More Than 60 Prime Time Programs to Reach Louisiana Communities This Fall
More than 60 Prime Time Family Reading and Prime Time Preschool Reading programs will take place in 21 parishes across Louisiana from August through December.
A program of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH), Prime Time programs involve story sharing around an award-winning children’s book during a weekly session that takes place for six weeks at libraries, schools, churches, community centers and other local community gathering places. Prime Time Family Reading, for ages 6-10, and Prime Time Preschool Reading, for ages 3-5, encourage families to personally connect with literature and each other and think beyond basic plot details by using open-ended questioning that spurs and encourages rich discussion across generations. For Preschool Reading, hands-on activities are incorporated to keep younger children engaged.
This school year, Prime Time is partnering with New Schools for New Orleans (NSNO), a nonprofit founded in 2006 with a mission to deliver on the promise of excellent public schools for every child in New Orleans, to bring Prime Time programs to a record number of schools in Orleans Parish.
“New Schools for New Orleans is excited to announce our partnership with the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities through the Prime Time program. Twenty-two charter schools received funding to host a Prime Time program at their school site this fall,” said Nan Sterling, NSNO chief of schools. “We support our schools by increasing their commitment to family engagement and literacy. We look forward to visiting the schools and seeing our families interact with the program and bond with their children through the love of reading.”
Through the support of its partners, Prime Time programs are free for families and the community organizations throughout the state that host them. Families start the program by sharing a meal and also get to keep the books from the sessions to help build their home libraries. Prime Time’s fall reading programs are also sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Shell Oil Company Foundation, Entergy Charitable Foundation, Zemurray Foundation, Community Foundation of North Louisiana, the Beaird Family Foundation, the Lamar Family Foundation, and the State of Louisiana.
Families can find a fall Prime Time program near them, along with contact information and dates, by visiting https://primetimefamily.org/prime-time-reading-families/#map.
“As we begin the new school year it’s exciting to envision our Prime Time programs reaching so many families,” said Miranda Restovic, president and executive director of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and Prime Time, Inc. “Whether it’s in a school, a public library, a church or a community center, the goal of Prime Time is to expand on the literacy efforts already taking place in our state while opening up a world of questioning and discussion that will lead to our next generation of critical thinkers.”
In addition to Louisiana sites, Prime Time reading programs are hosted by state humanities councils throughout the United States. This fall, Prime Time will also take place in Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska and Washington.
Teachers and Teacher Assistants Invited to Job Fair
Head Start teachers, Early Head Start teachers, and Teacher Assistants looking for a new opportunity are invited to get to know Prime Time Head Start and Early Head Start at a Job Fair on Wednesday, Aug. 9, from 9 a.m. to noon at Prime Time Head Start, 420 Dodson St., New Iberia. Prime Time, an initiative of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, offers generous benefits, a $1,000 sign-on bonus, and four locations in Iberia and Lafayette Parishes. Benefits, a list of current openings, and the online applications are available on our employment page.
Storyteller Spotlight: Natalie Marshall Williams
Natalie Marshall Williams first experienced Prime Time as a parent participant and was so impressed with the program she decided to become a trained storyteller. For the past 13 years, she has served in numerous roles – as a preschool facilitator, a scholar, a storyteller, a trainer, and a content developer for Prime Time HomeRoom and HomeRoom@Home.
Her favorite Prime Time Book: “The Big Orange Splot” by Daniel Pinkwater. “I like that it normalizes being yourself. It makes it okay to be different, to live your own truth. I also like that it pushes the idea that sometimes something that seems like a problem can turn out to be okay. And it’s so much fun,” she said.
Prime Time Partners with New Schools for New Orleans
Prime Time is excited to partner with New Schools for New Orleans (NSNO) to bring Prime Time programs to a record number of Orleans Parish schools this coming 2023-24 academic year.
NSNO is a nonprofit organization founded in 2006 with a mission to deliver on the promise of excellent public schools for every child in New Orleans. In keeping with that mission, NSNO is generously supporting Prime Time Family Reading and Prime Time Preschool Reading programs at 22 New Orleans public schools in the fall. Sharing a mission to engage families and their entire communities in literacy-skill development, we at Prime Time can’t wait to engage in this partnership and support New Orleans students’ success.
Register Now for Head Start for the 2023-24 School Year
Registration is now open for families for free preschool in Lafayette and Iberia Parishes.
Prime Time Head Start and Early Head Start is accepting applications for children ages six weeks to 5 years old for four locations, two in Lafayette, one in New Iberia, and one in Jeanerette.
A federally-funded program, Head Start is offered at no cost to qualifying families. Families interested in enrolling their child can visit www.primetimefamily.org for more information and a link to the registration portal.
A program of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, Prime Time Head Start and Early Head Start help children build basic skills, develop a love of literacy and hone critical-thinking abilities that will set the foundation for lifelong learning.
