Road To Success Forum Meeting Minutes
September 22-24

The following items were discussed:

Kick Off Ideas

1.                  3 student band performed with Chief as a launch concert -

2.                  Dunk tank concept that hangs water balloons over the teacher’s head and allows student for every 1000 min read they get to submit a vote for a teacher to stand under the balloon while they throw a ball at the target that pops the balloon above the teacher/administrator’s head.

3.                  Drawing every 2 weeks, mini motivations – got additional community partners to motivate students to stay on target and committed to reading 20 minutes a day.

4.                  2 kick off assemblies on the same day – first importance of reading and reading 20 minutes a day and then the second fun assembly and the creativeness of how they were encouraging reading.

5.                  Kick off with principal riding huge tricycles and raced around the school. Talked about the importance of reading and the competition of reading 20 minutes a day.

6.                  Trucking company tracks their miles and has challenged an elementary school to a race based on minutes read vs. miles driven. They track minutes vs miles and each month they see who has driven or read more.

7.                  Bike locks – 3 to 5 kids are drawn as finalists for the opportunity to win the bike. The kids get one of 5 lucky keys and the one that opens the lock winds the bike.

8.                  Principal of Goshen Elementary has a twin and they dressed identically and developed a magic act that challenged the students to double their minutes. As the principal walked off one side of the stage behind the curtain his twin walked out from the other side of the curtain and discussed the idea of doubling their minutes.

9.                  Read-A-Thon all day.  Kids read for 20 minute increments, take a break.  They could read in the Principals palace that was built as a reading palace. They were invited to enter the reading palace and were rewarded based on the number of minutes read.  

10.              Ken Garff Reading Rap written by 5^th graders and approved by faculty and put to music. They then performed the Rap over the intercom

11.              Skits about how to set reading goals, reading with Chief, silly hat skits,

12.              Songs – We will rock (read) you, Mama Mia video

13.              Elementary School focused their Kick off Assembly on the joy of reading and not just focused on submitting reading slips for the chance at winning the bike. They had a high energy assembly and encouraged both.

14.              School video taped last year’s event when the school made the principal into an Ice Cream Sundae – Principal asked students to what they wanted to do this year but the video was a true inspiration and provided great humor for their kick off. – The school challenged the Principal to dress up as a ballerina

15.              Top dog Readers per month with a traveling trophy (stuffed animals, class get it is they read the most minutes that month) Chief doll available as an additional cost.

16.              Launch assembly with students riding their bikes or scooters riding around the school in a organized route.

17.              Song about reading written and developed to the song  “Walk” to the Madagascar sound track

18.              University teams come to your school – contact the athletic departments for team who need community service hours.  They focus on setting goals and staying focused

19.              Where is Chief reading now? Pictures taken while Chief is at your school reading books in different areas such as the principals desk, the gym, the jungle bars, under a desk, in the library, and cafeteria.

20.              Holly Newton – author does book reviews for schools, gives her book – cost involved

21.              Partnered with the Harlem Globe Trotters – trotting around the world games and books from around the world – one of the team comes out and reads to the students, there might be costs associated with students purchasing tickets.

22.              BYU – Utah challenge – Students choose a team and then read over a period of time to compete. They keep score by the minutes read. Focus on 20 minutes a day and getting all students to participate. Daily scores are read as a play by play announcement and morning announcements drive the contest. Teachers wear their school colors that support the event.

Launch – Incentives

1.                  Patient with our switches

2.                  Materials should be in the right quantities if schools have the right count on the web site

3.                  Are your schools banners up?

4.                  Bikes – Walmart questions?

a.       If you get the wrong size bikes please contact Ken Garff and we will talk you through the exchange.

b.      Please pick up your bikes by October 1^st.

Website Training

1.                  Kengarffroad.com

2.                  Login – “Schools” tab is where you put in your code and password

3.                  Code & Password is inside your binder front cover on a sticker. If you can’t find this please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

4.                  Update your information – student #, staff #, contact info for principal and liaison, reading goal for the year, update your actual minutes read all the time. DO NOT USE ANY COMMAS! Update your minutes weekly if possible.

5.                  When you make a change it takes 24 hours for the website to approve your changes.  During this time your school will NOT be listed at all in the leader board.  Have patience. 

6.                  Chief – please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it when you are ready to schedule Chief

Sponsors

1.                  In your packet was a list of the sponsors and their addresses.  Please during the year send a note to the sponsors.

2.                  How can any of the sponsors help you?  Can they volunteer in your school?  Can they do a presentation for you? 

3.                  Zion’s Bank – As a supporter of Road to Success, Zion’s Bank not only values the literacy for children, it also promotes financial literacy.  Zion’s Bank employees enjoy teaching K-12 kids age-appropriate, 30-45 minute lessons in understanding needs versus wants, budgeting, savings, and basic interest.  If a classroom in your school would like to invite a banker to visit, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

4.                  Scholastic’s link for their handout from your packet is scholastic.com search 10 Ways to Motivate Your Child to Learn.  There is no link for a Spanish handout.

5.                  Ken Garff – you will be emailed a spreadsheet to fill in your staff and teachers for the appreciation certificates in November.  Please return promptly.

Next Forum Meetings

1.                  North Meeting – November 10^th at Clearfield High School in the Media Center at 3 pm.

2.                  Central Meeting – November 11^th at Murray High School in the Choir Room at 3 pm

3.                  South Meeting – November 12^th at Mt. View High School in the Choir Room at 3 pm.