5.5.10
Raising a Reader
Shasta Head Start is a proud affiliate of the Raising a Reader program. Raising a Reader is a national book rotation program, aimed at sharing the importance of early literacy, getting books into the hands of children and families, and making connections with the local library. Through the RAR program, participating families will receive a Raising a Reader Red Book bag with 4 Raising a Reader books to take home each week. The Raising a Reader book bags will be rotated, so families can receive a variety of books throughout the year.
Requirements
As a Raising a Reader affiliate, Shasta Head Start will do the following each program year:
• Offer training to new staff and refresher training to staff already implementing the program
• Use only Raising a Reader books and Raising a Reader Red Book Bags
• Train families on the process of the program and the importance of early literacy
• Share links and resources to local libraries with families
Process
• Raising a Reader is facilitated through Center-based, Home-based, and FCC program options
• Sites will ensure the RAR inventory is set up with 1 RAR Red Book Bag per child (based on full enrollment) with 4 Raising a Reader books included in each bag
• Sites may have additional Red Books Bags for an inventory of RAR books in other languages, set-up with the 4 books in 1 bag system
• Raising a Reader family orientation training will be provided for parents at the beginning of each program year. Orientation is traditionally completed at the first parent meeting and is facilitated using training materials found in the sites Raising a Reader training box/binder. Alternative methods of family orientation training may occur, please view the Raising a Reader training video for more information
• Families interested in taking part in the RAR program will be given a RAR Parent Introduction Letter (English | Spanish) and a RAR Commitment to Success (English | Spanish). If they choose to take part in the RAR program, families will complete and return the signed Commitment to Success
• Sites will take time to introduce the Raising a Reader program to the children, this can be done at group time, a small group, or individually. See the RAR Introducing the 0-PreK Program for more information on child introduction.
• Once centers, Home Visitors, and FCC Providers have completed their 60-Day requirements, they will begin to implement the RAR program for the program year
• Sites will set-up their rotation process, assigning a day of the week that book bags are sent home and a day of the week they are to be returned
• Sites will ensure they have a book/bag rotation tracking form in place, to know which bags are checked out and when they are to be returned. Sites may use the Raising a Reader Book Bag Tracking Log or create their own log
• At least once during the program year, sites will share local library information with families, this can be done multiple ways; local library events sent through Learning Genie, library events shared in the agency’s parent newsletter, local county library calendars given at parent meetings, etc.
• All Red Book Bags and RAR books will be collected at the beginning of December and the Raising a Reader program will pause until after Winter Break
• All Red Book Bags and RAR books will be collected each May to end Raising a Reader for the program year
• Once all RAR Red Books Bags and RAR books have been collected for the program year, sites will complete the Raising a Reader Inventory Request form, logging how many Red Book Bags and RAR books they have. The RAR inventory request form will be scanned to the Child Development Department/Education Folder once complete
• The Child Development Manger – EHS will complete an inventory replacement order each Summer, as needed, and distribute books bags and books to sites based on their inventory need
For more information on how to implement the Raising a Reader Program, watch the Raising a Reader training video.
Additional Parent Resources
Raising a Reader Parent Read Aloud Introduction Videos English | Spanish