BUCKS COUNTY READING OLYMPICS Duplicate the Success!

Why Are We Here? & Introduce the Reading Olympics program & Discuss the involvement needed & Answer questions about specifics

What Is Reading Olympics? & County-wide, extracurricular program & Encourages reading for students of all ability levels throughout school year & Involves students grades 4 through 12 in elementary, middle/jr. and senior high levels & Every district and 35 private schools participate & Rave reviews from students, teachers and parents

How Does the Program Work? & Professionals choose 45 books for each level in spring of year preceding competition & Volunteers read books and write questions during summer months & Students form teams of 8 to 12 members & Teams read all 45 books, occasionally meeting for discussion and sharing & Readers demonstrate knowledge and receive rewards at evening competition

How Is the Program Organized? & Executive Committee of volunteers & Vital support from the Bucks County IU and Bucks County Free Library & One District Coordinator from each district / school participating & One coordinator from each participating building to oversee teams, train volunteers, communicate with committee & Two teachers per team assist at competition & Host buildings provide support

& Book selection & Question quality control/Proofreading & Orientation/Training & Scheduling & Public Relations & Supply Inventory & Manage Competitions At least five people for each of the locations Building Coordinator & Building Contact Person Executive Committee Subcommittees

Why District Coordinators? & Share responsibilities and improve communication & Assures quality program and safety & At least one person per district & 3 year commitment Year 1 to learn; year 2 to lead; year 3 to teach & Preserves Reading Olympics for the future

Whom Will I Ask for District Coordinator? & District Leader in Language Arts, Librarian, Reading Specialist & Current Building Coordinator & Current Team Leader or “Coach” & Dynamic leader with experience in other programs & Dedicated reader & Retired Personnel

What Is Working Well? 1994 & 64 teams & 30 schools & One host building & One night & 75 volunteers & 3 member Executive Committee 2008 & 370 teams & 168 schools & Six host buildings & Three nights & 750 volunteers & 30 member Executive Committee

A Year in the Life of Bucks County Reading Olympics

May Results of previous competition mailed along with the Book Lists for the next year’s competition. See Handouts.

Building and dates are finalized for the next year. June

LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION! Bucks County Reading Olympics 2008 Strayer Middle School Tuesday, April 15 - EL William Penn Middle School Tuesday, April 15 – JR/SR Bucks County Technical High School Wednesday, April 16 - EL Mill Creek Elementary School Wednesday, April 16 - EL Neshaminy High School Wednesday, April 16 - EL Council Rock High School North Thursday, April 17 – JR/SR

Depending on the number of participants you may need 1-5 competition locations (buildings). What determines a good location (building)? Besides location, location, location!

Requirements for Host Buildings & 35 to 40 rooms each for elementary & 30 to 40 rooms for secondary & Use of auditorium and gymnasium for awards ceremonies & Adequate parking and access & Cooperation of administration, faculty and staff & Proximity to participating districts and schools & Building Contact Person See Handouts

USABLE CLASSROOM SPACE What determines a usable classroom? Can accommodate up to 32 students + spectators. CAN NOT have equipment or many personal items in the classroom (science rooms, family consumer science rooms, rooms full of personal items) Classrooms that are easily grouped by 3’s or 4’s

APPROVED

REJECTED

APPROVED

Event Building Coordinators The event building coordinator is a member of the executive committee. The role of event building coordinator is critical to the success of Reading Olympics. The event building coordinator works with the building contact to help ensure that all the necessary steps to ensure a successful event are being completed.

Teachers and librarians are recruited to read new titles placed on the book lists, and write questions for these books for the next year’s competition. This task alternates among the three Intermediate Units that utilize the same book lists. Summer

September FALL PACKETS mailed out with buildings/dates/book lists and pre-registration forms. See Handouts

October Pre-registration forms are due for a team to remain on the mailing lists. Orientation for “New Building Coordinators” is facilitated by Executive Committee members.

Fall Teachers recruit members of teams, distribute book lists and paperwork, encourage reading. Start meeting monthly with the students. Students hand in questions and answers for the books they’ve read. Reading Olympic Coaches send initial parent paperwork listing student and parent responsibilities home. Signatures required. What’s Happening in the Schools? See Handouts.

Questions are typed, proofread, checked, and selected for the next competition. Fall

January What’s Happening in the Schools? Teachers decide on the number of teams, team names, and plan motivational and discussion activities to encourage team members to read lots of books. T-shirt designs considered. Meeting weekly with the teams, mock competitions.

JANUARY LETTER AND FINAL REGISTRATION FORM MAILED See Handouts. January

February Final Registration Form due (one per team), $30 due/complete information needed. At this time clerical staff is working behind the scenes preparing the question packets for each level of competition

February Book Selection meeting for next year’s selection of books. The lists are recycled every four years. 10 % - 15% of the titles from the list are replaced with new titles.

com/~usgenweb/maps/ pa/county/chester/usgs/ Since partnering with Chester County and Montgomery County the task of selecting books for the book lists rotates in a three year cycle.

February/March Executive Committee schedules teams in buildings, schedules moderators and scorekeepers and prepares competition schedules.

March FINAL PACKET mailed including building assignment, team schedules, final instructions. See Handouts

March What’s Happening in the Schools? Teams meet more often usually twice a week. Team T-shirts ordered. Final packet of competition information is sent home to parents (room numbers for each round, bus permission slip, and transportation information).

April What’s Happening in the Schools? Teams are meeting daily, holding mock competitions. The day of the competition students stay after school for a pizza party, and receive their t-shirts.

Let the Reading Olympics Celebration Begin! Thousands of students work in teams of plus alternates to answer 40 questions from the 45 titles on the book list. April

Students attend an awards ceremony in a central location in the school (gym, auditorium). An executive board member or a school administrator will moderate the ceremony calling the captains for each team to the ribbon table to collect the ribbons for their team. When all teams have been recognized the captain returns to their team to distribute the ribbons. Another successful celebration has ended! The Awards Ceremony

May Final report about the competition and Book Lists for the next year are mailed to participants. Mini-report and statistics given to IU Board.

Reading Olympics Organization Bucks County Intermediate Unit 22Executive Committee Book Selection Question Quality Instructional Materials and Training Scheduling Competitions Public Relations CommunicationQuestion Database Manage Competitions Elementary Building 1 Elementary Building 2 Secondary Building Elementary Building 4 Elementary Building 3

Reading Olympics Management Bucks County Intermediate Unit Provides: &County-wide management and coordination &Manages team registration &Receives fees and pay bills &Leads the Executive Committee &Coordinates mailings and communication &Manages database of questions &Organizes the event &Works with the various Committees and host buildings Other agencies can get involved!

Reading Olympics Executive Committee The Reading Olympics Executive Committee meets several times throughout the year to plan for a successful event. The RO Executive Committee is comprised of 33 school librarians, public librarians, teachers, and IU specialists.

Hooray Another Successful Year