What a year we have had! We hope that all of our friends and colleagues are doing well and staying healthy and wanted to give a little update on what we’ve been up to while working remotely due to COVID-19.
ReadBoston is continuing to provide virtual early literacy programming to the children of Boston. Our Live Storytime can be seen weekdays at 6 PM via Instagram. On Tuesday and Thursday at 6 PM Live Storytime can also be seen on the Boston Saves Facebook page. In September we shared titles to highlight Hispanic Heritage Month. During our Live Storytime in October, we chose children’s books to support Anti Bully Month. During our Live Storytime in November, we shared children’s books that supported Native American Heritage Month.
In October we began a new partnership with Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy. SJPllCA is the largest accredited Catholic elementary school in New England serving over 1,000 children from ages 2.9 through grade 8 in Boston. Their campuses are located in the Dorchester neighborhoods of Lower Mills, Columbia and Neponset. Twice a month ReadBoston hosts virtual read aloud sessions with the elementary classes.
We also began a new partnership with The Arnold arboretum. Once a month Live Storytime will be on site at the Arboretum to share children’s books about nature.
In an effort to engage all of the Boston Public Schools’ elementary schools, we have begun offering virtual dialogic reading sessions with classes. For more information on how your school can participate please email Sean.Thimas@Boston.gov.
The goal of ending ”book deserts” continued this fall as we partnered with Storytime Crafts and All Dorchester Sports Leadership (ADSL) to install a free community library in front of their site. ADSL provides quality programming for youth ages 5 – 18 by building self-esteem, leadership skills, and healthy lifestyles through athletic and academic achievement. You can visit our newest community library at 1565 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester MA.
Our last Daddy and Me Book Club session of 2020 will be held on December 20th from 12 -2pm.
We also have continued our virtual book clubs with Franklin Park Development Tenants Association and Roxbury Tenants of Harvard. If you are interested in starting a virtual book club in your Boston community, please email Sean.Thimas@Boston.gov.
Please continue to join us weeknights at 6 PM on Instagram and Tuesday & Thursday on the Boston Saves Facebook page for more great children’s books that inspire the students of Boston to improve their literacy skills.