Using Time Wisely

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Summer Reading: Barnes & Noble

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To encourage students in using time wisely by reading and learning this summer, a number of organizations have developed Summer Reading Programs. The bookstore giant Barnes & Noble offers a free book for reading 8 books.

Photograph Credit: Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program is here to help you on your way, encouraging you to read books of your own choosing and earn a FREE book, simply by following these three easy steps:

1. Read any eight books this summer and record them in this Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Imagination’s Destination Journal. Be sure to let us know to whom you would recommend each book, and why.

2. Bring your completed journal to a Barnes & Noble store between May 24 and September 6, 2011.

3. Choose your FREE reading adventure from the book list featured on the back of the journal.

Participation is for students in 1st through 6th grades. To participate, visit the Barnes & Noble web site, download and print the journal, and read.

Free Movie for Good Grades

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Last week, I shared about free doughnuts for good grades and how my son participated. Today, I will explain a new-to-me program. Blockbuster is offering a free movie rental for good grades. According to http://www.blockbuster.com/goodgrades, these are the participation requirements:

  • Each eligible student can rent one movie from the Favorites (older movie) collection at participating Blockbuster stores for each grading period.
  • Student must have at least a B average
  • The student’s original signed report card must be presented at time of redemption.
  • Redemption must occur within 30 days of receiving the report card.
  • Program is for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
  • Each student in the family is eligible for redemption.

Since this program is for participating stores, I would call ahead to be sure your store is participating before heading out. Our local Blockbusters participate. Yeah! My son will be thrilled to show his report card for the rewards of doughnuts and a movie.

Wow . . . I’m glad my son gets to participate in these programs. When I was in school, I remember earning an ice cream cone from McDonalds for good grades. The act of taking my report card and showing someone else what I accomplished encouraged me to continue working hard.  I appreciate these companies rewarding my student for his hard work, and I make sure to express my gratitude while visiting their businesses.

Looking for more GOOD GRADE rewards? Chuck E. Cheese rewards up to 15 tokens per student with a food purchase. Also, http://goodgraderewards.com lists many rewards from different businesses. Our family might have to check out some of these.

Doughnuts for Good Grades

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As the third quarter of the school year draws to a close, our family will be making a stop at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. At our Krispy Kreme store, each student (K-6th grade) gets to choose a doughnut for each “A” or Satisfactory earned, up to 6 doughnuts.

I first heard about this program from a friend. She mentioned taking her kids to get doughnuts on the day they received their report card. Since our schedule did not permit me to take our son, my husband took our son that weekend.

At the store, my son presented his report card with the first quarter marks. The cashier took the time to acknowledge his hard work and have him choose 6 doughnuts. The kind-hearted child that he is, my son chose doughnuts to share with the family, like the one with sprinkles for his sister and the chocolate cake one for mom. Yum!

If you are preparing for a report card soon and you live near a Krispy Kreme Doughnut store, I hope your store participates as this program has been encouraging and delicious for our family.

Pizza Hut’s Book It Program

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Pizza Hut's Book It Program

Photograph Credit: Pizza Hut

My son’s class participates in Pizza Hut’s Book It Program. His teacher assigns an amount of reading time to be completed during the month (i.e. 300 minutes).

Each day I log the amount of time Hubby and I have read to him. At the end of the month, I add up the minutes and submit my son’s reading log back to his teacher.

When we meet the set goal (i.e. 300 minutes), his teacher sends home a Book It coupon. We can then take the coupon to any Pizza Hut and receive a free one-topping personal pan pizza during that month.

Not only does my son enjoy his pizza, he also sees the rewards of reading. My daughter is also excited about joining the reading program because she would really like to have her own pizza.

I usually hang on to the coupon and use it on a day we need to stay at school.  When that day arrives, I will redeem the Book It coupon at our local Pizza Hut. My son will eat his own personal pan pizza, and I will purchase a $6 full pizza pie for the girls and me to share.

This arrangement is a win-win situation. My kids enjoy eating lunch at school with their friends, and I enjoy a meal with my kids without breaking the family budget.