READ-A-THON

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What is Read-A-Thon?

The Read-A-Thon (RAT) is Normandale Hill’s biggest fundraiser, it funds many of our exciting

programs like field trip assistance, Festival of Learning, classroom supplies. But MORE

IMPORTANTLY it is an event that focusing on reading. The main goal is to increase your

student’s proficiency and love of reading, therefore only the following counts towards minutes

read:

1. Minutes read by the student from a book, magazine or written publication. The media

may be electronic but it must be WRITTEN words.

2. Minutes read by an adult TO the student, however in this case the student MUST be

looking at the actual text. Minutes read while the child is performing another activity

should not be counted.

3. Minutes read by a sibling or other child to the student – parents please use your

judgement on this, remember the goal is to increase the love of reading and gain

proficiency!

What does NOT COUNT AS MINUTES READ?

1. Audible – we love it too, but as the student is not following along, we do not consider this

increasing their reading proficiency.

2. TV or Movies with Subtitles – This is not considered an activity that increases reading

proficiency or the love of reading, it is not acceptable.

Students read as much as they can during a two-week period and log all of their minutes read,

this year the reading dates are from January 19th

through February 1st, 2019. Students also ask for

donations to support their reading, either as a flat fee, by book or by minute read!

We tally the minutes read by student, class and grade and hold a rally to announce the top

students! Goals are set by grade level, if your student achieves the Ravenous Reader Goal the

will get a medal and $5 worth of carnival tickets! If they are the top READER or FUNDRAISER

in their grade they will receive a trophy!

Ravenous Readers:

Grade Goal Ravenous Reader Goal

Kindergarten/1st Grade 140 Minutes 420 Minutes

2nd

Grade 210 Minutes 630 Minutes

3rd

Grade 280 Minutes 840 Minutes

4th

Grade 350 Minutes 1,050 Minutes

5th

Grade 420 Minutes 1,260 Minutes

We also have pizza parties for classes with the TOP PARTICIPATION! That means the most

kids with even one minute read and one dollar raised! Additionally there is a travelling trophy

between the classrooms for the highest participation, and Dr. V issues an annual challenge to all

of the students (to be revealed at the kickoff rally on January 18th

) so READ, READ, READ!!!

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OK!! HOW DO WE GET STARTED????

Due to a lack of volunteers we have switched to an online format for Read-A-Thon using

https://www.bookopolis.com/. We have attached a list showing the spelling of your child’s name

used by the system. This was copied from a class list provided by the school so if there is an

error please let us know by contacting nhptatres@gmail.com. The initial password is your

teacher’s last name followed by 01, e.g. Dahl01, Walters01.

In order to use the website go to www.bookopolis.com, click on the “Log In” and then

“Students”.

Use the attached user name and password to sign into your student’s account.

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It will ask you if you have an account from last year:

However, as this is the first year Normandale Hills has used this website we will not have

accounts from the prior year. Click “No”. Close the tutorial window.

When you get to the home page for your student you will see lots of options, you can click on the

silhouette of a person and pick and avatar, you can add books, get book ideas, rate books, etc.

However, those options are just for fun.

Adding a book: Click “Click to add, rate, and review books”.

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Type your classroom’s book into the search bar from the list provided, we have provided a book

choice because the database does not have as many books as we’d like and as a result the parents

that tested this program for us told us that it was difficult to find a book that worked.

WHAT IF I DON’T USE THAT BOOK?!? It’s ok, we would prefer if you did because it is just

another way to run a report by grade, but it isn’t important, any book will work.

WHAT IF I WANT TO LOG EVERY BOOK INDIVIDUALLY??? Well, in that case…

1. Wow! Go you!

2. As we said above, that’s fine, any book will work, the report runs by teacher.

Once you find your book (you might have to scroll down a bit), Click “Add to My Books”:

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IMPORTANT: Now click “Reading it Now”. Even if you aren’t reading it at the moment the

point is to have it available to log minutes with.

If this is the first time you have done it, it will ask you to choose a badge for earning five points,

go ahead and pick any badge. Then it will bring up the review screen, you do not need to put

anything in here, just click save. Close the window.

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HOW TO LOG MINUTES: On the main screen there is an option called “Reading Log”.

Click on the reading log text. Click + Add an entry.

Click the drop down to choose the book we just entered (or any book you decided to put in).

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Now select the date you read:

Enter the number of minutes:

Click Save! Your minutes will show up in a log on the next screen. Log total minutes under one

book for every day you read. At the end of the Read-A-Thon we will be able to run a report to

show the total minutes read by student and class!!

WHAT IF I ENTERED THE WRONG THING?!? Just click the yellow edit button and edit the

entry.

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WHAT IF I HAVE PROBLEMS?? Don’t worry, you can contact Missy Scherf, PTA

Treasurer/Reluctant Read-A-Thon Co-chair for assistance at nhptatres@gmail.com or 612-998-

0339.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO A COMPUTER?? We are using an online format due

to the lack of volunteers available this year to help with the Read-A-Thon, however it is always

our goal to have every student participate. If you do not have access to a computer/Bookopolis

please contact Beth Clubbs, PTA VP of Fundraising & Events/Reluctant Read-A-Thon Chair at

nhptaevents@gmail.com.

WHAT IF I PICKED UP ON THE EXTREMELY SUBTLE HINTS THAT YOU WOULD

LOVE SOME MORE VOLUNTEERS? Contact either Missy or Beth! We’d love to have you

help on either this or any of our many other volunteer opportunities, we can find a place for you

no matter what type of time you have available.

WHAT IF I NEED A RECIEPT FOR MY TAXES?

No problem! Due to the number of donations we receive it is very time consuming to create

receipts and many people do not require one (neither does the IRS for donations under $200) so

we do it by request. If you would like a donation receipt please feel free to contact Missy Scherf,

PTA Treasurer at nhptatres@gmail.com and she will be more than happy to provide one.