Starting on Jan. 29 to Feb. 11 begin tracking your reading on the provided tracking sheet.
Friday, February 9: Read-a-thon Spirit Day! Dress like a favorite character from a book!
Return your tracking sheet to your teacher on Monday, February 12.
Individual Prizes:
BRONZE PRIZE: Read 200 minutes total (100 Spanish + 100 English) 🡪 Treat at local store
SILVER PRIZE: Read 400 minutes total (200 Spanish + 200 English) 🡪Treat at local store and a book
Class Prizes:
GOLD PRIZE: 70% of the class participates 🡪 Teacher choice
PLATINUM PRIZE: Top three classes with the highest participation 🡪 Ms. O class takeover
Commonly asked questions:
Do I have to read in both English and Spanish? For K to 5 grade yes. You should track reading in English and Spanish. You will need to read both to win the prizes. If your child is in TK, reading in Spanish is optional.
Can I count reading done through Learning A-Z or other online reading websites? Absolutely!
Can I read instead of doing my homework? Nope, class assignments always come first. However, any time your teacher gives you for extra reading beyond your normal assignments will count.
Do I have to do my reading all in one sitting? Nope! Please read throughout the day and track all your minutes. Then you can total all your minutes on your tracking sheet for the day.
What if I struggle to read independently right now? For those who are able, reading independently is encouraged. However, for emerging readers, books read aloud and audio books can be counted, as well as sight-word practice and phonics practice. All kids learn differently, and parents are best able to determine how their child learns and comprehends reading right now.
How do I find the right book? Your teacher can help but a good rule of thumb is to count unknown words on a random page. If there are only a few (fewer than 5) words that you don’t know then it’s a “just right” book! If there are more than 5 unknown words on the page, it’s a “not right now” book. You can also find book lists and recommendations at https://mistral-pta.org/how-to-find-the-right-book/
Who can I reach out to with a question or for help? The Read-A-Thon is being organized by the Mistral Parent Teacher Association (PTA). If you have any questions, please contact mistralpta@gmail.com.
How can I submit my minutes? Turn in the tracking sheet to your teacher on Monday, February 12. Please ensure names are legible.
Can TK participate? Absolutely, reading to your child counts. Siblings can also read together.
Bookmark Design Context 2023-2024:
Congratulations to the winners of Mistral’s bookmark competition! We had lots of excellent submissions and it was tough for our judges, Ms. O and Ms. Love, to make the final determination. The winning bookmarks will be distributed during the Mistral Readathon. Thanks for all the submissions and excitement for our school!
The Mistral PTA Walkathon is our community’s biggest fundraising event of the year. All proceeds from this PTA-sponsored event go directly towards student field-trips, school library books, classroom supplies, campus beautification projects, and other classroom enrichment programs.
In the weeks before the Walkathon, students are encouraged to raise money by collecting pledges from friends and family for walking laps around the school field. Then, on November 3, we will come together to cheer on our students, celebrate our community, and raise funds for our school!
How to Participate:
Before the event:
Fill out the permission form that each student will receive through their teacher.
Sign up for a volunteer shift on Konstella. We can’t make this day happen without parent volunteers!
Start asking friends and family for donations. Students can create a fundraising page on 99pledges or can use the paper donation form they will receive in class.
During the event:
Cheer on your child and their classmates in their colorful Walkathon t-shirts at the event on November 3.
Purchase food, drink, baked goods, and Mistral Spirit Wear.
Volunteer with other Mistral parents and families.
Celebrate our community and have fun!
After the event:
Be sure to turn in your pledge form and any donations by November 17 to be eligible for prizes.
Enjoy the amazing programming and resources provided to the school by your fundraising efforts!
Prize Categories:
Student from each grade who raises the most pledges will receive a top donor pin from Ms. O and a $25 ColdStone gift card.
Top 3 classes with the highest % of volunteers will receive an ice cream social.