Prime Time Head Start follows a Tier 1 Curriculum, the top rating for instructional materials by the Louisiana Department of Education, in order to provide a seamless transition into kindergarten. The Early Head Start program promotes the physical, mental, social, and emotional development of infants and toddlers in a safe and caring environment. Prime Time welcomes students of all abilities, with 10 percent of seats reserved for children with special needs.
In addition to services for students, Prime Time embraces a family engagement approach with support and services for the entire family. Those opportunities include help with going back to school and employment, monthly Family Engagement Network Meetings, Family Learning Parties, and a parent and caregiver Policy Council through which families help govern Prime Time Head Start and Early Head Start centers.
Documents needed for registration include, where applicable, verification of child’s birth (birth certificate), immunization record, physical and dental exams within the past year, proof of residence, income verification, SSI documentation, FITAP documentation, current foster care documentation, and documentation of eligibility for public assistance.
For more information, visit our registration page, email [email protected], or call 337-465-2428.
Prime Time to Distribute More Than 700 Boxes of Books
More than 725 Prime Time Boxes will soon be distributed to organizations throughout Louisiana and made available to families.
Prime Time Family and Preschool Boxes are take-home versions of Prime Time reading programs. Each box contains books to build families’ home libraries, additional learning supplies, and a Grown-Up Guide for caregivers that provides support for discussion and activities to implement Prime Time’s humanities-centered methodology at home.
With the support of the National Endowment for the Humanities, 525 Prime Time Preschool and Prime Time Family Boxes will be distributed at no cost throughout Louisiana. Additionally, with the support of the Community Foundation of Northwest Louisiana, 250 boxes will be distributed in North Louisiana.
See the list of organizations that will distribute Prime Time Boxes.
First Institute Workshop Announced
This summer the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) will host the inaugural Institute for Louisiana Culture and History (ILCH) intensive workshop for Louisiana social studies K–12 educators on June 12–14, 2023, in New Orleans. This year’s summer workshop will focus on Indigenous, colonial, and African history in 18th-century Louisiana in alignment with the Louisiana Department of Education’s (LDOE) new 6th grade social studies standards.
The summer intensive workshop will provide Louisiana public school social studies educators the opportunity to build their content knowledge by engaging with nationally known historians and scholars, taking field trips promoting experiential learning, and participating in social studies working sessions exploring how to use expanded standards-aligned content found on LEH’s 64 Parishes online encyclopedia, 64parishes.org, in the classroom.
The institute will provide a $250 stipend to all participants on completion of the three-day workshop and paid secure parking. The institute will also provide hotel accommodations and mileage and meal reimbursement for participants traveling more than 60 miles from New Orleans.
Click here for the full schedule and list of facilitators
Social studies educators and specialists employed by public schools in Louisiana, with a preference for those working with 6th grade social studies content, are encouraged to apply.
Apply now here:
Application time is approximately 15 minutes. Applications close April 23 and selected participants will be notified on May 1. In order to ensure maximal attendance at institute workshops, we ask that all applicants agree to attend if selected to participate.
About 64 Parishes Encyclopedia and K-12 Educational Resources
Encompassing an award-winning quarterly print magazine, website, encyclopedia, and K-12 resources, LEH’s 64 Parishes explores Louisiana history and culture. 64 Parishes encyclopedia hosts over 1,100 entries about Louisiana accompanied by thousands of archival images, documents, and audio files. The encyclopedia is one of the LEH’s most-used resources, reaching hundreds of classrooms across Louisiana each year.
The institute is expanding encyclopedia content and adapting and grade-leveling encyclopedia entries for the classroom. As part of the effort to better serve students and teachers, institute staff has also rolled out a new search function that allows teachers to search content by the new Louisiana social studies standards numbers.
The LDOE, one of LEH’s partners on the 64 Parishes encyclopedia expansion, has introduced new social studies standards to be rolled out in the 2023–24 school year. The new course frameworks will expand the study of Louisiana history and culture in the state’s public schools from third and eighth grade to nearly every grade. Together, LEH and LDOE are mapping these new social studies standards to the content on 64parishes.org, creating resources for teachers and students, including grade-level appropriate adaptations of key texts.
The ILCH workshops and 64 Parishes encyclopedia expansion are made possible in part by a grant from the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation.
Want to stay informed about the latest from the institute? Sign up here.
Apply to Host a Fall Reading Program
Organizations interested in bringing a free family engagement and reading program to their community are invited to apply to host a Prime Time reading program in the fall.
Applications will be accepted from organizations throughout Louisiana until April 17.
The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ Prime Time reading programs are designed to promote both literacy and family engagement. Each session begins with a storyteller reading a carefully chosen, award-winning children’s book. Families are then engaged in discussion around the themes found in the book. Preschool programs also involve age-appropriate hands-on activities. Organizations can choose to host a Prime Time Family Reading program for families with children ages 6 to 10 or a Prime Time Preschool Reading program for families with children ages 3 to 5.
