In2Books
Parent Information and Consent Form
Dear Parent,
Our 5th grade class will be participating in the In2Books Literacy Program. Independent research confirms that participating in In2Books improves students’ reading and writing skills. This program is conducted online and will take place in your child’s classroom and during regular school hours. All students in 5th grade at Delano Middle School will be participating in this wonderful program
All about the In2Books experience:
Each child reads five books which are sent to student’s school;
Students are matched with adult pen pals. Pen pals read the same books as students.
Pen pals are carefully screened volunteers. In2Books pen pals are a diverse group of caring adults. They may be parents of children at the school or volunteers from local community organizations, corporations, government agencies, universities, and professional organizations. They are adults of all ages, working or retired, having occupations ranging from lawyers to web designers to stay-at-home parents and retirees. Despite their diversity, In2Books' adult pen pals all share a commitment to helping school-age children reach their personal and academic potentials.
Students and pen pals exchange six online letters over the course of the year; one introductory letter and a letter about each book;
Letters to and from pen pals are reviewed by the teacher before being sent.
What is the In2Books Program?
In2Books started in Washington, DC in 1997. It was designed with leading researchers and has been featured in the New York Times and journals such as The Reading Teacher and Phi Delta Kappan. Made available through ePals, Inc., an important mission of In2Books is to help all students write a better future by enhancing their reading, writing and critical thinking skills and encouraging a love of learning.
The In2Books program works:
96% of teachers believe that In2Books positively impacts literacy achievement in their classrooms
97% of teachers indicate that their students like the In2Books program
In2Books will work with hundreds of classrooms from nearly every State around the country. Your child’s school had to apply and has been accepted into the In2Books Program for this school year.
What about safety and privacy?
We take safety and privacy very seriously. No information about your child provided during the program will be given to others. All information is securely stored in password-protected computers. Pen pals are required to have passed background checks, and teachers must approve communications before they are forwarded to students. More information is available at www.in2books.epals.com/privacy.
Consent For Your Child To Participate; Withdrawal
Participation in In2Books is voluntary, but this is an Internet Service and if your child is under the age of 13 your School District, School or teacher must have obtained your consent for your child to participate in Internet-based activities such as In2Books or ePals. Many times this is done in Official School Internet Policies that are available through the school or come home with students for your consent. Sometimes specific approval forms are also used. Your teacher has chosen to do this, so participation requires that you return the included form. Please contact Mrs. Olson if you need more information.
Whom should I contact if I have questions?
If you have any questions, you can contact Mrs. Olson, who will be able to point you to further information. You can also find out more by going online to www.in2books.com.
IN2BOOKS PARENTAL CONSENT
For your child to participate in In2Books and other ePals’ activities, you must sign and return this consent form to your child’s teacher. We take the privacy of your child seriously and collect minimal information about your child and do not share it with 3rd parties. For a complete description of all of this information, go to http://www.in2books.com/privacy.html and http://www.epals.com/privacy/.
____ Yes, I give permission for my child to participate in the In2Books program.
____ No, I do not want my child to participate in the In2Books program. Please note, that by saying no, your child will still be responsible for reading the books and writing the letters. The part they will not get to participate in is the online mentoring with a pen-pal who has also read the same book as your child– which is often the part that students enjoy the most! Please do not hesitate to call Mrs. Olson if you have questions.
Child's First and Last Name: ______
Parent/Guardian Name: ______
Relationship to Child: ______
Please RETURN to school by: Monday, September 12th!
If you have any questions regarding the ePals site or if you would like to speak with us about your child’s privacy, please contact us:
ePals Inc. Corporate Headquarters
13625-A Dulles Technology Drive
Herndon, Virginia 20171, USA
Phone: (703) 885-3401
Fax: 1-703-885-3491
Email: