The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 04-04-2000-5c~' ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: Apri14, 2000 Action Agenda Item No. ~_G SUBJECT: Read-A-Week Proclamation DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/1~ No ATTACHMENT(S): Letter from Lucy Lewis Read-A-Week proclamation Read-A-Week packet Read-A-Week press release INFORMATION CONTACT: Lucy Lewis - 933-2151 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968501 Durham 68&7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To request the BOCC to proclaim the week of April 10-17 as Read-A-Week in Orange County, and to provide a brief update on the Orange County READS initiative. BACKGROUND: Orange County READS, a new countywide literacy initiative, is sponsoring the first Orange County READ-A-WEEK from April 10-17. Schools, community organizations and civic groups, faith communities, and businesses aze being encouraged to join in proclaiming April 10-17 as READ-A-WEEK in Orange County. Participating groups are asked to use a portion of their regular school or business day or meeting time for reading activities and to report their results by submitting a Report Card. Orange County READS was initiated last fall when members of the Orange County Boazd of Commissioners, Orange County School Board, and Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board agreed that they wanted to work more closely with other community agencies to develop a comprehensive, holistic literacy strategy for Orange County. Its goals include promoting a positive climate regazding literacy and lifelong learning, increasing community awazeness, support, and participation for existing literacy programs/services in both school systems and community organizations, and piloting projects that promote literacy development across generations. The committee hopes to make READ-A-WEEK an annual event as part of its efforts to eliminate adult illiteracy in Orange County and assist all parents in helping their children to be ready for and succeeding in school. Last fall the BOCC provided $2,000 in seed money for the Orange County READS initiative. Both school systems also provided $2,000 each. These funds have been used to develop and distribute 25,000 informational brochures to all public schoolchildren, 30 banners for school and library buildings, and dozens of bumper stickers. The OCR initiative has obtained the support of several local newspapers for running a series of public service announcements featuring local community leaders reading, and expects to see those begin this spring. Plans are underway to use those ads in Chapel Hill's 541oca1 buses as well. 2 An initial effort, Take-Rome-Teddy, has been piloted in four child care centers to encourage parents to read to their children. OCR is exploring possible expansion of this project to kindergarten classes as well. OCR partners will be surveying their agencies to assess the initial impact of the informational materials in increasing community awareness about adult and family literacy, as well as awareness of available literacy resources. Orange County READS partners include the Orange Board of Commissioners, Orange County Schools, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Orange County Literacy Council, Orange County Partnership for Young Children, Child Care Services Association, Durham Technical Community College, Orange County Schools Educational Foundation, Chapel Hill-Can:boro Public Schools Foundation, Orange County Public Library, Chapel Hill Public Library, Northern Orange NAACP, Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, and the Reach Out and Read initiative. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board adopt the Read-A-Week Proclamation, and receive the report as information. 503 W. Franklin St. Orange County Literacy Council Chapel Hi11, NC 27s 16 A United Way Agency Tel: (919) 933-21st Fas: (919) 969-3038 email: oclc@co.orange.nc.us March 21, 2000 Mr. John Link, County Manager PO BOX 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Deaz John: 3 118 N. Chtuton ~t. Hillsborough. NC 27278 Tel: 732-0868 Fax: 732-9791 email: oclc@mindspring.com __.~~~ _ n~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ '~ i~ r,- ti ~ L~ I ~.,~ Lf f ! _._ .._., ~ i ~ ~ r.. ~I ~ ~ ~ ~ MAR 2 1 2000 ~' ,~ ~ L'. ,~ ~~ On behalf of the Orange County READS initiative, I'm enclosing a copy of the proclamation that the committee would like the Boazd of County Commissioners to consider at their Apri14 meeting. We will also be asking bath school Boazds to adopt a similaz proclamation, declaring April 10-17, 2000, as Read-A-Week in Orange County. As we discussed last week, I'll be prepared to present the proclamation for consideration and give a 2-3 minute update. Of course, I will be happy to provide a longer report at any time if the Board wishes. I'm enclosing a draft packet about Read-A-Week for your information. We aze encouraging every school, community group, business, and faith community to set aside some time for a reading activity during that week, and to let the committee know the results of that activity. I hope that there may be ways for Orange County government and its agencies to participate, too. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for all of your support for this initiative and other adult literacy efforts. I look forwazd, as always, to seeing you on Apri14. Sincerely, .. Lucy L s, irector Orange County Literacy Council cc: Randy Bridges, Chair, Orange County READS Enclosures 4 READ-A-WEEK PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, The Orange County Board of Commissioners, the Orange County School Boazd, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Boazd and numerous community agencies have launched a countywide literacy initiative, ORANGE COUNTY READS, to bring public notice to the importance of reading and to maximize community and school resources to strengthen pazental literacy skills to further maximize the opportunities for school-age children to succeed; and WHEREAS, ORANGE COUNTY READS is sponsoring the county's first Read-A- Week; and WHEREAS, This event will take place April 10-17, 2000 with its sponsors hoping to reach every citizen and