Top 3 classes that raise the most pledges will receive a class party of their choice pizza or doughnuts and 15 minutes of extra recess the following Friday.
99 Pledges:
99Pledges is our online pledge system, which will allow Mistral students to request and collect pledges from friends and family who would like to donate online with a credit card or PayPal. Each student can create a custom web page to share with potential donors via email or social media. Donors click the child’s unique web page and make a pledge in a few easy steps. Donation pages are only visible to whomever you send your Mistral Pledge link to. Parents and kids can monitor progress toward their fundraising goals and send thank-you emails from the site. Go to 99pledges now!
Click “Add” > this will take you to your newly created pledge page.
Share your personal fundraising page with friends and family!
Walkathon Pledge Sheet:
Those students who wish to use the hard-copy pledge sheet may absolutely do so! Those forms, along with collected cash and checks, can be turned into the Mistral office. Extra forms are also available in the Mistral office.
99pledges FAQ:
Do sponsors need to leave a tip when they make a pledge? NO. 99Pledges makes it look like you have to leave a tip. You DO NOT. When making a donation, please choose “Other” and manually enter .0 and no tip will be added.
Where can I find the link to my child’s page? You will receive an email with the information. Another way is to copy the link in the address bar after you’ve added your child to 99Pledges and have been directed to their personal page. The link is also located under the social media logos.
Do donors need to log into Google or have a 99pledges account? No. Donors simply click the link that you share with them to be guided through a few simple screens to make a payment.
When will my credit card be charged? Donors will be charged right away. Funds will be available to Mistral to use within 3 days of donating!
How do I delete my child’s page? If donations have been made to your child’s page, then we cannot delete the page until all accounting for the Walkathon is complete. After that time, our 99pledges administrators will delete the page. If no donations have come in from that page when you request to delete it, the 99pledges administrator can delete the page immediately.
Walkathon FAQs:
What is the Walkathon? This is a big, wonderful event designed to bring our community together and to raise money for the Mistral PTA! Students walk laps around the field, earning lap markings and prizes after reaching certain benchmarks. Students raise money by finding sponsors for each lap they complete.
Who participates? Every student at Mistral. They must have a signed permission form to participate and be supervised by an adult during the event.
How long is the event? The event begins at 12:10 pm on the blacktop. The students begin marching shortly after a big group picture and a few announcements. The walking will end at 4pm.
Do parents need to be there? Yes. Since it is after school, all students in every grade must have a parent or supervisor there.
My child is usually in after school care, is that still an option? Yes, YMCA and Right at School programs will be running. Parents will be able to pick up their children from those programs and drop them off again afterward if needed. Additionally, Right at School will bring students to walk for a limited time. You will receive more information from those programs.
Does my child need to walk the whole time? No. They can take a break with you if they’re feeling tired or hungry, then get back on the course until you’re ready to go home! Walking until the end is optional. The maximum number of laps to mark off on their t-shirts is 75. This is a challenge many students take very seriously!
What should my child wear? Comfortable shoes with socks, and a hat is a good idea. Every child will get a new Mistral Walkathon t-shirt the day of the event. Students will get their laps marked on the back of their new shirts at the Lap Marking Station every time they complete a loop. Students wear their t-shirts throughout the year on field trips, school spirit days, or anytime they feel like it!
How will students stay hydrated? Water will be provided along the course.
Will there be food? Yes! There will be food available for purchase.
How do I pay for food and other items at the event?: Please come prepared with both cash and a credit card! The bake sale and homemade food will take tickets only. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket booth with cash or credit card.
Do I have to collect pledges? The Mistral PTA has to raise $250 per student to fully fund our budget for the year. The Walkathon is a good opportunity to ask friends and family to donate. If you would like to donate directly to the PTA, you can do so via the Mistral PTA website.
Where does the money go? The funds raised during the Walkathon support the Mistral PTA, which pays for field trips, after school classes, library books, classroom supplies, and so much more!
