Missouri National Education Association

Tools for a successful 2008 Read Across America

Cat in the hat Your local efforts are a vital part of the life of NEA’s Read Across America campaign, which has become an anticipated celebration each March in schools across the country. March 2, 2008, marks the 104th birthday of Dr. Seuss and is NEA’s Read Across America Day. The campaign, in its 11th year, is a national celebration of reading centered around the March 2 birthday of this beloved author.

What’s new?
Missouri NEA offers the following new items to help you celebrate Read Across America 2008:

1. Read Across America bookmarks
2. Read Across America poster or placemat
3. Seuss Teller trivia game

Each of these pieces will be available at your MNEA regional office in January. Bookmarks and posters, as well as a variety of other family-outreach materials, are available in pdf format at www.mnea.org.

As in past years, the Missouri State Library will ship posters and bookmarks to public libraries around the state. Be sure your school library displays a poster and has a supply of bookmarks.

NEA’s Catavan
This year Missouri is on the national tour. President Reg Weaver will be traveling with the cat across the U.S., and Missouri is on the trail. More details about the tour will be available in January.

New from NEA
Visit www.nea.org/readacross to find an abundance of materials and ideas to help you celebrate this year. NEA offers new posters and a literacy calendar among a plethora of tools and ideas to help your celebration meet success.

Cat Tracks

Topping off the celebration, the Cat in the Hat will take its tenth tour of Missouri this year.

Locals interested in borrowing one of MNEA’s two Cat in the Hat costumes or organizing a “Cat Stop” on the tour should contact Linda Bell, Linda.Bell@mnea.org or (800) 392–0236, for an application form. Forms are also available at www.mnea.org/classkids/cattourform.htm.

The second Cat in the Hat costume is available for MNEA local affiliates to borrow for local events. The only cost is shipping.

As you plan your campaign, remember to line up a photographer to record your event in pictures. Then submit the photos (prints from film or digital photos that are one megabyte or larger) and a short paragraph detailing the photos to Debra Angstead, Missouri NEA, 1810 E. Elm St., Jefferson City, MO 65101.

sb, winter '07