resident in Orange County; so NOW, THEREFORE, Be it resolved that the Orange County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim April 10-17, 2000 as Read-A-Week in Orange County and urge all citizens to support this mast worthwhile effort to make literacy a traditional part of our countywide activities. This the 4~' day of Apri12000. Moses Cazey, Jr., Chair r 5 READ-A-WEEK INFORMATION PACKET Thank you for agreeing to participate in our first READ-A-WEEK event. We believe this activity will promote reading and make a public statement about the value of literacy in Orange County. Information about how to implement READ-A-WEEK is included in this packet. Included are: • READ-A-WEEK: Steps to Success • TIPS FOR READ-A-WEEK • READ-A-WEEK PROCLAMATION • READ-A-WEEK Report Card • Stamped, addressed Envelope for returning READ- A-WEEK Report Card b STEPS T® SUCCESS REAL)-A,-WEEK April 10-17, ~ooo WHAT: A countywide effort to support literacy in Orange County HOW: 1. Appoint aREAD-A-WEEK Chairperson(s) who will be responsible for organizing your group's .event(s); Read the enclosed Tips Sheet 2. Encourage the leaders of your church or synagogue, civic, community or professional organization to publicly proclaim the week of April 10-17 as READ-A- WEEK in Orange County 3. Ask organizations to use a portion of their meeting time during READ-A-WEEK to sit and read whatever they select 4. Return your group's READ- A-WEEK Report Card to Lucy Lewis in the enclosed stamped addressed envelope by April 21 TIPS FOR READ-A-WEEK 1. Invite storytellers/readers to read at your group's READ A-WEEK function 2. Allow older readers to read to younger members 3. Allow younger readers to read to older members 4. Create a READ A-WEEK Theme Wall (Bulletin Board) 5. Invite local writers to read and discuss portions of their books 6. Make achain-listing of the titles of books read for display in corridors or on bulletin boards 7. Promote an organization-wide READ A-WEEK function, if a group is not meeting during Apri110-17. For example, at a designated time, (10:15AM on Tuesday, Apri118) members of that group to read for approximately 15 minutes. They should still report to the group's READ A-WEEK Chairperson. 8. Take pictures of your group actively enjoying their READ A-WEEK time 9. Set up a READ A-WEEK Center that is filled with books for members to check-out 10. Allow READ A-WEEK participants time to discuss their books and share an inspirational quote from their book READ-A-WEEKREl~ORT ~`ARD 8 DIRECTIONS: Please total number of participants involved in your group's READ A-WEEK activity and indicate that number in the space provided below. Return this form to Lucy Lewis in the enclosed self- addressed envelope by Apri121 st. Thank you kindly for your participation. Name of Organization/Group: Number of Participants in READ-A-WEEK: 9 ~o~ FOR IlVIlVIEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact: Lucy Lewis, Orange County Literacy Council, 933-2151 Doris Hayes, Orange County Schools, 732-$126 Mary Clayton, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools, 967-8211x248 ORANGE COUNTY READS KICKS OFF READ-A-WEEK Orange County READS, a new countywide literacy initiative, is sponsoring the first Orange County READ-A-WEEK from April 10-17. Schools, community organizations and civic graups, faith communities, and businesses to join in proclaiming April 10-17 as READ-A-WEEK in Orange County. Participating groups aze asked to use a portion of their regulaz school or business day or meeting time for reading activities and to report their results by submitting a Report Cazd. Orange County READS has developed aRAAD-A-WEEK information packet, which includes a sample proclamatioq Steps to Success, and a Report Card. The packet includes suggested reading activities including inviting a storyteller to read to a group, asking older readers to read to younger members, asking younger members to read to older members, inviting local writers to read and discuss portions of their books, or set up a READ-A-Week Center filled with books for members to check out. According to Keith Cook, Vice-Chair of the Orange Courny Board of Education, - more - lp READ-A-WEEK Page Two "Our goal is to make literacy and lifelong learning a positive and ongoing part of the life of our community. We hope everyone in Orange County will participate in a READ-A-WEEK activity in some way and have a great time reading." For mare information on how to participate in READ-A- WEEK, call the Orange County Literacy Council, 933-2151; Doris Hayes, Orange County Schools, 732-8126; and Mary Clayton, Chapel Hall-Carrboro Schools, 967-8211 x 248. Orange County READS was initiated last fall when members of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, Orange County School Board, and Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board agreed that they wanted to work mare closely with other community agencies to develop a comprehensive, holistic literacy strategy for Orange County, aimed at an all-out effort to make sure that parents and children have the literacy skills that they need to succeed. Its goals include promoting apositive climate regazding literacy and lifelong learning, increasing community awareness, support, and participation for existing literacy programs/services in bath school systems and community organizations, and piloting projects that promote literacy development across generations. The committee hopes to make READ-A-WEEK an annual event as part of its efforts to eliminate adult literacy in Orange County and help all pazents help their children be ready for, and succeed in, school. Orange County READS partners include the Orange Board of Commissioners, Orange County Schools, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools, Orange County Literacy Council, Orange County Partnership for Young Children, Child Care Services Association, Durham Technical Community College, Orange County Schools Educational Foundation, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public Schools Foundation, Orange County Public Library, Chapel Hill Public Library, Northern Orange NAACP, Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, and the Reach Out and Read initiative. ###