded to members of the 1000 Minute Club, or the 20+21 Minute Club for Ralston Students!
Check Out Prizes and Incentives Available at Your School!
Central Cipriani Fox Nesbit Ralston Redwood Shores Sandpiper
Check Out Your School’s World Map
ReadingPowerFun.org
YOUR CONTRIBUTION MAKES A
BIG DIFFERENCE TO OUR SCHOOLS!
DID YOU KNOW?
Questions? Email us at: readingpower@schoolforce.org
Thank you to our 2021 Reading Power sponsor!
Still have Questions?
For more information, contact your school’s Reading Power Chair or email readingpowerchair@schoolforce.org.
| School | Reading Power Chair | Email Address |
|---|---|---|
| Central | Bernadette Doerr | central_rpchair@schoolforce.org |
| Cipriani | Kendra Orr | cipriani_rpchair@schoolforce.org |
| Fox | Denae Bolghand & Sue Constantinides | fox_rpchair@schoolforce.org |
| Nesbit | David Koss & Heidi Bianchi | nesbit_rpchair@schoolforce.org |
| Redwood Shores | Jennifer Hom | rwse_rpchair@schoolforce.org |
| Sandpiper | Ling Zhou | sandpiper_rpchair@schoolforce.org |
| Ralston | Tiffany Booth | ralston_rpchair@schoolforce.org |
Reading Power FAQs
What is Reading Power?
Now in its 17th year, the Reading Power Read-a-thon is a fun two-week event that encourages the love of reading and directly involves all students in the district in fundraising for our schools. Students track the amount of time they read and donations from friends and extended family to raise money for their schools. Donations are made to SchoolForce, the Belmont-Redwood Shores Public School Foundation, which is the fundraising organization for the Belmont- Redwood Shores School District.
When is Reading Power?
The 17th Annual Reading Power Read-a-thon runs from January 15th to January 29th, 2021.
How does it work?
During the two-week event, students track the number of minutes read and $ donated on their Google Tracking Sheets . They then report their reading minutes and donations on their Google Check-in Forms. (TK/Kindergartners and first graders can count the amount of time they are read to in their totals). See instructions here.
During the two-week event, students are encouraged to ask friends, neighbors and extended family to make donations for their reading efforts. See instructions here for creating a Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Webpage for each student (see instructions here). This makes it easy to reach out to family and friends, and even share your child’s page on social media.
How is my child’s progress recognized during the read-a-thon?
Students are encouraged to enter their minutes and donations in their Google Tracking Sheets daily. Students will be recognized for each 100 minutes read on their school’s World Map at readingpowerfun.org each Tuesday and Friday afternoon. And there’s more! See the list of prizes and incentives for your school at readingpowerfun.org.
Are there prizes for participating?
Yes! Check your school’s page at readingpowerfun.org to see fun prizes and incentives for students at each school! This year there are prizes for parents too!
What is the 1000 Minute Club?
Students who read 1,000 minutes or more during the Reading Power Read-a-thon and submit at least one donation make it into the 1000 Minute Club. 1000 Minute Club members will earn a prize at the end of the Read-a-thon.
How can our friends and family sponsor my child?
We prefer online donations made via your student’s personalized fundraising page or our website: schoolforce.org/rpd or schoolforce.org/donate. Checks also work. Be sure that all donations are tracked on the Google Tracking Sheet and reported on the Google Check-in Form for each student. To set up a personalized online fundraising page for your student see instructions here.
Is a Reading Power donation different than my annual SchoolForce donation?
Yes. While we welcome all donations, SchoolForce encourages parents and students to use Reading Power as a way to get grandparents, neighbors and extended family to make donations for the students’ reading efforts. Many friends and family find this the perfect way to encourage your child’s academic success and also show they care by supporting your child’s school. Parents and guardians should still make their suggested donation of $1550 per child (or as much as they can afford) during the school year ending June 30, 2021.
Matching makes a big difference!
Matching is an easy way to increase your donation! Last year Reading Power raised an additional $95,000 just from matching. To see if your company matches, or for more information, visit: schoolforce.org/matching
How much does Reading Power raise for our schools?
Last year, Belmont-Redwood Shores students read 3 million minutes to raise $466,000 to support their schools. Donations to SchoolForce fund 38 teachers and staff in BRSSD schools, distance learning technology, literacy programs, science, music, technology, innovation grants, sports, counselors and more.
Questions?
For more information, contact your school’s Reading Power Chairperson:
CENTRAL: central_rpchair@schoolforce.org
CIPRIANI: cipriani_rpchair@schoolforce.org
FOX: fox_rpchair@schoolforce.org
NESBIT: nesbit_rpchair@schoolforce.org
RWS ELEMENTARY: rwse_rpchair@schoolforce.org
SANDPIPER: sandpiper_rpchair@schoolforce.org
READING POWER CHAIR: readingpowerchair@schoolforce.org
QUESTIONS ABOUT PEER-TO-PEER FUNDRAISING PAGES: operationsmanager@schoolforce.org
