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  OK, everyone, here is my hit on class awards.  I agree with many of the
points that people brought up during this discussion and I appreciate all of
the input that I received.  I don't know if I will be implementing a program
like this or not but you gave me some food for thought.
  I went through each message I received and took notes.  I could not cut and
paste because of the email program that I am currently using.
  I have divided it into three sections.  Two of the sections directly relate to
the questions I asked in my original post.  One section is a program that
someone has used which I thought was a little too complicated to break up into
one or two sentences.
  In regards to the percentage of returned books eligble for an award, I only
got two percentages.  One was 100% and the other one was 60% (for the entire
year).

Different award systems used:
  Have a party for the class(es) -- Luau, popcorn, special story time, video,
    read-aloud, etc.
  Awards given to students -- Many Happy Returns for least number of overdues,
    Star Reader for the most checkouts, and Book Buddy for anyone else
  Blue Ribbon award
  Ice cream to first class with all books turned in (at end of the year)
  Award for the classroom door
  Give individual bags of popcorn/popsicles/stickers to each child in the class
  Announce the winning teacher's name during the morning announcements
  Give seasonal decorations or a stuffed animal or puppet on loan to entire
    classes
  Allow reliable students to check out an extra book
  Give a book to any student who has not had an overdue all year
  Set a date (ex. 10th) per month that any class without overdues will get an
    award
  Have a star with the class name and "We returned all of our library books on
    time" to give to each class that qualifies
  A special storytime to the top two classes at the end of the year
  Five weeks earn a treat (lollipop, bookmark, etc)
  Seven weeks earns a party

Tips:
  Chart for recording the number of weeks each class has not had an overdue book
  Don't count anyone who is absent or has a book out on open circulation
  Set a number of weeks that the class has to earn before giving a party
  For kindergarten students, if one or two children forget their books, give
    them until the next day
  Have a grace period that extends either until the following morning or until
    their class comes to the library again
  Stress the concept of borrowing & returning
  Reward students who are responsible
  Work with teachers, parents, and administrators
  Allow renewals of books
  Use bright colored paper for a reminder for a child's homework folder (K-3)
    that says MY LIBRARY DAY IS ___________)
  Each class must have 3 overdues or less per week

A neat program:  (I may use this idea.)
  I reward individuals - at the end of each month every child that returned
his or her book the entire month is eligible to be in a raffle.  All
names are entered into a box and one is picked.  That child can choose a
prize from my prize drawer (assorted stuff from Oriental Trading Co.)  If
that child was already picked during the school year, we pick another and
they BOTH get prizes.  We pick until there is a NEW winner in the class.
We do this at the end of library time the last class of the month.
  It takes some "bookkeeping" - I use index cards with all kids in the class
listed.  At the end of  each class, I quickly cross off the names of the
ones who did not return their books.  That way, at the end of the month,
whoever is left is in the raffle.  At the end of the year,  everyone who
was in the raffle every month automatically gets a prize.
  I see this as an incentive to help kids bring back their books.  It works for
many.  There will always be the ones who are NEVER in the raffle.  Can't help
it.  It is rare that I have a class where EVERYONE  returns books.  One
year I had such a first grade - more than once they all returned so I
brought in a treat for everyone and they felt really special.  I find it
doesn't take much to have them feel good.

Vickib Asper
Media Coordinator
Rockfish Hoke Elementary School
Raeford, NC  28376
veraken-vicki@redrose.net

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