LITERACY EVENT PLANNING GUIDE

Literacy Success Content Collabor LITERACY EVENT PLANNING GUIDE Literacy Reading Community Access Culture Engage Personalization

Table of Contents I. Event Planning Guide Planning Guide..................... 1 A general overview of considerations when designing a myon Literacy Event. myon Literacy Event Sample Agenda....... 4 A recommended agenda for the myon Literacy Event where families will learn your goals and take part in an online guided tour. Planning Checklist................... 5 Outlines preparations for a meeting to plan a myon Literacy Event. III. Appendices Appendix A Goal Sheet.............. 11 Appendix B Reading Pledge............ 12 Appendix C myon Introduction Letter to Families Template........ 13 Appendix D myon Literacy Event Invitation Letter Template..... 14 Appendix E myon Press Release Template.. 15 Appendix F Family Involvement Feedback Form............ 16 II. Personalization and Instruction Talking Points for Literacy Nights.......... 8 A quick guide with information about Capstone and myon. Managing Literacy: The Lexile Framework for Reading......... 10 A quick reference to match current instructional resources with myon. Appendix G Reducing the Reading Gap in Ten Minutes............. 17 Appendix H The myon Literacy Ecosystem.. 18 Appendix I Thank You Letter Template..... 19 Table of Contents

Planning Guide Assign the following responsibilities to your myon literacy team no later than one month prior to ensure a wellplanned event. If applicable, get the Parent Teacher Organization involved 1. Event Planning: Date and Time of Event Set event goals as a team Establish the budget to support the event Determine the agenda Plan activities that promote family participation (here are a few examples): Goal Sheets (Appendix A) Reading Pledge Sheet (Appendix B) Set up station for making bookmarks Have a Book Walk where students can take home a book Arrange for food/refreshments and door prizes Event Location (select a location that will accommodate all participants): School Room To Be Used Activity To Be Set Up In That Room Create, customize, and copy appropriate handouts (agenda, informational materials, nametags, door prize tickets, etc. Arrange for translators, transportation and childcare, if necessary Arrange for refreshments and door prizes Planning Guide 1

2. Invitations and Publicity: 2-4 weeks prior to event Person(s) Assigned: Announce the event Email district personnel with appropriate advanced notice List on school calendar Announce in school newsletter Send myon introduction letter to families (Appendix C) Create and send invitations to families (Appendix D) Send reminder a few days before the event Call to invite community partners (optional) Send press release to local papers (optional) (Appendix E) Follow up the invitations to families with a telephone call, email or text message the week of or day of event Create incentives for families to attend e.g., serve food, showcase student s work, give door prizes and homework passes, schedule in conjunction with school performances or PTO meetings Arrange for students to create posters/signs (optional collaboration with art department) Arrange for a welcome team to greet families, and distribute handouts and name tags List Welcome Team/ Roles here: Welcome Team Member Role(s)/ Responsibilities 3. Accommodations and Equipment: (Week and Day of Event) Person(s) Assigned: Display student s work and decorate for the event Create a sign-in and registration process Test the technology, including speakers and Internet connections, projection screens and computers Planning Guide 2

This checklist is a suggested plan and timeline to help you plan for your myon Literacy Event Create a myon Literacy Team (6-8 weeks prior to event) Literacy Team Member Role/ Responsibility Task(s) To Be Completed Additional Tasks Additional Tasks Table of Contents 3

myon Literacy Event Sample Agenda Table of Contents Welcome and Introductions Literacy Event Overview Presenters Introduction What is myon myon in action at school and home Explanation of how myon is being implemented in our school myon classroom applications Student use demo School goals using myon Student learning goals Example of student goal sheet (Appendix A) Home suggestions Guided Tour Navigation Digital books Literacy tools Monitoring progress Questions and Answers Refreshments myon Literacy Event Sample Agenda 4

