Paint the Town REaD | Page 8 | Let’s all read, talk, sing and rhyme with children from birth

REaDing Bug hatches in Moree NSW

By Barbie Bates | 21 June, 2017

Friday 16 June saw close to 100 children with their parents and carers Welcomed to Country by Auntie Barb on the steps of Moree Library, before they followed the local firies inside, who were carrying their reading egg.

There were calls of VICTORY when their new Reading Bug hatched, with the children eager to read, sing and touch their special friend. The morning finished with photos with the Bug, a red morning tea (healthy!) and a new book for each child attending. Fireman Adam was the last person to read to the egg before hatching and Marla Hosegood, the local Commonwealth Bank Manager, the first to read to the newborn.

National Sorry Day 2017

By Barbie Bates | 26 May, 2017

With National Sorry Day 2017, we at Paint the Town REaD want to say sorry. We stand with our wonderful Aboriginal Elders, colleagues and friends and want to work together to close the early literacy gap for our Aboriginal kids, made worse by the intergenerational trauma from the Stolen Generations.

2017 Conference Panel members led by Aunty Jacinta Tobin, Aunty Maureen Silleri and Jackie Stewart listening to Tracey Kirk Downey as she spoke about the powerful and life changing impact of working with Cullunghutti Child and Family Centre Elders, staff and families.

6th National Conference – inspiring

By Barbie Bates | 18 May, 2017

Over 140 delegates (and mascots!) celebrated our 6th National Conference, Climb Every Mountain: Songlines and Singing. Aunty Carol Cooper and Aunty Jacinta Tobin welcomed us to Country, and set the scene for two days of learning, practical workshops and fun. The Blue Mountains three levels of Government were well represented by Cr Romola Hollywood, who welcomed delegates at a Civic Reception, Hon Susan Templeman, who opened the Conference with Aunty Carol and Aunt Jacinta, and Trish Doyle MP. who opened our Principals Forum. Thank you to our Keynote Speakers, Aunty Jacinta Tobin, Dr Marina Kalashnikova (Western Sydney University), Dr Amanda Howard (Newcastle University), and Kerry Dominish (CEO – Early Start) and the 30 workshop presenters. And our Conference Dinner wouldn’t have been so successful without the Blue Mountains Ukulele group and the generosity of Carrington’s Brewery!

Last Days to register for the Conference amidst a busy month, where we welcomed Paint Shoalhaven REaD

By Barbie Bates | 26 April, 2017

With our 6th National Conference on next week, you only have a few days to go to register. So use the links to the right, to take you straight to the registration page!

And whilst everyone is preparing for the Conference, the Aboriginal Elders in Shoalhaven NSW have been busy giving their mascot egg to the children, supported by Mayor Amanda Findley. Children in Moree NSW are also reading with their egg and Parker Pelican in the Parks and Gardens in Adelaide has celebrated his first birthday, with a huge party of about 400 people, where there was lots of singing and families reading together in the local community park.

Elders leading reading at Paint Shoalhaven, REaD, Black and Yellow

Paint Marrickville REaD launches

By Barbie Bates | 13 March, 2017

Garanga Bumarri, a beautiful Pelican mascot, hatched last Friday, with the support of the local children, parents, midwives, police, firies and pollies.

Hon Linda Burney MP gives the pelican his name, supported by local children and health ‘delivery’ staff.

2017 Conference registration now open!

By Paint the Town REaD | 15 February, 2017

6th Early Literacy Conference.

Climb every mountain: songlines and singing.

Paint the Town REaD Ltd together with our co-host, Paint the Blue REaD invite people interested in early literacy, children’s singing and collective impact in Aboriginal and/or mainstream practices to attend this Conference. We will be meeting on Darug and Gunungurra traditional lands.

3–5 May 2017
Carrington Hotel, Katoomba NSW

Registration for this exciting event is now open. Click here to find out more.

2017 Conference Sponsorship Now Available!

By Paint the Town REaD | 16 December, 2016

We invite you to become a proud sponsor and be part of our 6^th National Conference. This will give your organisation great exposure as the conference aims to bring together professionals from a wide range of disciplines supporting families with children 0-5years across the country. Our expected audience will include staff working in the following sectors:-

Early Childhood Care and Education
Library Programs/Services
Vulnerable Communities/Early Intervention & Prevention
Aboriginal Communities
Multicultural Communities
Schools
Local Communities

To find out more click here

Reading Bug brings Magic to Moree

By Barbie Bates | 8 October, 2016

Paint the Town REAd’s Reading Bug has had a busy time in Moree. She brought a magical mascot egg to the children in Moree East’s Playgroup, delivered the first book for the Books for Newborn Bubs in Moree Hospital and received a very generous cheque from the Commonwealth Bank to keep reading with children from birth in Moree.

Read more about it at https://goo.gl/SjcX7V

Queensland welcomes three new mascots

By Barbie Bates | 12 September, 2016

Bundaberg, South Cairns and Deception Bay are the homes for three new mascots who love being read to: two turtles and a kookaburra respectively.

Turtle mascot with support crew — Bundaberg turtle with a stunning egg

South Cairns turtle on stage — South Cairns turtle mascot

Kookaburra mascot with seated children at launch — Kookaburra mascot, Deception Bay

Paint the Swan REaD’s partnership with La Salle College

By Barbie Bates | 27 July, 2016

Through the creative genius of La Salle teacher, Danielle Calleja, and Paint the Swan Coordinator, Fiona Lee, students from La Salle College, wrote, designed and created children’s books, which they then read with children at a recent Paint the Swan REaD event.

Danielle then presented the outcomes of this project at the Australian Literacy Educators Conference in Adelaide recently.

La Salle College is a co-educational Catholic secondary school situated in the Swan Valley, Perth. The College caters for 1400 students in Years 7 – 12.

This is a terrific example of how High School students can support the early literacy development of young children in their community.

It takes a village to raise a child.

La Salle Students with Red the Reading Mascot