Read Across America (RAA) 2003 will soon be here, and CTA is gearing up to help you get everything you need to celebrate the national day of reading.
In 2003, Dr. Seuss' birthday, March 2, falls on a Sunday. In an effort to make it easier for teachers and students to participate in school activities, NEA and CTA will recognize Monday, March 3, as the official Read Across America Day.
The "Between the Lions" characters from WGBH-TV in Boston are joining the effort again. Plans are also in the works to confirm a celebrity chairperson and to partner with businesses interested in helping to promote reading and literacy.
In January, CTA will ship a packet of resource materials to local chapters. For the first time, the kit will include materials specifically designed for students in grades 6-9 as well as grades K-5. Materials will include a brochure, certificate of appreciation, bookmarks, bookplates, ideas for local reading activities, a pledge form for teachers to share how they plan to celebrate RAA at their schools, a list of materials that will available on the CTA website www.cta.org, and more. All of the materials in the packet will be available and printable from the website. There will also be links to other reading and literacy websites.
Pledge forms will be available on the website in mid-December. Once confirmed, the information will be made available for publication. In addition, it will be used to help enlist community members and businesses interested in supporting local reading activities, and to inform the media wishing to cover events.
CTA and NEA Board members began selling Dr. Seuss merchandise at the October State Council Meeting to advertise RAA.
They will have tables of items available at the Rural Issues Conference, both Good Teaching Conferences, the Equity and Human Rights Conferences, and the January State Council meeting.
A catalog of merchandise for purchase from NEA will be available through a link from the CTA website in late January.
CTA will kick off the event in California on March 3 with celebrities reading with students in the Los Angeles area.
New information will be posted on the website as it becomes available.
Sandra Jackson