School Partnerships

ALABAMA

The boxed sets arrived at Wilkerson Middle School in Birmingham, Alabama today.  I am in tears.  I just cannot tell Townsend what this will mean to 325 children, 98% of which qualify for free or reduced lunches.  These books will mean a great deal to our students during the Christmas holidays.  Many of our students are home, alone- or at best with a grandparent or relative. Again, my sincere thanks for such an outstanding service.

Susan Courington
LMS  Wilkerson Middle School

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I am the library media specialist at Litchfield Middle School, and I am your contact person for this school. I would like to personally thank you for your interest in our students. It seems that every student in the school is reading or has just finished The Bully. To say they were excited would be an understatement. Many of our students have already taken the AR test and passed it with flying colors! Why? Because it held their interest. It was about their culture! Thank you so much for all you do for our students!!! I am enclosing a copy of the newspaper article the Gadsden Times printed last week.

Julie L. Payne
Library Media Specialist

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Article in the Alabama Gadsden Times (September 3, 2008):

Getting into Books 
Tamara Henderson
Times Staff Writer

With all the distractions of technology—video games, television, the Internet—it’s a wonder books haven’t become obsolete to children.

One reason the word “book” hasn’t become an antiquity is because of educators such as Julie Payne.

Payne, library media specialist at Litchfield Middle School, said she noticed that when students were forced to read, reading lost its fun.

“Most people know about the Accelerated Reader Program that required the kids to read so many books and earn so many points,” she said. “I just thought that kids would read more if it’s not required, because it just becomes such a burden to them after a while.”    

Payne and other staff at LMS received a letter in May that offered them a way to get students to read for fun, and it would not cost the school or parents a penny. The students would even get something for nothing. “I wanted to give the kids an incentive, to show the ones that don’t like to read that reading is fun,” she said. “A book company called Townsend Press offered us free books for all three grades.”

Payne said the only payment the company required was a promise the staff would read the first chapter of each book to the children and take pictures of it with a camera the book company provided.

The school also had to photograph the children receiving the books as evidence the school gave them away rather than keeping them for the library.

“All we do is send the camera back with the pictures, and we get more free books for the kids,” she said. “The kids will get a total of nine books for free.”

Payne said the books are targeted toward minority children, of which the school is mostly comprised. “I interviewed some of these kids, and they would tell me other books were good, but that they just couldn’t relate to some of the stories,” she said. “African-American kids don’t get the chance to read a lot of true-to-life stories and these books are something they can relate to.”

Payne said the reading teachers at MLS didn’t need much coaxing and were ready to embrace a new program that encouraged the kids to read for fun rather than making it a requirement and a chore.

Since the school year began just a few weeks ago, Payne said, her students have received more reading points than they did during the first six weeks of school last year.

“You wouldn’t believe how many of the kids are reading now,” she said. “I’m so glad that we stepped out there and made that change.”

ARKANSAS

Dear Townsend Press,

I just wanted everyone to know how much we appreciated the timely shipment and the care your company took to make certain that we received all the Bluford books. We called every student to the library this morning to present each with his own official home library. I can’t tell you how many students stopped me in the hall to say thank you and hug my neck. You all would have been proud to see how their faces glowed this morning during distribution. I don’t know how to express my thanks for the gracious gift of books for every student, but you have made a difference in the lives of many students. We had the district PR man take pictures to put in the local newspaper, so we were certain to mention your company and its philosophy. Thanks for offering your support to make all students life-long readers!

Frances O’Dea
Literacy Coach
West Junior High School
331 West Barton
West Memphis, AR 72301

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Dear Townsend Press Editors,

I am an English teacher at Lee County School District in Marianna Arkansas. Marianna is located in the northern part of the Mississippi Delta. I am a first year Teach-for-America teacher and am struggling to find appropriate reading material for my students.   I teach 9th and 10th grade, but most of my students read around 3rd   - 5th grade level. Last year, we had 27 percent of our 11th graders make proficient or advanced proficient on the ACTAAP, (the end of year 11th graders in Arkansas take). Our goal is 55 percent this year, (the magic number to take Lee County Schools off the academic distressed schools list.)   I heard about your books and company from another teacher and ordered your Bluford series book with my start-of-the-school-year funds. I can’t tell you how thankful I am for your company and books it publishes. 

