RAV Memorandum of Understanding

 Part A: 

Schools that wish to apply to be Read Aloud Virginia (RAV) schools need to understand that there are certain expectations required for our goal of reaching, “Every Child, 20 Minutes, Everyday” in the home and in the school.  

The following are expectations for RAV schools: 

  1. One staff member is to be designated RAV Chair (contact person, program coordinator) for the school.  RAV School Chairs are expected to attend an annual regional RAV meeting to share ideas, network with other RAV school chairs, and plan for major RAV events.
     
  1. An RAV Core Committee will be formed by each school and be composed of at least one school administrator, the designated RAV chair, a volunteer parent chair, one school teacher, and/or librarian.. This RAV Core Committee will work together to implement the Read Aloud school model at the elementary level, and a Listening Aloud model at the middle and high school levels.  This committee will set goals and be creative in reaching “Every Child, 20 Minutes, Everyday” in the home and in the school.
     
  1. Once a school has applied and been accepted to become a RAV school, the RAV Core Committee from the school should schedule a RAV training with our Central Virginia School Training Director, Joanie Bache,   1-804-627-2847 or on our website:   readaloudva.org.

  1. The following committees will be formed by the RAV Core Committee during the training:

 A.            The Tally, Reporting, and Rewards Committee 

records daily parent home participation as well as daily teacher school participation “Every Child, 20 min. Everyday” at home and at school 

maintains a master chart with monthly percentage of students per class who are listening to books read aloud to them at home and school 

reports monthly participation percentages, home and school, to RAV via our website,  readaloudva.org     (individual schools will be notified by RAV if they have won the monthly ice cream party)

coordinates monthly incentives for each student who participates in listening and turns in an RAV book report from home and/or school for the month (incentives will be provided by PTA, teachers, sponsors, etc) 

coordinates monthly incentives for each classroom that has achieved its goal for listening at home for the month  (100% being the ultimate goal!) 

*  school sponsors should be recognized with all activities that they support and thanked for their help

        B.     The Publicity Committee 

schools are expected to send 10 pictures (student drawings based on books they’ve listened to) each month to the local CBS TV affiliate serving the area; these will be viewed by the community on the RAV segments of the Morning News 

schools are expected to promote their RAV school program by using local and/or national celebrities; oftentimes, schools are the very best at locating such people! 

schools are expected to promote their RAV program through the PTA, local newspapers, and at special events as outlined in the model developed for the school during the RAV training 

*  school sponsors should be recognized with all activities that they support and thanked for their help 

      C.  The Video Production Committee 

        RAV schools are encouraged to produce a personalized video of their students and parents reading together and giving short testimonies about their read aloud books and experiences.  The school is responsible for making numerous copies to send out so that every child has an opportunity to take it home and have his/her family watch it at home. 

*  school sponsors should be recognized with all activities that they support and thanked for their help 

D.     The Book and CD Committee 

develops and extends libraries in the classroom, in the media center, and in the homes of students 

conducts student surveys to find out what types of books students WANT

to listen to and addresses these with different levels of difficulty and genre 

introduces students to a wide variety of literature through specific book selection 

develops and helps implement realistic goals for getting books into the school and homes of students 

*  school sponsors should be recognized with all activities that they support and thanked for their help 

  1. RAV schools and their parent organizations are responsible for the primary funding of their program.  Supplemental financial resources may be sought by RAV schools. 

RAV schools should seek sponsors who will contribute $1000 to RAV Inc. each year for a period of  5 years.  This will establish a solid RAV program for the school.

Part B: 

Read Aloud Virginia (RAV) enters into this Memorandum of Understanding with expectations of completing the following: 

1. Provide training and assistance for schools that have applied and become a RAV school.

2. Provide RAV materials to support the school’s program. 

3. Coordinate and contact CBS Morning News affiliates for the RAV school.  

4. Record monthly home and school percentages so that individual schools can be considered  for monthly ice cream parties sponsored by Captain D’s and Shoney’s. 

5. Coordinate with RAV school chair and principal for a time when the local CBS – TV station can film in the school should the school receive our “Read Aloud School of the Month” award (given to one school each month with the largest total  percentage of  HOME  book report forms turned in that month). 

6.  Supply and oversee distribution of coupons at the school level.

7.      Help find and connect sponsors and volunteers to adopt and fund the school’s RAV program; help communicate and maintain long-term relationship with  sponsors. 

8.   Provide assistance and problem solve with RAV schools toward a goal of  “Every Child, 20 Minutes, Everyday” in the home. 

9.   Maintain the  readaloudva.org   website and update information about overall performance of schools in Hampton Roads, Central Virginia, Western   Virginia, and Northern Virginia.           

10.  Provide support whenever possible and do as much as possible to ensure the success of individual RAV schools.

Part C:

Individuals and organizations may wish to donate to Read Aloud Virginia Inc. in the name of a given school, a community of schools (a high school and all of its feeder schools), or a school system.  This money goes into unrestricted operating funds for RAV  Inc. and is a “unit of service”.  RAV sponsors can expect the following: 

1.      Individuals and organizations may wish to donate $1000 each year for 5 years to Read Aloud Virginia Inc. in the name of a given school, a community of schools, or a school system.  All donations are tax-deductible. 

This five year period should be long enough to establish a permanent RAV school program.  This money goes into unrestricted operating funds for RAV and is a “unit of service.” 

2.      Sponsors can expect the following recognition for their donations: 

a.       a kick-off event to be given at the sponsor’s RAV school in the name of the sponsor or sponsoring organization 

b.      sponsor’s name and/or organization listed on RAV material to be handed out  

  c.   sponsor’s name recognized at all events, such as the “Read Aloud   Virginia Ice Cream Party”

 d.      sponsor invited to attend all RAV events at the sponsor’s school

 e.   sponsors or representatives of sponsoring organizations would be encouraged  to volunteer on a regular basis and “read aloud” at the school and would be recognized at the school as the RAV sponsor

f.       should the RAV school be recognized by the community as an “RAV School of the Month, School of the Year,” etc. or be given any other recognition, the sponsor’s name and/or company would be recognized 

g.        regular contact from the RAV school and letters of appreciation from students should be expected during and at the conclusion of each academic year

 

Read Aloud Virginia Inc. (RAV) is a non-profit organization promoting family literacy in the home. All donations are tax-deductible. We may be contacted at      readaloudva.org     phone 804-627-2847