Unite child development resources offered across the Monticello Community while creating motivation, education, and engaging opportunities to build best practice in early literacy development for all children.
Why Rally to Read?
In Minnesota, 500,000 children from kindergarten through 12ᵗʰ grade are not reading proficiently, and we cannot afford to wait until they enter school to address this crisis. The first four years of a child's life are critical for brain development and literacy, and missing this window means losing valuable time to build foundational reading skills. Rally to Read empowers our community to support early literacy from birth, ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed.
Vision
To equip families and the community with engaging resources to promote early literacy and build proficient readers at every grade level because brains are prepared for literacy development by age 3.
The Monticello Rally to Read initiative is dedicated to fostering a love of reading for children of all ages. Here, you will find a collection of valuable resources to support literacy development, early learning, and family engagement. Click on the links below to explore each resource and discover ways to incorporate literacy into your everyday life.
Monticello Community Education
Offering a variety of educational and enrichment programs for learners of all ages, including youth classes, family events, and community engagement opportunities.
Monticello Public Library
Explore a world of books, storytimes, and programs for children, teens, and adults. The library is a fantastic resource for fostering a lifelong love of reading
Books for Babies - Every child born in the Monticello community will receive a free book and resources on how to sign up for Imagination Library.
First Steps Central MN - Free and voluntary visits with a nurse during pregnancy and through your child's early years for connection to resources, parenting support, and child growth and development education.
First Steps Central MN First Steps Central MN is a regional public health program that provides free, voluntary home visiting services to families during pregnancy and early childhood. Their team of nurses partners with expectant parents and caregivers of young children to offer guidance on pregnancy, child development, and parenting, while also helping families build a safe, healthy home environment. Through regular visits (in-home, virtual, or in community locations), they provide education, answer questions, and connect families to local resources and support services tailored to their needs. Overall, the program’s goal is to support families early, strengthen parenting skills, and promote healthy outcomes for children and caregivers across central Minnesota communities.
Little Moments Count
Discover tips and tools to turn everyday moments into brain-building opportunities for your child.
Parent Powered Texts from Think Small
Receive fun, easy activity ideas directly to your phone, helping you engage with your child through literacy and learning.
MN Literacy Coalition
Access resources and support for literacy programs across Minnesota, including family literacy events and adult learning services.
MN Reading Corps
A proven tutoring program that helps young learners build critical reading skills.
Early Learning Corps
Focused on providing individualized support to help young children get a strong start in their literacy journey.
Imagination Library
Sign up to receive free, age-appropriate books delivered to your home each month for children under five.
We believe that literacy is a community effort, and every word counts. Explore these resources to support the young readers in your life and join us in making magic happen through reading!
Summary: Monticello is spearheading a community-wide initiative called "Monticello's Rally to Read" to enhance early literacy among its children. This effort unites educators, parents, and local organizations to ensure that every child is "wired" to read by age 3 and achieves grade-level reading proficiency. The initiative focuses on raising awareness, providing resources to parents and guardians, ensuring each child has a nurturing adult, implementing timely interventions, and tailoring strategies to meet the diverse needs within the community. Superintendent Eric Olson describes the response as overwhelmingly enthusiastic, with over 60 community members actively participating. This model aims to inspire similar literacy-focused efforts across Minnesota.
Summary: Monticello is leading a community-wide effort to improve early literacy through Monticello’s Rally to Read. In response to declining reading scores—dropping from 71% in 2018 to 54% in 2023—Superintendent Eric Olson and local leaders have mobilized educators, parents, and community members to ensure all children are on track to read proficiently by third grade. The initiative focuses on increasing awareness, supporting parents, and providing early interventions tailored to the needs of Monticello families. With overwhelming community support, Rally to Read aims to create a model for improving literacy that can inspire other Minnesota communities.
Your support helps us provide essential literacy resources and programs for children in our community. Click the link below to make a difference and help every child develop strong reading skills from the start!
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Thank you for your work to unite child development resources offered across the Monticello Community while creating motivation, education, and engaging opportunities to build best practice in early literacy development for all children.
Fill out the information that is applicable to the event/activity to which you are reporting on to help us understand how our collective efforts are making a difference for kids and families in Monticello.
Join the Rally to Read Movement: Help Build a Community of Readers
Improving literacy takes a community. We welcome volunteers of all ages and backgrounds — including families, students, educators, community members, businesses, teams, and organizations — to share their time, talents, and passion for helping children develop a love of reading.
