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Prime Time Reading

Bringing families together through literature and learning

Give your children a love of literature and learning for a lifetime — with award-winning books, expert-led discussions, and family time. Whether you’re attending a Prime Time Family or Prime Time Preschool program, you and your children will join master storytellers and scholars for read-alouds that share stories from around the world and explore ideas that enrich lives and strengthen communities.

 

Prime Time Family

Prime Time Family Reading brings caregivers and their six- to 10-year-old children together to explore notable books and big ideas through reading and discussion. Our programs focus on the humanities, and we choose the books for discussion around themes such as caring, inquiring, and sustainability to facilitate meaningful conversation among family members in settings such as schools, libraries, and community centers.

You and the littles ones in your life will learn together through literature, while exploring strategies for continued family bonding through books and getting important information about library and other resources for additional reading once the program ends.

 

How Prime Time Family Reading works

  • FREE for children ages six to 10 and parents, grandparents, or other caregivers
  • 90-minute sessions in the evenings once per week for six weeks
  • Includes complimentary books for families
  • Storytellers read beautifully illustrated, award-winning children’s books filled with culturally diverse stories, folk tales, and historical accounts from around the world
  • Discussion leaders guide participants to personally connect with literature and think beyond who, what, when, and where with open-ended questions that inspire critical thinking

Prime Time Preschool

Prime Time Preschool Reading creates a rich humanities-based learning environment for three- to five-year-olds and their parents and other caregivers. Using beautifully illustrated, award-winning books with culturally diverse stories and themes, trained facilitators read aloud and then lead discussions and interactive activities that promote school readiness through reading, comprehension, and critical thinking skills. The program models strategies that encourage meaningful at-home reading behavior between caregivers and young children.

Prime Time carefully selects our partner organizations — schools (public and charter), Head Start centers, early childcare centers, library branches, and community centers. Facilitators are trained to deliver all aspects of the program with support from our home office in New Orleans.

 

How Prime Time Preschool works

  • FREE for children ages three to five and parents, grandparents, or other caregivers
  • Includes complimentary books for families
  • 90-minute sessions, in the evenings once per week for six weeks
  • A Prime Time trained preschool facilitator reads books and leads a group discussion of classic stories, as well as new tales that promote reading and school readiness.
  • Another trained preschool facilitator then leads the children and their caregivers through literary exploration via center-based activities designed to increase comprehension and critical thinking.

Find a Prime Time Family Reading Program or a Prime Time Preschool Reading Program Near You

Family Reading

Ringgold Elementary School

4044 Bienville Road, Suite A
Ringgold, LA  71068

Mondays at 5:30 p.m., starting Feb. 16

[email protected]

Madison Parish Library

403 North Mulberry St.
Tallulah, LA  71282

Tuesdays/Saturdays at 6 p.m., starting April 7

[email protected]

Lenwil Elementary School

112 Arrant Road
West Monroe, LA  71292

Tuesdays at 5 p.m., starting Feb. 24

[email protected]

Lacassine High School

409 Algonia Ave.
Lacassine, LA  70650

Mondays at 5 p.m., starting Feb. 23

[email protected]

Ascension

Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office Wag Center

1201 Maginnis St.
Donaldsonville, LA  70346

Tuesdays at 6 p.m., startingMarch 10

[email protected]

Bossier

Meadowview Elementary School

4312 Shed Road
Bossier City, LA  71111

Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., starting Feb. 24

[email protected]

Caddo

University Elementary School

9900 Smitherman Dr.
Shreveport, LA  71115

Tuesdays at 5:15/6:45 p.m., starting Feb. 24

[email protected]

Caddo

Walnut Hill Elementary/Middle School

9360 Woolworth Road
Shreveport, LA  71129

Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., starting Feb. 24

[email protected]

Caddo

Southern University at Shreveport (Main Campus)

3050 MLK Jr. Drive
Shreveport, LA  71107

Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m., starting Feb. 25

[email protected]

Caddo

Blanchard Elementary School

402 Birch Ave.
Shreveport, LA  71107

Tuesdays at 5 p.m., starting Feb. 24

[email protected]

Caddo

Caddo Parish Sheriff's Safety Town

8910 Jewella Ave.
Shreveport, LA  71118

Mondays at 4 p.m., starting March 2

[email protected]

Caddo

Herndon Magnet

11845 Gamm Road
Belcher, LA  71004

Tuesdays at 5:45 p.m., starting Feb. 10

[email protected]

Caddo

Caddo Heights Math/Science Elementary

1702 Corbitt St.
Shreveport, LA  70118

Tuesdays at 5:15 p.m., starting March 3

[email protected]

Caddo

Cherokee Park Elementary

2010 E. Algonquin Trail
Shreveport, LA  71107

Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., starting Jan. 27

[email protected]

Caddo

Bethune Oak Park

4331 Henry St.
Shreveport, LA  71109

Tuesdays at 4 p.m., starting Feb. 24

[email protected]

