BOOKS FOR KEEPS: 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR!
RIF of NOVA's primary activity is our Books for Keeps program -- to provide new books for 20,000+ children at over 30 schools and sites in the City of Alexandria and in Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William counties. Books are distributed by school liaisons at book celebrations throughout the school year. Distributions for academic year 2024-2025 began in September 2024. Below, please find photos as they are added from throughout the school year.
Happy Holidays at Bailey's Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences -- December 17-20, 2024
The joint was jumpin' -- literally -- as Pre-K through 2nd grade children from Bailey's Elementary School danced into the holidays to a video exhorting them to duck and jump! Finding the snowflake on the white board added to the fun! The faces tell the story of this pre-break fun-fest with a new RIF NOVA book, thanks to librarian and RIF NOVA liaison Laura Culver!
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"Snowmen at Work" at Bel Air ES -- December 17-20, 2024
Credit -- Publisher: Dial Books; Author: Caralyn Buehner; Illustrator: Mark Buehner
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The book Snowmen at Work was the inspiration for this pre-holiday RIF NOVA book distribution at Bel Air Elementary School in Prince William County. Librarian and RIF NOVA liaison Clifton Palmer read the book about a little boy who imagines the jobs snowmen might have. The students then cut out their own snow person, adding a title and hat to describe what their snow person might do! The finished products featured snow bakers, snow cowboys, snow mechanics, and more!
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Books + Community Service at Swanson MS -- December 18, 2024
Swanson Middle School's English Language Learners had their RIF NOVA distribution on December 18. Each 6th, 7th, and 8th grade student in this program got to choose up to three books for keeps -- one graphic novel (always a favorite) and two others. Prior to choosing books, the students did a community service project, making special bookmarks to be sent to local Arlington elementary schools. Students worked hard to put their personal touches on each bookmark! One bookmark read, "A book is a gift you can open again and again." So true! Thanks to Jen Stacy, librarian and RIF NOVA liaison, for organizing!
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A Holiday "Surprise" at Kenmore -- December 18, 2024
Multiple 6th grade classes at Kenmore Middle School joined together in the library on December 18 for a festive and lively RIF NOVA book distribution -- and much more! Each student could choose a brand new book to take home -- either by picking an unwrapped book from the table or by choosing to take a chance on a wrapped "surprise" book! Many kids took a chance on the surprise and were not disappointed with what they received. Students could then engage in a range of additional activities, including making a bookmark, watching a movie, coloring a snowflake, or designing a button which Emily Godfrey, librarian and RIF NOVA liaison, turned into a wearable button! Instructional assistant Jeanette Hall calligraphed names in the new books for those who wanted a special touch!
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"Warm Up to a Good Book" at Yorkshire Elementary
-- December 16-17, 2024 Just before the December break, Yorkshire students literally warmed up to a good book. After picking up a cup of cocoa and sipping with classmates at close-by tables, each student had an opportunity to find that one perfect book for keeping and winter break reading.
Liaison Bethany Drake and her team made smiles appear as cocoa cups were filled, candy canes were distributed, and books appeared for the choosing, along with the chance to write one's name in a brand new book! |
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A Gingerbread Man Extravaganza at Barcroft ES -- December 16-17, 2024
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A bigger-than-life-sized gingerbread man greeted Barcroft ES students as they chose RIF NOVA books before the winter holiday. A cleverly decorated bulletin board exhorted them to "Read Read as Much as You Can; Get a Book Before the Gingerbread Man!"
Children could affix their favorite book title on a gingerbread man cutout, do related word searches, and pose for group shots with the library team! A couple of gingerbread man books added to the fun! Special thanks to librarian and RIF NOVA liaison Jackie Pippins and library assistant Daniela Londono for adding the sugar and spice to this December program. |
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"Blizzard of Books" at Drew Elementary -- December 13, 2024
For three weeks before distribution day, Charles E. Drew Elementary students studied everything snow during their library time -- starting with reading Snowflake Bentley, a book about the first known photographer of snowflakes. Older children made friendship snowflakes, writing messages of friendship on each "arm" of the snowflakes before cutting them out and assembling the three-dimensional flakes. Younger children made snow cutouts or colored images of snow people. Finally, it was time for the Blizzard of Books -- complete with Frozen's Elsa, a snow machine, a "roaring" fire, and a new RIF NOVA book for every child! Special thanks to RIF NOVA liaison and board member Dora Sue Black (AKA Elsa) for creating this annual one-of-a-kind distribution to create excitement about reading and introduce Drew children to snow and the holidays.
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"Books Take Us Places" at John Adams ES -- December 10-13, 2024
"Build a place you would like a book to take you" said a note on the whiteboard during the December RIF NOVA book distribution at John Adams Elementary in Alexandria. At three stations in the library, children could build a destination from LEGOs or draw a place they'd like to go. These fifth graders had great fun imagining their travel plans and picking their new RIF NOVA book for the holidays. Thanks to librarian and RIF NOVA liaison Heidi LaPlace for setting up the fun.
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"Those Darn Squirrels" at Potomac View ES -- December 2-5, 2024
Credit -- Publisher: HarperCollins; Author Adam Rubin, Illustrator Daniel Salmieri
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A reading of Those Darn Squirrels had the children of Potomac View Elementary in stitches as they gathered under a tree festooned with hanging birdfeeders and birds! The story by Adam Rubin and illustrator Daniel Salmieri tells what happens when a grumpy old man (who loves birds but not squirrels) tries to match with those mischievous squirrels -- with hilarious results.
