Q: What are the dates of the Read-a-Thon?
A: Saturday, September 5th through Sunday, September 20th.
Q: What does my child need to do to participate in the Read-a-Thon?
A: Set a Read-a-Thon reading goal and/or keep track of the time they spend reading. While it is not a requirement for participation, we encourage your child to solicit donations for their reading.
Q: My child cannot read yet on his or her own — can my child still participate?
A: Yes! Parents, guardians, siblings and other family members may read aloud to your child. This reading time counts toward minutes read.
Q: What counts as reading?
A: Any time your child spends reading outside of school time (except for designated in-school reading times) from Saturday, September 5th through Sunday, September 20th, 2020. This includes individual reading time and being read to aloud. Homework reading done outside of school time can be counted toward the Read-a-Thon.
Q: Do I need special forms for Read-a-Thon?
A: Yes, a Read-a-Thon packet, including instructions, reading log, donation log, and an envelope for collecting the donations will be sent home with your child on Thursday, August 27th. If your child completes their logs, click here for reading and donation logs, or ask for additional copies from their classroom teacher.
Q: Whom should my child ask to be a sponsor?
A: Sponsors can be parents, relatives, or neighbors — anyone who has a connection to your child, would like to support their reading, and would like to support St. John the Baptist Catholic School.
Q: How much money should a sponsor donate?
A: That is up to the sponsor. Sponsors can donate per minute read OR give a flat donation.
Q: When should the money be collected from sponsors?
A: The Read-a-Thon is over Sunday, September 20th and donations are due Monday, September 28th. Donations can be collected up-front (flat donation) or after the end of the Read-a-Thon during the weekend of September 26th & 27th if sponsors are making a per-minute donation. Students should secure all checks in the Read-a-Thon envelope. Checks should be written out to: St. John the Baptist School. Donations are tax-deductible and you can find a sheet of receipts online if anyone is in need of one, stjohnthebaptistfundraiser.com/important-documents.
If you do not wish to collect money by hand, you can direct sponsors to stjohnthebaptistfundraiser.com/donate/ where they can make a secure online donation. Please ask sponsors to notate your child’s name in the notes section provided through PayPal.
Q: Who is responsible for collecting the sponsorship donations?
A: You and your child are responsible for collecting sponsor donations.
Q: Are there prizes for the students?
A: Yes. Every student who turns in a Read-a-Thon packet will receive a small prize. We are also awarding raffle tickets — towards cool prizes such as To be determined— for minutes read milestones and donations collected. Each time your student reaches a 120 minute benchmark in reading they will receive ONE raffle ticket to be entered into a prize drawing. Tickets will be handed out at school by Mrs. Wilding once your child turns in their reading log. Each student who raises $200+ gets to attend a special pizza party date with Mrs. Wilding.
Q: Can my child participate — even without sponsors?
A: Yes, all students are encouraged to participate regardless of the amount raised. Have your student turn in his or her reading log because the class that reads the most minutes will get a prize. Students reaching reading minutes milestones will receive raffle tickets for cool prizes.