When the shipment of Bluford series books came in, I had students literally fighting over which ones they were going to read. “I just might read one of these books,”   said DeAngelo. “I haven’t read a book in looooooong time.”   Students from all over the school are coming to my class to pick up Bluford books. It is truly a blessing to have books students want to read. I am excited at the possibilities that this year has to help bring our school out of academic distress.

Our school is in the fifth year of the Arkansas academic improvement plan and in danger of redistributing or closing down and busing all students to other school.   I write this letter as a thanks as well as a request.

I want to give all of the male students in our school the book: Brother to Brother for a Christmas gift, to encourage reading over the break. Also I want to give our female students: It Couldn’t Happen To Me (or a book that you think would be comparable for females to Brother to Brother.)
I would need 200 books for Brother to Brother and 200 books for: : It Couldn’t Happen To Me. Please give a big thanks to the writers and editors; you are impacting student achievement much more than you could ever imagine.

Sincerely,

Micah Pearson
Lee County School District #1
188 W. Chestnut
Marianna, AR 72360

MISSISSIPPI

Wow! That is all I can say right now! When I saw all of those boxes of books,  I became ecstatic! I am so thankful to this company for fulfilling the awesome task of getting disadvantaged children empowered to read. Some of my students have never owned a book in their entire lives (12- 15 year-olds).
 
This has been a tremendous opportunity for me, as well. I am an avid lover of books! I love to read and I try to instill in my students that reading is fundamental. Hopefully, these books will spark a flame that will start a wildfire in their passion for reading. Again, I can not thank you enough for these books! If there is anything that we need to do to show how gracious we are, do not hesitate to let me know!

God Bless You and Thanks!

Chiconna Bowman
Coleman Middle School
Greenville, MS

Dear Townsend Press:

I am writing on behalf of the students at Ellerbe Middle School in Ellerbe, NC. We received our eight-book Bluford sets last week, and I cannot tell you how thrilled the students were! Many students had previously read some or all of the books, but the students were all anxious to read them. As I passed out the sets to the students, I heard comments such as “This is like Christmas!” and “You mean these are ours to keep … for free?” Teachers happily commented that they had to end their classes a few minutes early because students kept asking to read their books!

The majority of Ellerbe Middle School’s students come from economically disadvantaged homes. Our main goal is to get books into our students’ hands in order to promote reading. Your wonderful company has been a tremendous help as we continue to work towards that goal. Again, thank you for your generosity.

Michele Hutchison
EMS Literacy Coach

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Dear Townsend Press Associates:

I do not remember a time in 36 years of teaching that I have felt happier than this week and I have had lots of happy moments. On Monday, the media specialist, the media assistant, the technology specialist, a volunteer and I invited each class (31 in all) into the media center for 10 minutes to receive the sets of Bluford books. This was a surprise for the students and the teachers. I had told all the students that they would receive a surprise after reading “The Bully” and most were waiting to receive a food treat. Our theme was “read to succeed” including song and dance by the above mentioned as well as the students. We were attired in our “huge” sunglasses because we have such “bright readers at BMS”. The district superintendent, a local newspaper representative, and our district information specialist also visited. We received coverage both in our local paper and on our district website: www.bertie.k12.nc.us. I first inquired who had read “the Bully” when they took the books home and students replied that mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, cousins, grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, and even godmothers had read them. What a wonderful use of the books and what an excellent example of  how fantastic your company and the books are! As we presented the set of books to each student, each had to pledge that he/she would “read to succeed”. Since Monday, the staff has seen countless examples of the students keeping their pledges. The students took their books home but the majority are returning with a book to read each day. I have been able to walk up to students in the school and ask if they read last night and the reply has been “yes” with the chapter and title of a Bluford book. I have not encountered one child who has not responded positively. Teachers have told me that students are reading every chance they get and sometimes even when they are not supposed to be reading. It has been reported that students have bumped into adults in the hall because they are reading as they walk. The school bookkeeper reported that she met one of our students walking through the local grocery store reading her book as her mother shopped. Just today, a student stopped me in the hall and said his grandmother wanted him to ask me if she could have a set of the books. I had to explain that he would have to  share his as I had explained on Monday to all students. I could go on and on about all the great things that have occurred this week because of your generosity but I will just say a heartfelt thank you from the staff and students at Bertie Middle School. The ownership of books by students in one of the highest poverty areas in our state is a powerful tool in attaining our goal of success through reading. Your provision of that tool will not be forgotten.

