The First Book program was developed through a partnership with AFT, NYSUT, and the HCT working with publishing companies to provide books free or at a low cost to teachers to benefit students with economic need.
Through a collaborative effort of our teachers and our administrators over 500 members registered with the First Book program which enabled the HCT to help an Upstate local meet the challenge of getting a truckload of books for their community. The HCT also received a pallet of books for the Hicksville school district and the Nassau Library System.
On January 28, 2015 several HCT volunteers assembled at the warehouse of the Hicksville administration building to unpack and sort through the pallet of books and prepare them for distribution to each of the nine schools buildings in our district. This endeavor yielded 1,000 books worth over $15,000 which were distributed to English Language Learners throughout the Hicksville Public Schools.
There will be another “truckload challenge” and the HCT is ready to work hard to bring even more of these exciting high-quality, popular books to our students this spring.
HCT President, Joan Deem (center) expressed appreciation to Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessments, Susan Guiliano (left) and HCT member Mary Ellen Baumann (right) for sorting books according to grade level.
Third grade students Johannie Soriano , Blanca Mercado, Oliwia Szymanska, and Rumaldo Bonilla from Mrs. Ketyer’s ELL class at East Street Elementary School were thrilled to select a special book of their very own to keep and share with their families.
HCT members Linda Johnson, Cathy Todd, Mary Ellen Baumann, Mary Shurley and Justina Ketyer prepare books for delivery to Hicksville students