This week Allison Gordon dropped by all the classrooms to see how everyone is doing with the Read-a-thon. She was thrilled with the enthusiastic responses from students who are reading and getting sponsors!

From Family Contributions to Read-a-thon pledges, Fall Ball ticket sales to Spring Gala auctions, EVCS parents are being asked this year to raise a lot of money for our small school — more than ever before. If you’re wondering what it’s all for, the short answer is that nearly all of the PA budget goes to pay for enrichment programs that the school budget no longer covers: music, Spanish language, and theater arts. If it weren’t for parents providing all or most of the funding for these classes, they simply would not be available to our children. (You can read more about these programs on our website.)

If you haven’t had a chance to do so yet, please take a few minutes this weekend to go through the Read-a-thon materials with your child, and help them ask friends, family members, and neighbors to support our school. And since they are all probably reading every day, just remind them (or help them) keep track of their books or reading hours on the sponsor sheet.

There are just 2 more weeks in March — so let’s get our children excited about reading and about helping to raise money for programs that they love in school!

Today your child will be coming home with the materials for the Read-A-Thon. Please be on the lookout for these and help your child find a safe place to keep the octopus sponsor sheet and the envelope for collecting donations. You’ll find instructions for the Read-A-Thon on the back of the sponsor sheet — and at the bottom of this post.

Also, inside the envelope you will find a bookmark and stickers to help reinforce your child’s progress. And remember, this fundraiser will go directly to the EVCS Parent Association to help pay for Music, Spanish, and Theater.

Happy reading!

What is a Read-A-Thon?

• During the month of March your child will read 10 books (for Pre-K to 2nd Grade) or for 10 hours (for 3rd to 5th grade) and record it on the Octopus sponsor sheet.
• Students will try to find sponsors to donate $1 per book / hour, which equals $10 from each sponsor. The sponsor will sign one arm of the Octopus. Try to fill all 8 arms! (Ask your child’s teacher for more Octopuses if you have more than 8 sponsors).

How can you help your child?

• Go to the library — have reading time there or take books home.
• Encourage your child to read a little bit every day.
• Help your child ask relatives, neighbors, work colleagues, friends, local businesses, etc. to be sponsors.
• Explain to your child that we are raising money for Drama, Spanish and Music in school.
• Please use the envelope you received to save the money your child collects.
• Inside the envelope, you will find a bookmark and stickers. Please reward your child with a sticker on his/her bookmark for every book/hour completed.

Money and octopus sponsor sheets will be collected at the end of March.