Sincerely,

Retha Smith
Literacy Coach
Bertie Middle School
Windsor, NC

SOUTH CAROLINA

Wow! Christmas came early for my students here at Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School! The boxed sets of The Bluford Series came in this week! Yeah! I just finished distributing the books to all the students, and the response was fantastic!
 
I appreciate these wonderful gifts that your company has shared with us! God bless you!

Melissa Darnell
Bamberg, SC

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The books arrived yesterday. We are speechless! This an incredible gift. Thank you and Townsend Press so very much. We plan to give
incentives to students who read the books and pass the Accerated Reader test for each one. I have read them all and find that they each
speak to many of the issues these students face. What can we do to thank you enough?

Barbara Tackett
Information Technology Specialist
Southeast Middle School
31 Horrell Hill Road
Hopkins, SC 29061

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My name is Myron Foxworth and I am the literacy Coach here at St. Stephen Middle School. I wrote the letter to you that secured the books for our students.

First let me say thank you for providing this literacy adventure for our students. We decided to give out the Bully books on Friday, March 6, 2009 during our morning Academic Enrichment time. This 45 minute segment is usually used for remediation. My principal wanted to use this time so that I could do the read aloud over the PA system. I gave out the books to the homeroom teachers the day before. I shared with the teachers that I would be doing a whole school read aloud using the novel. On Friday morning I prepared the students by telling them we would be beginning a reading adventure together and that I would be introducing them to the novel by reading the first chapter. I asked the homeroom teachers to give the kids the books and I told each child to write his/her name in the books. I told them that the books were a gift from Townsend Press and that every student would be allowed to keep his/ her book.

I spent the next 15-20 minutes reading chapter one. Teachers also read along.  After I finished reading I told all the kids that I wanted them to make a prediction about what they thought would happen in the next chapter.  After I finished the whole school reading I used the 25 minutes that remained in the period to visit every class in our small school. I went into classes on the 8th grade corridor first. I found students actively engaged with the text.  The classrooms were quiet and I saw kids, who I have never seen reading independently before, reading and enjoying the moment. Before leaving one class a young man looked at me and said  “thanks Ms. Foxworth this is a good book”.  When I went to the 7th grade corridor I found more of the same. I found students reading and enjoying the opportunity to read something that they could immediately connect with.  The 6th graders were reading as well and the classes were completely quiet. Throughout the day on Friday kids in every grade were telling me that they really liked the book. Late in the afternoon a Special Ed student who usually stops by my office to get magazines told me that he enjoyed having me read the novel over the PA system. He said that he was happy that he could keep the book. He also admitted that he was looking forward to reading the book. Teachers reported that their students were so involved with the novel that many of the teachers wanted to get a copy as well.

