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Books Between Kids Partner School Application 2023/2024 HISD

It is the mission of Books Between Kids to build home libraries for economically disadvantaged children in Houston.  All students at our partner schools attend a Book Celebration on their campus where they each pick out 6 books to take home and keep.

You are invited to submit the following application to be considered as one of the campuses we include in our program for the 2023-24 school year. Schools are selected based on need, geographic location, and the ability to host a Book Celebration and incorporate the program into a larger campus-wide literacy focus. This application will allow us to get a better understanding of your campus so that we can serve your students more effectively. 

Each year, thousands of volunteers spend time in the BBK warehouse sorting, counting, and packing new and gently used books. Collecting new and gently used donations allows us to provide the community with access to thousands of different titles and a variety of books for all interests, ages, and reading levels. BBK believes every child deserves to be a book owner.

Please note that priority is given to economically disadvantaged schools.

To read more about the requirements of a Book Celebration partner, please read the agreement each school signs after being accepted: Book Celebration Agreement. If you have any questions, please contact us at paige@booksbetweenkids.org or at 832-831-1402 ext 801.

 

DEADLINE: Tuesday, October 3, 5:00 PM.

General Information



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School Enrollment (# Students)

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School Profile



Knowing what other literacy organizations/programs are working on your campus will allow us to work more closely with those organizations to ensure that we have a concerted effort to provide the highest quality of service to your students.


Book Celebration Planning

While Books Between Kids donates books for the Book Celebrations, each campus makes the Book Celebration itself a reality by coordinating the logistics and implementing the event. Book Celebrations give students a fun "book fair" experience without the cash register at the end. A successful Book Celebration is one that is promoted throughout the school; is festive and organized; engages and involves staff, faculty, and parents; and is meaningful for the students. Book Celebrations can be opportunities for more than just sending home books -- they can get students excited about reading and give them ample opportunity to practice self-selection skills and see reading as something that is fun rather than a chore! Books Between Kids supplies the books (enough for each student to choose 6 books), basic signage, bags for children to carry their books, and training by Books Between staff so each school is equipped with everything they need. The school is responsible for creating a schedule, coordinating/communicating with teachers, providing a location (including tables with plenty of room to lay out books), setting out/restocking/and cleaning up books, and coordinating volunteers to help work your event. Books Between Kids has arranged transportation for HISD schools. It will be the responsibility of the school/district to coordinate the transportation of books from the Books Between Kids Warehouse.
A library, empty classroom, or multipurpose room can be set up like a book fair and allow plenty of dedicated space for students to browse books. This also includes tables to layout the books.
Please choose a month between December-May.
Please choose a month between December-May.

Many coordinators chose to use their ancillary time (already given library time) for the Book Celebration. We ask that each class has a minimum of 20 minutes to browse the books.
This is usually a Wraparound Resource Specialist, librarian, reading specialist, or someone who has the time and literacy expertise to work with BBK to plan a meaningful event for the kids.




Setting up for and hosting a book drive may require some extra helping hands.
This may mean coordinating decorations, other reading events to coincide with the Celebration, advertising the Celebration to students and parents well in advance, and having staff members at the Celebration to help make the Celebration a time in which students are encouraged to talk about and pick out books that get them excited to be life-long readers.