OUR CRITICAL LIAISON LINKS
For the more than 20,000 children served by RIF of NOVA, choosing a book to take home to own and keep forever is a big deal. Many have few -- or even no -- books at home...so having a book to keep is very empowering and encourages reading for the entire family!
At the start of the school year... ...the RIF of NOVA board holds a workshop for RIF of NOVA liaisons who run the RIF programs at their schools or centers. The liaisons -- often teachers, reading specialists, or school librarians -- learn and share key ideas on how to hold a successful book distribution that will engage children in reading and encourage them to read more! At the end of every school year... ...one liaison is chosen from each of our five geographic areas for exemplary work in getting NOVA RIF books distributed to children. The 2024 honorees are Debbie Crawn (Potomac View Elementary, Prince William County); Catherine Guthrie (Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology, Alexandria); Nicole Boatwright (Teen Parenting Program, Arlington Career Center, Arlington); Sharon Goldman (FCPS PreK and Head Start, Fairfax East); and Melissa Landeverde and Kae Bieber (ACCA Child Development Center, Fairfax West). Each awardee receives a bucket of children's books to augment the school library or school programming. Special year-end commendations are given to liaisons who have served RIF of NOVA for many years and are retiring or changing positions. A 2024 Special Commendation was given to Dr. Sharon Nottingham from Marumsco Hills Elementary in Prince William County. She served as the NOVA RIF liaison for over 15 years! Special years of service commendations were also given to retiring liaisons Janice Perrault, Bailey's Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences, and Julie Baker, Lynbrook Elementary School. RIF of NOVA Days Once, or sometimes twice, a year, RIF of NOVA liaisons create spectacular "RIF of NOVA Day" distributions to engage children in the fun of selecting a new book. Snow machines, trivia games, recyclable art projects, holidays, Read Across America Day, and Clifford the Big Red Dog have all been a part of RIF of NOVA Day activities. Children are encouraged to browse through colorful paperback books on display as they look for the perfect book to take home. RIF of NOVA liaisons gather again in the spring for Book Ordering Day. At a meeting hosted by the NOVA RIF board, liaisons order the books for RIF of NOVA Day distributions in the following school year. It takes a team! RIF of NOVA Days are led by liaisons, but they can't happen without a dedicated network of teachers, administrators, PTA members, parents, and NOVA RIF board members and volunteers. With your help, we can sponsor more RIF of NOVA book distributions and expand our reach in Northern Virginia as we promote a lifelong love of reading — one book at a time. |
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Liaisons are Key to Our Books For Keeps Distributions in Schools
At every book distribution, RIF of NOVA liaisons make sure books are displayed so children can look through a full array of age-appropriate possibilities. Many children shop around until they find just the right book to take home to own forever.