Students were encouraged to leave their books at school so that they could be used during their SSR time.  I also wanted teachers to have them in their classes so that students could read when they were done with daily direct instruction and independent practice. Having the books proved to be a huge blessing for us. On Tuesday and Wednesday of the following week our students were taking the first section of our state mandated writing assessment. Having the Bully books for each student proved a valuable asset that  allowed the kids to not become bored when they completed this untimed assessment. I found that in every class students were pulling out their bully books to read after they finished testing. I had several teachers ask me for lessons that I could pill for them to use to make content specific connections to the text in their classes.

Student response was wide spread.  Ben a quiet, 6th grade boy who usually enjoys reading mystery books came to me before the end of the 1st week and sheepishly admitted to me that he did not think he would “like the book”;  after all he said, “this is not my kind of book”. I told him I understood.  What surprised me though was as he blushed he said loudly,  “but I am really enjoying this book! Ms Foxworth”. I wanted to hug Ben. He had made a genre shift and it was not scary but he learned to enjoy something new. I heard from Marqell another boy who is in the 8th grade. He quietly approached me and said “I am really getting into this book”. I asked him what he liked most and he said “1 just relate to how the character handled the struggles he faced”. We had a short discussion about bullies and how society often shows bullies as boys when in fact girls can be bullies too. O’Neal another 8th grader told his teacher that he could not pull himself away from his book. He was expelled last year and spent most his time causing trouble, not reading.  His teacher said that she had never seen this type of excitement in him. She shared that she often had to go over to him and quietly ask him to put his book away when they were done reading. After less than a week, Ben, the 6th grader, had his teacher call me. He had written a short reader’s response that he wanted to share with me. I have included the response and a photo of him reading it to me.

All over our school kids were coming up to me telling me they were really getting into the book. I encouraged them to keep reading and to take an AR test on the book when they were done. On March 18, another student approached me to chat with me about the book. This 8th grade girl was a troubled girl last year, being arrested and expelled. She had serious problems and handled all her difficulties with confrontations and verbal abuse. Alicia waited patiently for me to finish a conversation with another adult.  Shehad never really talked to me before. So I had no idea what she wanted to say to me. When she got my attention, she said to me “I have never read a chapter book before, but I just finished reading the Bully”. She added, I have never taken an AR test and done well, but I just finished my AR test on the Bully and I got 100%”. I started clapping, she was jumping up and down and then we hugged.  I had tears in my eyes as I sent her back to class. I went straight to my office and got her a treat and made a big deal of her accomplishment in front of her peers.

As I showed some visitors around our building this morning in every single classroom you could see kids reading the Bully or taking an AR test on the book. The atmosphere has changed at my school since begun reading this book. Teachers and students can be found having informal conversations about the events of the novel.  Even kids who have read the book before admitted that they are enjoying it again. I have always felt that if they can see themselves, or connect to the text then they will want to read.

Our Friday morning advisement session this week also made a connection to the book. The guidance counselor thought that since all our students are reading the book that this would be the perfect time to discuss bullying and have sessions in each class that would address this growing problem. I found that all the advisors were able to make real-life and textual connections that helped our students to truly grow from their reading experience.

Thank you for providing the link that many of our students needed to finally connect to a text and want to read for pleasure.  My heart is grateful for your generous gift and overwhelmed by what I have personally witnessed in this adventure.

I have attached some photos that I took to add to the ones that we took with your camera.

Thanks again for touching the lives of 235 students here at St. Stephen Middle.  We look forward to the new books that we will receive.


Sincerely,

Myron Foxworth, NCBT
Literacy Coach
St. Stephen Middle School
225 Carolina Ave
St. Stephen, SC 29479

TENNESSEE

We have the books!  There is great excitement at my school - all those boxes caused quite a stir.  I’ll send a formal thank-you letter after Thanksgiving, but I wanted to tell you now that Townsend Press and the Townsend Foundation are certainly on our "Things We Are Thankful For" list.
 
Thank you for all that you do, and please extend my best wishes for a blessed Thanksgiving to everyone there.
 
Kim Ford
Librarian
Cypress Middle School
Memphis, TN