Planning Checklist Directions: Use the following checklist to ensure a well-prepared and successful myon Literacy Event. Initial Planning (6-8 weeks prior to event) Determine the myon Literacy Event date, time, and location Review the myon Literacy Event planning guide (pg. 1 and 2) Publicize the myon Literacy Event Send press release to local media (Appendix E) Invite Community Partners Use school and district resources (newsletters, bulletin boards, websites, etc ) Create the myon Literacy Event invitations Customize and send the myon Literacy Event invitations (Appendix E) with appropriate advanced notice. Date sent: Number of Invitations: RSVP (could promote a drawing of books or goodie bag for those that RSVP) Establish a plan to follow up with families who cannot attend the initial orientation using the letter to families not attending the myon Literacy Event. Plan for a possible virtual presentation of the event or recording of the presentation for family viewing Create the myon Literacy Event agenda Review the myon Literacy Event agenda (pg. 4) Planning Checklist 5

Plan for myon Literacy Event location and necessary special accommodations ( 4 weeks prior to event) Secure room and equipment INTERNET SERVICE Overhead projector/screen or interactive whiteboard Ensure there are speakers for the laptop so the books can be heard by audience If school is using literacy tools, ensure that they are working Hands-on demonstration area in rear of room or inside teachers rooms Laptops: Desktops: Determine required family support services are in place (childcare, translations, etc ) Copy the family registration form Event Preparation ( Week of event) Confirm attendance Follow up invitations with a phone call, email or text one week prior to and possibly day of the event Date(s) communicated: Determine the number of people expected to attend Expected number in attendance is: Transportation will be needed for families Child Care will be needed for children Translators will be needed in the following languages: q q Identify families who will not attend and follow up with letter or email with link to recording if applicable Planning Checklist 6

Assemble appropriate myon Literacy Event handouts myon parent handouts (See Appendices) Giveaways (optional) Forms to be completed and signed: Family registration form Family involvement feedback (Appendix F) Prepare materials Select digital books for demonstration Final Setup ( Day prior to and day of event) Coordinate a myon literacy team meeting to review agenda and roles and responsibilities Confirm myon Literacy Event handouts are ready for distribution (see appendices) Finalize site setup Registration table with family registration form and name tags Ensure there are a sufficient number of chairs Confirm session logistics (Technology is available and in working order, food is ordered, prizes are ready, etc.) Set up and test equipment Set up refreshment table Confirm family support services are in place, if needed (childcare, translators, etc ) Day after event Send thank you note to families (Appendix I) Planning Checklist 7

TALKING POINTS FOR LITERACY NIGHTS 1. Capstone/myON History: a. Has been publishing books for 25 years b. Largest prek-8 school library book publisher in US c. myon was launched in 2011 d. Over 6 million readers on myon and growing e. Over 10,000 books available f. Used by almost 10,000 schools internationally and growing 2. Why is Reading Important? a. Reading impacts every aspect of life (optional video Reading is the Gateway to Everything) http://thefutureinreading.myon.com/press-room/videos/reading-gateway-everything b. Research: Indicates that literacy rates are declining and kids need to be reading on level by grade 3 if not, there is a higher probability of dropping out of school c. Research Children who do not read over the summer will lose more than two months of reading achievement Reading approximately eight grade equivalent books a summer is equivalent to summer school program. (James Kim- Harvard) Reducing the Reading Gap in Ten Minutes (Appendix J) 3. myon - Personalized Literacy Platform that Focuses on 5 Key Pillars (Appendix H) Personalization Content Access Collaboration Success Maximize reading growth Deepens vocabulary Provides power of choice Ever-growing digital library Authentic texts and books Standards- aligned resources Available 24/7, year-round Online and offline Family involvement Facilitates educator teamwork Promotes community engagement Learners own their growth Teachers further personalize instruction Administrators have program data Planning Checklist 8