Monticello Rally to Read Community Connections Team: Building a Community of Lifelong Readers
The Monticello Rally to Read initiative is dedicated to fostering early literacy and building strong community connections. Our Community Connections Team focuses on enhancing existing programs and exploring new opportunities to support young readers in Monticello.
Purpose
Provide Monticello Community families with county and school resources from birth through age four. The resources will be vetted as better/best practices for raising happy and healthy children. A big focus area of the resources will be receiving and using age-appropriate children’s books to develop pre-reading skills even before children are old enough for kindergarten. In a study of nearly 100,000 U.S. school children, access to printed materials was the key variable affecting reading acquisition.
Newborn Book Bags
Currently assembled by the Friends of the Library, these book bags are given to families at the Monticello Hospital Family Birthing Center. Each bag includes a board book, a coupon for an additional book at the library, and resource handouts. Ongoing discussions include:
Storage & Distribution: Exploring storage solutions at local schools and expanding distribution through public health programs, childcare facilities, and community organizations like Baby Café and ECFE.
Expansion Goals: Considering outreach to at-risk families and exploring follow-up interventions for children until they reach school age.
Imagination Library
The Imagination Library program provides free monthly books to children from birth to age five.
Imagination Library Resources:
The initiative currently benefits from grants provided by Wright Hennepin and Centerpoint Energy. Plans are underway to:
Develop a fundraising strategy in collaboration with the Monticello School District.
Engage volunteers from groups like the Rotary and Friends of the Library.
Get Involved
The Monticello Rally to Read holds regular large group and team meetings to plan, share updates, and build partnerships. Community members, organizations, and volunteers are encouraged to join us in supporting literacy for Monticello families.
The Magic Book Bus team is focused on fostering meaningful connections with families and individuals who may feel underrepresented in traditional school engagement activities. Once a week this summer, our Magic Book Bus will "pop up" in a special location in our community. We will set up games, give out books and connect with families.
Join us at our upcoming Magic Book Bus pop-ups! (See the calendar below for upcoming dates and locations.)
Our Goal
Make Connections: Reach out to those who may be reluctant to engage with traditional literacy activities. Build relationships by bringing books to families where they are—in familiar, comfortable community spaces.
Our Mission
We aim to travel around the Monticello community to promote the joy of literacy. By bringing our Book Bus to them we are focused on engaging with families in casual settings. We offer simple, everyday ways to bring literacy into their lives. Our approach is flexible—focused on access to books, connections, and games.
Our Approach
Accessible: We prioritize creating a non-intimidating and accessible Book Bus environment.
Pop-Up Fun & Games: Hosting spontaneous, low-pressure events in familiar community spaces to naturally engage families.
Modeling Literacy Through Play: Demonstrating simple literacy activities through games and everyday interactions.
Initial Ideas & Outreach Strategies
Community Engagement:
Our Book Bus will travel to common community locations.
Connecting with local community leaders to help bridge relationships and offer resource connections.
Highlighting the importance of maintaining a second language at home and its benefits to literacy development.
Accessible Locations:
Parks
Neighborhoods
Local parking lots
Building Partnerships:
Recruiting teachers, staff and Hoglund bus drivers who are passionate about connecting with diverse groups in non-traditional ways.
First Steps
Mapping the Community: Identifying key locations around Monticello where families gather and feel comfortable.
Planning Book Bus Events: Stocking a traveling Book Bus with donated books and simple games for all ages & hosting storytime sessions in everyday community spaces.
Get Involved
The Magic Book Bus team welcomes volunteers who share our passion for connecting with families in new and creative ways. Whether through casual conversations, fun games, or meeting up at our Book Bus stops, your involvement can help promote the joy of literacy throughout Monticello.
Monticello Rally to Read: Education and Awareness Team
The Education and Awareness team is dedicated to promoting literacy by supporting childcare providers, engaging families, and creating educational opportunities throughout the Monticello community. By building relationships with local daycares, childcare providers, and parents, we aim to foster a love for reading from an early age.
Our Goals
Empower Childcare Providers: Offer resources and activities to support literacy development in local daycare and childcare settings.
Engage Families: Create opportunities for parents and caregivers to learn simple, effective ways to encourage reading at home.
Promote Literacy Community-Wide: Incorporate literacy themes into existing community events to broaden our reach and impact.
