School Visits - 2009-2010
I am currently planning library and school visits for the 2009-2010 school year. Though I live in Brazil, I will be in the United States from July 2009 until June 2010 and will be available for school visits most weekdays between mid-August and late January.
A school visit can be broken up in several ways. For example, for a half-day visit I can perform forty-minute to fifty-minute classroom visits or assemblies. Or I can do 30-minute readings with a short activity in the classroom environment. (Please see my presentations detailed below.) Readings and activities work well for younger grades. Assemblies and workshops work well for older grades. I usually agree to no more than four presentations for a half-day visit and no more than six in a full day. (I am happy, however, to discuss any requests.) My basic fee is $250 for a full morning of sessions (divided as stated above). In the event you would like to include afternoon sessions or workshops, my fee would be an additional $150 for the afternoon. Schools outside of Greenville County, South Carolina may incur travel expenses, as well as lodging costs, if an overnight stay is necessary because of distance. Adjustments in my fee will wholeheartedly be considered for schools lacking resources. Please feel free to discuss this with me.
www.kristydempsey.com
ME WITH YOU is geared to pre-K through 2nd grade, however readings and activities are planned with each age group in mind through 5th grade.
Session options:
*ME WITH YOU reading; short activity for younger grades – 30 minutes
Focus on valuing others; individuality; positive expression of emotions
*ME WITH YOU reading; extended activity for older grades – 40 minutes
Focus on valuing others; individuality; positive expression of emotions
*Poetry Workshop – Poetry as Dance: Finding your Poetry Groove –K thru 5th – 45 min
Poetry is full of rhythm and meter – even when it’s unrhymed! In this workshop, I introduce different types of poetry to students and help them find their beat and their own voice to be able to express themselves, their insights and their emotions, in poetry. This is an active hand-clapping, foot-stomping workshop that demands a smaller group of children (up to 30 max).
*Assembly – A Writer’s Life: From Idea to Book – 40 minutes
A writer is a storyteller and our stories just might come from our own lives. In this presentation, I tell students how my first book, Me with You, came to be. Students leave the presentation with an understanding of the bookmaking process as well as an awareness of how to tell unique stories by breathing into them their emotions and interests.
*Grandparent’s Day celebration (sessions, as above, or developed according to the needs of the school)
Each session includes time for Q and A, during which time I will be happy to share about life in Brazil if there is interest.
Each school visit includes a book signing when appropriate.
Schools may handle book sales with a local bookseller or directly with the publisher, and may pass forward any discount they receive to students, or use the sale of books as a fundraiser.
Contact information:
Kristy Dempsey
kristy@kristydempsey.com
www.kristydempsey.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you visit schools?
What grades do you visit?
Do you charge for school visits?
What does your visit include?
How many students can you speak to at once?
Do you sell books during your visit?
What do we have to provide?
Do you use a contract?
When do we pay you?
Do you visit schools?
Yes! I love sharing my work with students and teachers.
What grades do you visit?
My book is for an elementary audience, and my presentations are geared toward students in pre-K through grade five.
Do you charge for school visits?
Yes. My fee for the 2009-2010 school-year is $250.00 for a full morning (an extra $150.00 is charged to include the afternoon for a total one-day cost of $400.00) for school visits in Greenville County, South Carolina. For visits further afield, mileage and accommodation fees will apply. Contact me directly to discuss these visits further.
What does your visit include?
One morning visit includes a maximum of four 30-40 minute sessions, or two fifty-minute to one hour- long sessions. Afternoon sessions, if booked, can be discussed and divided according to school needs.
How many students can you speak to at once?
My hope (as well as yours, I’m sure) is that each student would have an exciting and inspirational experience. Small groups of one or two classrooms are usually ideal and keep students better engaged, but larger groups are often more practical because they allow me to speak with more students during my time at your school. Let’s discuss this to figure out what works best for the needs of your school.
Do you sell books during your visit?
Selling books is not a requirement for me to visit a school or library, but I am always happy to help schools and libraries to arrange a book sale if they wish to. I have included book ordering information from Penguin Putnam in this packet, as well contact information for a local bookstore that would be willing to handle book orders for you (though the discount might be less than that of Penguin Putnam). This decision is completely up to you and any discount received from either Penguin Putnam or a local bookstore can be passed on to the students or used as a fundraiser for your school.
What do we have to provide?
I will need a schedule for the day at least four weeks in advance, including the times of all presentations, the number of students in each, and the grade level of those students. Technology needs (i.e. multimedia projector or overhead projector) will be discussed closer to the event date. I also ask that, in the case of a full-day event, the school provides lunch (which can be arranged as a bonus session with student writers/readers if desired.)
Do you use a contract?
No. But once we have confirmed a date for my visit and a schedule for the day, I will send a commitment letter. This serves as our contract and spells out the details of what each of us can expect from the day.
When do we pay you?
I do not ask for a deposit but expect full payment on the day of my visit.