4. Getting Started a. Interest Inventory - Matches students with books that they want to read. Students indicate how interested they are in a variety of topics, and interests are refined through the student profile screen, and by rating books read. (Key point: Students can retake the interest inventory as many times as they want and change their reading preferences.) b. Lexile Placement Exam - Measures the student s reading level by Lexile measure. Many classes spend hours on one-on-one testing the teacher takes a student into the hallway for a Lexile placement exam, leaving the rest of the class to work on other activities. With the built-in Lexile placement exam, students, grades K-12, can be assessed online in one 25 minute block. 5. READ, READ, READ! a. Go live on myon.com for a demo with parents here. If resources allow, have parents log on to their child s account on a computer while you demo the site. b. Books can be accessed at home, school, coffee shop, public library, community center anywhere there is Internet! Your student can also read offline through our free myon app! c. myon provides books with reading supports audio (professional actors) embedded dictionary and highlighting. d. Completing books gives students the ability to rate the book using five stars and by writing a review. Teachers are then able to approve these anonymous reviews for the rest of the school to see. e. Book quizzes come at the end of a book, and are five questions in length focusing on the main idea, supporting details, vocabulary, inference, and interpretation. f. Benchmark tests happen about every two weeks after approximately five books or 3 hours worth of reading are complete and provide a check-up to re-establish the student s reading level. It can indicate Lexile growth or change over time. 6. Tracking Student Progress a. Growth Chart is an important motivator for students, and can be distributed to parents too. Based on the several benchmark tests a student has taken, myon is able to project their Lexile level. The projected Lexile gives them an achievable reading goal that they can work towards through the school year. And, the growth chart can be used to show their reading accomplishments throughout the year. Planning Checklist 9

MANAGING LITERACY: THE LEXILE FRAMEWORK FOR READING The Lexile Framework for Reading indicates an individual s reading ability or the difficulty of a text on the same scale. The reader gets their Lexile reader measure from a reading test or program. The text receives a Lexile text measure based on semantic difficulty (word length, frequencey, and familiarity) and syntactic difficulty (sentence length). Grade Band Current Lexile Band Stretch Lexile Band* K 1 N/A N/A 2 3 450L 725L 420L 820L 4 5 645L 845L 740L 1010L 6 8 860L 1010L 925L 1185L 9-10 960L 1115L 1050L 1335L 11 CCR 1070L 1220L 1185L 1385L Chart Source: Lexile.com Lexile codes provide more information about a book that relates to its developmental appropriateness, reading difficulty, and common or intended usage AD: Adult Directed NC: Non-Conforming HL: High-Low IG: Illustrated Guide GN: Graphic Novel BR: Beginning Reading NP: Non-Prose For more information, visit www.lexile.com/about-lexile/lexile-codes/ Planning Checklist 10

Appendix A Goal Sheet Set your personal reading goals for this year. Make sure to challenge yourself, be realistic, and think of ways to help yourself achieve those goals. My Personal Reading Goals: #of books I want to read: Minutes per week I want to read outside of school: Student Teacher Parent Appendix A 11

Appendix B school logo or banner Beacuse we know reading is important to 's future, we pledge to read (Student's Name) (Reading Goal) (Student Signature) (Parent Signature) (Date) Appendix B 12

Appendix C myon Introduction Letter to Families Dear Families, We are proud to inform you our school will be implementing an exciting, new literacy program called myon! myon is the first-of-its-kind personalized literacy environment that integrates technology and students ability to match their reading level with their preferred choice of books into one comprehensive online literacy program. As a family in our school you will be provided free access to myon. myon will provide you with infinite access to a growing collection of thousands of enhanced digital books that can be read anytime, anywhere there is an Internet connection, or offline on any device to which the free myon app has been downloaded. At an upcoming myon literacy event, you will receive your username and password as well as a guided tour of myon. In addition to implementing myon throughout our school we are excited to give our families the opportunity to spend time with their children in an engaging, fun reading environment to build reading stamina and fluency. We hope you find this program as exciting as we do, and will join us in making myon a success. You will see more information on the myon literacy event in the coming weeks. If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact me or your child s teacher. Sincerely, Principal Appendix C 13

Appendix D myon Literacy Event Invitation Letter Dear Families, We are proud to inform you our school is implementing an exciting, new literacy program called myon! As part of our implementation, we are hosting a myon Literacy Event on <DATE TIME PLACE>. At the orientation, you will be provided a demonstration and free access to myon. myon will provide you with infinite access to a growing collection of thousands of digital books that can be read anytime, anywhere there is an Internet connection. myon is the first-of-its-kind personalized literacy environment that integrates technology, reading levels and students ability to match their reading level and preferred choice of books into one online literacy program. In addition to implementing myon, we are excited to give you the opportunity to learn new ways to enhance your child(ren) s reading experience and spend time reviewing curriculum topics, building reading stamina and increasing comprehension. We hope you find this program as exciting as we do, and will join us in making myon a success. Please join us on <DATE TIME PLACE>. Please fill out the bottom portion of this letter and return it to your teacher or in the main office as soon as possible. We look forward to seeing you at the orientation! YES! We will attend the myon Literacy Event. Family member/guardian name: Telephone: Student name: Teacher name: NO, we cannot attend the myon Literacy Event. Appendix D 14

