Literacy Without Walls | Expanding Family Involvement through the Arts
A professional development and family involvement program for Title I schools with pre-Kindergarten and/or Kindergarten programs
Enrollment for the 2013-2014 school year is now open.
ABOUT LITERACY WITHOUT WALLS
Literacy Without Walls is a Cool Culture program that supports New York City Title I public school's pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten families. The program includes two components:
- Five professional development workshops at cultural institutions around New York City, designed for your school’s designated Cultural Liaison, a staff member from your school who coordinates the Cool Culture program for your families.
- A cultural access program for families with children in pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten. Each family receives a personalized Cool Culture Family Pass that provides free, unlimited general admission for up to five people at 90 partner museums, gardens and zoos throughout the five boroughs.
The cost per school is $2,500. Cool Culture has a contract with the NYC Department of Education (Professional Development for Early Childhood contract) and our program is aligned with citywide arts and education and parent involvement standards.
HOW TO ENROLL
- Your Title I school's principal must appoint a parent coordinator, teacher, or other school staff member to administer the program.
- First, review the brochure and then complete the online school enrollment form.
- After you complete the online form you will be prompted to print, review, and sign the Cultural Liaison/Principal Agreement Form & Enrollment Contract. Completed contracts must be returned to Cool Culture via email (learning@coolculture.org) or fax (718.230.4556) no later than August 28, 2013.
Enrollment is not complete until Cool Culture returns a signed copy of your school's contract.
If you still have questions please email Stefania Trelles Cool Culture's Education Coordinator at learning@coolculture.org for more information.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Can any school enroll in Literacy Without Walls?
- What kind of professional development is provided through Literacy Without Walls?
- What do pre-kindergarten and kindergarten families receive?
- What is the role of the “Cultural Liaison” at my school?
- What happens once my school submits enrollment materials? How do we register our families?
- Do schools have to use Title 1 funding to pay for the program fee?
- Does Cool Culture have a contract with the NYC Department of Education?
- Can I enroll first grade or above?
- Does staff get a Cool Culture Family Pass?
- Can we take field trips using our Cool Culture passes?
Can any school enroll in Literacy Without Walls?
Schools must receive school-wide Title 1 funding to be eligible to enroll. Schools that have 75% or more of students eligible to receive free or reduced fee lunch will receive enrollment preference. For information about whether your school receives Title I funding, please inquire with the school principal.
Ineligible for Literacy Without Walls? Visit our website to find other ways families can make free or low cost visits to cultural institutions.
>>Return to FAQ's
What kind of professional development is provided through Literacy Without Walls?
Literacy Without Walls professional development 5-part workshop series occurs throughout the school year and during school hours. Each 4.5-hour workshop takes place at a different cultural institution; it includes a guided tour by a museum educator and an introduction to simple parent-child activities for museum visits. Participants leave the session well-informed about the educational opportunities available for families at cultural institutions and prepared to turnkey the information to parents in their school. Each workshop participant will be entitled to sign up all of their pre-kindergarten and kindergarten families for the Cool Culture Family Pass. Exact locations and dates TBD.
>>Return to FAQ's
What do pre-kindergarten and kindergarten families receive?
All Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten families enrolled in Cool Culture will receive a Cool Culture Family Pass for free and unlimited general admission, similar to a museum membership card, to 90 partner institutions, for use in out-of-school time. Cool Culture provides each school with Cool Culture Family Guides to distribute to families. Families also receive Cool Culture’s e-Family Time monthly email newsletter with family event listings around the city. Our website is a valuable family resource with museum scavenger hunt cards and activity plans..
>>Return to FAQ's
What is the role of the “Cultural Liaison” at my school?
The Principal appoints a staff member to be the school’s Cultural Liaison and to attend the professional development workshops. Liaisons enroll Universal Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten families in Cool Culture, distribute materials, hold meetings to keep parents up-to-date, and create a Cool Culture display space at their schools to provide parents with information about cultural institutions. Liaisons should attend at least 4 of the 5 workshops to ensure the success of the program.
>>Return to FAQ's
What happens once my school submits enrollment materials? How do we register our families?
After a school’s enrollment materials have been processed, Cool Culture will contact the Cultural Liaison and let them know if the school has been accepted. In late August, all Literacy Without Walls Cultural Liaisons will receive registration materials that each participating family must complete in order to receive their personalized Cool Culture Family Pass. Liaisons can collaborate with staff at their school to help every Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten family complete a registration form. The Liaison will deliver the forms to Cool Culture offices by the stated deadlines.
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Do schools have to use Title 1 funding to pay for the program free?
No, schools may pay from other funds. A purchase order or check must be submitted to Cool Culture once the schools receive confirmation of their enrollment. In order to stay true to the intent of the program, schools enrolling in Cool Culture may NOT request donations from parents to cover the cost of Literacy Without Walls. If your PTA raises funds for the arts and other programs, it should be completely unconnected to Cool Culture (and the Cool Culture Family Pass registration process).
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Does Cool Culture have a contract with the NYC Department of Education?
Yes, our contract number is: QR763AG for Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators and our vendor number is: 161636968.
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Can I enroll first grade or above?
No, schools that enroll in Literacy Without Walls can only register their pre-kindergarten and kindergarten families. Cool Culture already enrolls 50,000 families in grade K and below annually. Unfortunately, we cannot expand the program at this time.
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Does staff get a Cool Culture Family Pass?
The Cultural Liaison, art teachers, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classroom teachers and paraprofessionals that work in those classes may register for a Cool Culture Family Pass. We have a strict agreement with our partnering museums, and cannot extend the pass further.
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Can we take field trips using our Cool Culture passes?
No. Passes are for use by families. No more than 3 families may travel and enter together to a cultural institution. Cultural institutions view larger groups as they would a class trip, which is not covered by the Cool Culture Family Pass and requires separate arrangements with the museum’s group services department. If more than 3 families travel to an institution together, they may not be granted admission.
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