Organizations whose applications are approved will host the 90-minute sessions once a week for six weeks. Prime Time programs take place at no cost to host organizations or participating families. Each partner site will receive a $1,000 site support stipend and a set of the children’s books used during the program, and participating families will keep all books for their personal home libraries.
Prime Time accepts applications from community organizations such as schools, libraries, museums, service organizations, and other community-based agencies that possess a valid EIN#. Training for selected programs will be provided in July.
Prime Time’s fall programs are made possible by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Shell, Entergy Charitable Foundation, , the Grayson Foundation, Citgo, and the Zemurray Foundation.
For questions about Prime Time reading programs, email [email protected].
Prime Time Box Applications Now Open
Prime Time is seeking partner organizations to help get boxes of books and learning supplies into the hands of 700 Louisiana families.
Prime Time Boxes, an initiative of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH), are modeled after the award-winning Prime Time family engagement and literacy programs currently taking place across Louisiana. Prime Time programs focus on humanities-based content, quality children’s literature, open-ended questioning techniques, collective learning strategies, and a respect of diverse perspectives.
Prime Time Boxes are designed to be take-home versions of these Prime Time programs. Each box contains a set of books, literacy extension supplies, and a Grown-Up Guide, which serves as a handbook for parents to guide their children through discussion of the important themes found within the books.
“Prime Time Boxes create a valuable and accessible entry point for families, children, and the organizations, libraries, and public schools that work with and for them across the state,” said Shelley Stocker, LEH vice president of education programs. “We are focused on providing high-quality children’s books and humanities experiences, while empowering caregivers and building their confidence as their children’s first and primary educators.”
Prime Time partners with nonprofit organizations, such as schools, libraries, and community service organizations which serve as distribution hubs to get the boxes into the hands of local families. The boxes are free for organizations and for the families who receive them. Thanks to support from the Community Foundation of North Louisiana, Prime Time will distribute 200 boxes to families in North Louisiana. Another 500 boxes will be distributed throughout the rest of the state, thanks to support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Organizations interested in applying to distribute boxes can do so online. The deadline to apply is March 3.
Selected organizations will distribute boxes containing books in the Prime Time Of, By, and For the People series, which seeks to deepen families’ engagement with the principles of American democracy. The books in the series, such as “We Came to America” by Faith Ringgold and “Grace for President” by Kelly DiPucchio and LeUyen Pham, discuss topics surrounding citizenship, voting, democratic participation, and civic responsibility. Using children’s books as a jumping off point, Prime Time invites families to engage in the humanities and inspires the budding humanists in our state’s youngest citizens.
Prime Time Reading Programs Coming to 18 Parishes
Families in 18 parishes will have the opportunity to participate in programs that promote literacy and family bonding this spring through a Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ Prime Time reading program.
Prime Time Family Reading, for ages 6-10, and Prime Time Preschool Reading, for ages 3-5, bring families together one night a week for six weeks for reading and discussion. A storyteller reads an award-winning children’s book and families are then guided through discussion of the themes found in the book. The discussion encourages families to personally connect with literature and each other and think beyond shallow considerations of who, what, when, and where by using open-ended questioning to spur discussion. For Preschool Reading, hands-on activities are incorporated to keep younger children engaged.
More than 30 programs will take place across Louisiana beginning in February. Families can find a Prime Time reading program in their community by visiting our program map.
“The joy of participating in Prime Time permeates through the communities where programs are offered. Starting with the families who are directly engaged and the schools, libraries, and community organizations that host them, children and adults share their enjoyment of and enthusiasm for reading with all,” said Shelley Stocker, LEH vice president of education programs. “We are looking forward to all the ways Prime Time’s unique and humanities-focused programs will enrich the families, educators, and communities where they are hosted in spring 2023.”
In addition to its traditional reading programs, Prime Time will also be partnering with 826 New Orleans to pilot All About Me at two sites. Through All About Me, families will support their 3- to 5-year-old children in writing and sharing about themselves — their names, likes, families, routines, and the things that make them happy. After reading and talking about six carefully-selected picture books, participating families will create and publish engaging texts, furthering the Prime Time mission by creating a strong foundation not only for young readers but for young writers as well.
“We are excited to add this writing component to our traditional Prime Time reading programs and cannot wait to read the stories produced by these young authors,” said Miranda Restovic, president and executive director of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and Prime Time, Inc. “Writing and reading are skills that are intertwined. Being able to promote both during a Prime Time program is another way for us to help set a strong foundation for these important literacy building blocks.”
Prime Time programs are free for families and the partner organizations throughout the state that host them. Families also get to keep the books from the sessions to help build their home libraries. Prime Time’s spring reading programs are sponsored by CITGO, Cleco Foundation, Entergy, Grayson Foundation, Shell Foundation, the State of Louisiana, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