The children entered the library making bird and what they imagined to be squirrel sounds. Then, as librarian Kevin Rock held up cue cards and reading specialist and RIF NOVA liaison Debbie Crawn read the story, the kids yelled out some of the book's phrases with great gusto: "I hate puppies!" "I hate pie!" "Dun, Dun, Dunnn!" "Thhbbtz!" and "Those darn squirrels!" Using their spatial skills, the kids then set up dominoes to try to knock cutouts of squirrels off their tables! How far away did each domino have to be to knock the next one down? Was a straight domino line better or a curved one? What a clever RIF NOVA book distribution for children at this Prince William County school -- complete with a brand new book to take home for keeps! |
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Fairfax County Public Schools Early Learning Programs -- November 2024
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Many young children participating in PreK & Early Head Start, Early & Family Literacy Programs in Fairfax County Public Schools were very thankful for the RIF NOVA books they picked out at November family breakfasts. This FCPS program serves over 2700 children in 60 programs located across the county. After a family breakfast, parents were able to participate in the children's book selections, followed by reading with their children. Clifford the Big Red Dog dropped by several sites to add to the excitement. At all sites, the possession of a new book produced smiles as these children are growing up loving books and stories. Special thanks to RIF NOVA liaison Sharon Goldman for coordinating books for these deserving children!
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Thankful for Books at Bel Air Elementary -- November 7-12, 2024
Thanksgiving came early for students at Bel Air Elementary School in Prince William County, thanks to librarian and RIF NOVA liaison Clifton Palmer. As they picked out a books-for-keeps book of their choice, the children colored a turkey -- in every color of the rainbow! It was a Thanksgiving celebration complete with a brand new book to read and reread over the holiday break!
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Fiction vs. Nonfiction -- Let the Voters Decide!
Sinclair Elementary -- November 6-8, 2024
Sinclair Elementary -- November 6-8, 2024
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What is a fiction story? What does nonfiction mean? Students at Sinclair Elementary School in Manassas (PWC) learned to better understand the difference during their November RIF NOVA book distribution. A brightly decorated autumn-themed classroom invited students to "Fall into Reading," while they discussed what kind of books they preferred.
RIF NOVA liaison and Title 1 teacher Dawn Pell welcomed each class by asking students to define and then vote for their favorite type of book -- fiction or nonfiction. Each child wrote their name and preferred category on a colorful fall leaf and posted it to the class's tree chart. Once all the leaves were attached to the chart, the numbers were tallied and noted on the schoolwide tally board. At the end of the week, the vote was announced. Fiction won, but it was close...279 to 255! The kids were also given leaf sheets to color with the challenge to use five different colors without having the same colors touch! And then it was time to choose a new, take-home-for-keeps book, along with a reading-themed pencil to add to the fall fun! |
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Halloween Happiness at ACCA -- October 31, 2024
Halloween just would not be Halloween without the RIF NOVA book distribution at the ACCA Child Development Center. Teachers, parents, grandparents, and children get in on the act with costumes and a Halloween parade. As a special part of the tradition, RIF NOVA board member Chris McLaughlin sports her witch finery to read a not-so-spooky story to wide-eyed children who are beyond excited! Then it's time for school-wide trick-or-treating and book picking -- a definite treat!
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Arlington's Teen Parenting Fall Festival -- October 30, 2024
The weather was perfect for a fall festival and Halloween celebration at Arlington's Teen Parenting program, which included a moon bounce, a "hay ride," pumpkin painting, and apple picking. Some of RIF NOVA's youngest friends, all dressed in Halloween finery, were able to pick two books each to take home to enjoy! The morning finished up with a parade through the school where the children got to go trick or treating. The smiles were priceless! Thanks to liaison Nicole Boatwright and the staff at the center for putting their hearts into an amazing book distribution and fall celebration!
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"Pandamonium" at Arlington's Even Start -- October 30, 2024
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Two giant pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, arrived at the Smithsonian's National Zoo on October 15. "Pandamonium" followed two weeks later at Arlington's Even Start program! With a big stuffed panda, a few baby panda pets, and real bamboo leaves to set the scene, children and parents worked together to make panda hats and panda plates. The book-picking even included some panda choices. Special thanks to RIF NOVA liaison Sara Mulrooney for creating such a panda-tastic event loved by moms and children alike!
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Falls Church McLean Children's Center -- October 18, 2024
The RIF NOVA book distribution at the FCMLCC is always such a treat for the some of our smallest readers as they picked out a book of their own. RIF NOVA partner, the New Dominion Women's Club, handed out books and read to the children -- adding to the fun!
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"Fall into Books" at West Gate Elementary -- September 30, 2024
Children at West Gate Elementary in Prince William County started the fall season just right -- with a new book and some fall fun. The children walked around wide-eyed at the selection of books as if they were at a fall festival -- which they were! The kindergartners were especially excited, saying, "I can't wait to find my favorite book!" They also took away a fall-themed bookmark to color. Bravo to RIF of NOVA liaison Susan Bowden (shown in the photo below explaining what was about to happen to a kindergarten class) and Danielle Van Vlack, Title 1 reading teacher, for making this RIF NOVA distribution such a treat for more than 500 students!
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