Appendix E Contact: [Name] [Position] [Phone number] [Email Address] [Organization name] Implements myon to Improve Literacy Skills [City, State Abbreviation] [Month Date, Year] In a move towards further boosting the literacy skills of its students, [School] has added online personalized literacy environment myon to its reading curriculum. The addition will give students a customized reading experience with infinite access to thousands digital books from award-winning Capstone imprints as well as our many partner publishers. Designed for all prek-12 students, myon provides access to the largest integrated online library of digital books with multimedia supports, tailored to a student s interests and reading ability. With its acclaimed embedded assessment features, students have the ability to monitor their reading growth and observe how their Lexile score changes. The level of personalization and flexibility that myon gives our students will not only help them become stronger readers, but it will create unlimited reading opportunities that are fun and exciting even for our most unenthusiastic students, said [Name, Position]. The educational benefits students receive from myon do not stop once they leave the classroom. They are able to access the digital literacy environment from any computer with an Internet connection, or offline on any device in which the free myon app has been downloaded. The online platform uses cloud-based technology to connect school and home through anytime, anywhere access to an expanding library of digital books, and to provide a safe, social network where students can read, rate and review digital books, and recommend them to classmates. Students can also use the literacy tools to respond to reading, write journal entries, or take notes for a writing/research project myon makes reading a customized, interactive process that resonates with students and their everyday lives, said Todd Brekhus, president of myon. As the world becomes increasingly focused on digital technology and social media, we recognize that students can both have fun and also learn through these platforms, myon gives them this opportunity. For more information about myon, visit myon.com. Appendix E 15

Appendix F Family Involvement Feedback Please tell us The myon Literacy Event was I think myon will help my child by I learned Next time, I wish you would Other comments, suggestions and ideas Appendix F 16

Appendix G Percentile Rank Reducing the Reading Gap in Ten Minutes Minutes of Reading Per Day Baseline Words Read Per Year Plus 10 Minutes Words Read Per Year Percent Increase in Word Exposure 98 65 4,358,000 5,028,462 15% 90 21.1 1,823,000 2,686,981 47% 80 14.2 1,146,000 1,953,042 70% 70 9.6 622,000 1,269,917 104% 60 6.5 432,000 1,096,615 154% 50 4.6 282,000 895,043 217% 40 3.2 200,00 825,000 313% 30 1.8 106,000 694,889 556% 20 0.7 21,000 321,000 1429% 10 0.1 8,000 2 0 0 Based on reading level, 300,00 words Distribution of time spent reading books outside of school, with estimated word per year and projection of increased words per year if each child s average daily time spent reading were increased by ten minutes. Adapted from Adams (2006), with baseline data from Anderson, Wilson, & Fielding (1988). Appendix G 17

Appendix H THE LITERACY ECOSYSTEM Our personalized literacy environment incorporates: A state-of-the art learning platform Enhanced digital reading content The Lexile Framework Cutting-edge literacy tools Embedded metrics to monitor activity and growth Robust professional development ensures that educators have the support needed to effectively implement myon. Together, these components power a literacy ecosystem that is built upon five pillars. LEARNING PERSONALIZED UNPARALLELED CONTENT UNLIMITED ACCESS SUPPORTS COLLABORATION FOSTERS SUCCESS Maximizes reading growth Deepens vocabulary Provides power of choice Ever-growing digital library Authentic texts and books Standards-aligned resources Available 24/7, year-round Online and offline Concurrent, multi-user license Encourages family involvement Facilitates educator teamwork Promotes community engagement Learners own their growth Teachers further personalize instruction Administrators have program data Appendix H 18

Appendix I myon Thank You! Dear Parents, Thank you for attending the myon Literacy Event at our school. We hope you find this program as exciting as we do, and will join us in making myon a success. As a reminder, your login information is below. Name: School: Login: Password: Class: If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at : <INSERT CONTACT INFO> Appendix I 19