Our Mission
We believe that literacy starts early and extends beyond the classroom. By equipping childcare providers with engaging resources and offering educational opportunities for families, we aim to create a strong foundation for lifelong learning in the Monticello community.
Our Approach
Resource Development: Curate sets of books paired with fun, educational activities to distribute to local daycares and childcare centers.
Events for Childcare Providers: Host appreciation and educational events that support providers in fostering literacy among the children in their care.
Community Collaboration: Partner with schools, city organizations, and local resources to integrate literacy-focused activities into existing events, making them accessible to more families.
Initial Ideas & Outreach Strategies
Book and Activity Sets: Develop literacy kits that include age-appropriate books and simple projects or activities to encourage interactive learning in daycare environments.
Childcare Provider Events: Plan events that both celebrate and educate childcare providers, offering them tools and strategies to incorporate literacy into daily routines.
Piggybacking on Community Events: Work with schools and city planners to incorporate literacy elements into larger community events, inviting daycares, childcare families, and local resources to participate.
Parent Education: Identify ways to expand outreach to parents, offering them tips and resources to support reading at home.
Get Involved
The Education and Awareness team welcomes volunteers who are passionate about early childhood literacy and community engagement. Whether by helping assemble literacy kits, planning events, or connecting with local childcare providers, your involvement will make a meaningful impact on young readers in Monticello.
Monticello Rally to Read: Every Kid, Every Day Team
The Every Kid, Every Day Team is dedicated to expanding access to books and fostering a love for reading throughout the Monticello community. By enhancing Little Libraries and building strong volunteer networks, we aim to ensure that every child has opportunities to engage with reading, every day.
Purpose
Develop structures that ensure every student meets age-appropriate reading readiness benchmarks and receives the academic and social/emotional support needed to thrive.
Little Free Libraries: Expanding Access to Books
We are focused on growing and maintaining Little Free Libraries across Monticello to make books easily accessible to families. Key initiatives include:
New Installations & Maintenance: Partnering with local groups and volunteers to install and restock Little Free Libraries with fresh books.
Community Partnerships: Collaborating with the City of Monticello to place Little Free Libraries in parks, ball fields, dog parks, and other public spaces.
Book Collection: Collecting gently used books from garage sales and community donations to keep the libraries stocked.
Compliance & Guidelines: Reviewing rules and guidelines for Little Free Libraries to ensure proper placement and management.
Building Volunteerism Across the Community
The Every Kid, Every Day Team is creating opportunities for volunteers to support literacy initiatives across Monticello. Volunteer opportunities include:
In Schools & Classrooms:
Storytime Volunteers to read in classrooms.
Recess Readers and Lunch Buddy Readers to encourage reading during breaks.
Summer Reading Programs and language exposure activities.
Expanding literacy in places and spaces where families gather
Senior Center & Community Spaces: Encouraging senior volunteers to help with Little Libraries and reading programs.
Community Events: Engaging in local events like the MontiArts GLOW Festival, where we've hosted a booth, distributed glow-in-the-dark stickers, and shared reading tip sheets, along with winter storytime activities for families.
Marketing & Outreach
To engage more community members, we’re rolling out creative marketing and outreach strategies:
Flyers & QR Codes: Distributing flyers with QR codes at popular community spots to encourage volunteer sign-ups.
Budgeting for Materials: Allocating funds for promotional materials like stickers and flyers to spread awareness.
Surveys & Feedback: Sending surveys to schools to identify volunteer needs and areas where literacy support is most needed.
Communication: Sharing resources and strategies.
Get Involved
Whether you’d like to help maintain a Little Library, volunteer in classrooms, or participate in community events, the Every Kid, Every Day Team offers many ways to get involved in supporting literacy in Monticello. Together, we can ensure that reading becomes a daily habit and joy for every child in our community.
Inclusive Community Outreach: Design and implement strategies to engage and reach every community within our district, ensuring cultural representation and inclusivity in all efforts.
Spanish-Speaking Community Engagement: Develop a targeted plan to effectively connect with Spanish-speaking families and create accessible resources that support their needs.
Early Childhood Family Connections: Build relationships with families of children aged 0-4 by incorporating diverse early childhood education options, ensuring a strong foundation for all students.
Help us build a vibrant and resource-rich library for our students at Monticello High School! Your support enables us to purchase updated titles, enhance our media resources, host author visits, and create engaging reading programs.