Calcasieu

Westwood Elementary School

1900 Sampson St.
Westlake, LA  70669

Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., starting Feb. 24

[email protected]

East Baton Rouge

Helix Aviation Academy

7701 Plank Road
Baton Rouge, LA  70806

 

Mondays at 5:45 p.m., starting Feb. 23

[email protected]

East Carroll

East Carroll Parish Library

109 Sparrow St.
Lake Providence, LA  71254

Thursdays at 4:30 p.m., starting Feb. 19

[email protected]

Orleans

Homer Plessy Community School

1651 N Tonti St.
New Orleans, LA 70119

Tuesdays at 5 p.m., starting Feb. 24

[email protected]

Orleans

Young Audiences Charter Schools at Lawrence D. Crocker

2301 Marengo St.
New Orleans, LA  70115

Thursdays at 4:15 p.m., starting Feb. 26

[email protected]

Orleans

Fannie C. Williams Charter School

11750 Dwyer Road
New Orleans, LA  70127

Thursdays at 4:45 p.m., starting Feb. 26

[email protected]

Orleans

ReNEW Schaumburg Elementary School

9501 Grant St.
New Orleans, LA  70127

Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m., starting March 3

[email protected]

Plaquemines

Phoenix High School

12700 Highway 39
Braithwaite, LA  70040

Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m., starting March 3

[email protected]

Riverside Elementary School

Caddo

625 Dixie Garden Dr.
Shreveport, LA  71105

Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m., starting March 17

[email protected]

St. Helena

Great Nation Prayer Ministries

44 Lafayette St.
Greensburg, LA  70441

Tuesdays at 5 p.m., starting Feb. 24

[email protected]

St. Landry

JS Clark Leadership Academy

1517 Statesman Road
Opelousas, LA  70570

Tuesdays at 5:15 p.m., starting Feb. 24

[email protected]

Preschool Reading

Iberia

Prime Time Head Start at Jeanerette

600 Ira St.
Jeanerette, LA  70544

Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m., starting Feb. 25

[email protected]

Iberia

Prime Time Head Start at Dodson

420 Dodson St.
New Iberia, LA  70563

Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m., starting Feb. 25

[email protected]

Jefferson

Spring Ridge Academy

520 Jackson St.
Kenner, LA  70062

Tuesdays at 4:15 p.m., starting March 10

[email protected]

Jefferson

AC Alexander School

600 West Esplanade Ave.
Kenner, LA  70065

Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m., starting Feb. 4

[email protected]

Lafayette

Prime Time Head Start at IHM

812 12th St.
Lafayette, LA  70501

Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m., starting Feb. 25

[email protected]

Lafayette

Prime Time Head Start at Holy Rosary

421 1/2 Carmel Dr.
Lafayette, LA  70592

Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m., starting Feb. 25

[email protected]

Orleans

Priscilla Edwards Head Start Center

2020 Jackson Ave.
New Orleans, LA  70113

Thursdays at 4 p.m., starting Feb. 26

[email protected]

Orleans

Langston Hughes Academy

3519 Trafalgar St.
New Orleans, LA  70119

Thursdays at 5:15 p.m., starting Feb. 26

[email protected]

Orleans

Urban League Clarence L. Barney Head Start

2800 Desire Parkway
New Orleans, LA  701267

Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m., starting Feb. 3

[email protected]

Orleans

Norman Mayer Library

3001 Gentilly Blvd.
New Orleans, LA  70122

Wednesdays at 5 p.m., starting at March 4

[email protected]

Orleans

Children Place Love Center

2733 Bienville St.
New Orleans, LA  70119

Tuesdays at 4 p.m., starting March 2

[email protected]

St. Bernard

The Gathering

7265 St. Claude Ave.
Arabi, LA  70032

Tuesdays at 5 p.m., starting March 3

[email protected]

HomeRoom@Home

HomeRoom@Home is an adaptation of Prime Time’s teacher professional development workshop tailored for parents and other caregivers. Based on the methodology at the heart of the award-winning Prime Time Family Reading program, virtual HomeRoom@Home workshops support caregivers in strengthening a child’s relationship to reading through effective at-home practices. For more information about HomeRoom@Home, contact us at [email protected].

Prime Time Boxes

Prime Time’s award-winning Family and Preschool reading programs are also available for families to take home and explore on their own. Prime Time Preschool and Family Boxes contain books to build families’ home libraries, additional learning supplies, and a Grown-Up Guide for caregivers that provides support for discussion and activities for at-home implementation of Prime Time’s humanities-centered methodology. Prime Time partners with local organizations to distribute boxes in their communities.

Organizations distributing boxes will be announced below when they are available.

Families interested in receiving a Prime Time Box should contact their local organization:

Distribution Location

Parish

Phone Number

Now Accepting Applications to Host a Prime Time Program in the Fall!
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