IMPORTANT DATES • TRACK MINUTES • FUNDRAISE • PRIZES • EVENTS • FAQS • MAKE A DONATION • PARTICIPATION RATES
The BCE Read-a-thon promotes literacy and a lifelong love of reading while raising much-needed funds for our Burlingame public schools. Students read and log their minutes to win prizes while their parents, friends, and family show their support with a sponsoring donation of any flat amount.
Important Dates:
Today: Have your child create a personal fundraising page and share it with your child’s friends and family. Receive an extra raffle entry when you receive a sponsoring donation prior to January 22.
January 15: Start selecting books to read. Be sure to check out your local public library and school library.
January 21: Join us at the Burlingame Public Library for our Read-a-thon kick off event between 1-3pm. Select some books, learn how to log minutes, creating your fundraising page.
January 22 - 26: Read! Read! Read! Choose books your child loves! Let them get lost in a book and find the love of reading. Encourage your reader to continue soliciting sponsoring donations to help Burlingame schools.
January 22: Starting today, go to the minute tracker to enter the minutes you read when you are done reading for the day. Be sure to repeat each day of the Read-a-thon.
January 25: Drop your kids off between 6-8pm to enjoy an evening of Sustained Silent Reading and Hot Chocolate at Grupology. This event is for first through eighth grade students.
January 29: Last day to enter reading minutes in your minute tracker and to make a READ donation. Encourage your friends and family to sponsor you online.
Minute Tracking
Track your minutes by completing the Minute Tracker for each day of the Read-a-thon. Please provide your student’s name as registered with the district so we can properly capture their minutes. BIS Students are encouraged to complete their own minute tracker. All minutes must be logged by Monday, January 29 at 9:00pm to be eligible for the grand prize.
Create a Fundraising Page
Students are encouraged to ask friends and family to support them with a sponsoring donation of any flat amount while they read. Students receive additional prize drawing entries when they create a personal fundraising page and for every $200 in cumulative donations they receive.
It’s Easy to Create a Personal Fundraising Page (click here for detailed instructions)
Click on your School Name Below
Provide your student’s name and an email address (do not use a BSD email)
Personalize your student’s page
Share your page with family and friends
You will receive a confirmation email with your personalized fundraising page URL and a link to edit your page. Be sure to save that email!
Don’t want to Create a Personal Fundraising Page? No problem. You can fundraise using your School team page. Donors will be asked to provide a student's name when making a donation.
Need inspiration? Check out these sample text, social media posts and email templates
All donations are tax deductible.
Prizes
Elementary School Prizes (Each school will have the following prizes awarded)
Top Participating Class Prize: The class with the highest percentage of students logging minutes and participating in the Read-a-thon will win bonus yard time.
Top Reader Prize: The top minute reader per grade (minutes logged) will have a book donated to their school library in their honor and will receive a free drop in chess class pass from Grupology (TK and Kinder winners will receive a book to read). The top minute reader at each school will receive a Keva Blocks set from Grupology.
Top Fundraiser Prize: The top fundraiser in each grade will receive a gift certificate for a free Maverick Jack’s milkshake.
Grand Prize Drawing: One lucky student per school will be the Grand Prize Winner and can select from one of these three prizes:
iPad
Gigglemugs Gift Card
Summit Bicycle Gift Card
Students can earn entries by:
one entry for readers logging minutes ALL FIVE days
one entry for creating and sharing a student fundraiser page
one entry for every $200 in donations
BONUS: one entry for receiving a donation before Jan. 22
BIS School Prizes: (Each grade will have the following prizes awarded)
Top Participating Advisory Prize: The advisory with the highest percentage of students logging Read-a-thon minutes will win a breakfast party! Tie breaker will be the total minutes logged by each advisory!
Top Fundraisers Prize: The top five fundraisers will receive a gift certificate for a free Maverick Jack’s entree of their choice.
Top Reader Per Grade Prize: One top minute reader (logged minutes) will have a book donated to the BIS school library in their honor and receive a free drop in Chess Pass from Grupology.
Grand Prize per Grade: One lucky student per grade will be the Grand Prize Winner and can select one of these three prize options:
Beats Studio Pro Headphones
Gigglemugs Gift Card
Summit Bicycle Gift Card
Students can earn entries by:
one entry for readers logging minutes ALL FIVE days
one entry for creating and sharing a student fundraiser page
one entry for every $200 in donations
BONUS: One entry for receiving a donation before Jan. 22
BONUS: This year's BIS School Challenge is a “Duct-Tape-The-Principal Challenge!” Principal Land has agreed that if BIS can raise over $50,000 during the Read-a-thon he will be taped to the wall during lunch.
All prize winners will be decided on Tuesday, January 30. All minutes read must be logged and donations must be received by 9pm PST on Monday, January 29 in order to be included in the grand prize drawing.
Teacher Prizes
At each Elementary School, the Teacher of the class with the highest percentage of students participating in the Read-a-thon by logging minutes will receive a $100 gift card of their choosing. Total Minutes read may be used in the case of a tie breaker.
At BIS per grade, the Advisor Teacher of the advisory with the highest percentage of students participating in the Read-a-thon by logging minutes will receive a $100 gift card of their choosing. Total Minutes read may be used in the case of a tie breaker.
THANKS TO OUR READ-A-THON PRIZE SPONSORS
Events
Hope to see you at these fun events over Read-a-Thon Week!
Sunday January 21, 1-3pm: Kick off event at Burlingame Public Library. Volunteers will be available to help with setting up a fundraising page and answering questions. Every student who attends will receive a free book from the library. Be sure to check out the Library's children's book sale and check out books while you are there!
Join authors Stephanie Li and Diana Chan for a BCE Read-a-thon bedtime story! Wonton Wonders is a story about Won-a-ton, a shy little wonton, as he starts his first day of school. We'll follow Won-a-ton's journey of finding his voice and building a new friendship through his first assignment. Find out what deliciousness will be cooked up in this beautifully illustrated book.
THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL. Thursday January 25, 6-8pm: Sustained Silent Reading and Hot Chocolate at Grupology (for grades 1st - 8th grade; Parents are welcome to drop off readers).