Trina Hall, Curriculum Director

December, 2006

Our school libraries offer students many rich and wonderful learning opportunities.  With the help of our fabulous Library Teachers, I have compiled just a few highlights of library activities at each of our schools.

At Acme Elementary, Library students are excited about reading!  Library circulation continues to rise as students clamor for the latest and best books.  Award winning books are flying off the shelves.  These books are featured in book talks and read alouds by Library Teachers Fran Gregory and Tammie Bowen.  Classroom teachers encourage students to read within Star Reading level ranges and to take Accelerated Reader (AR) quizzes, with the library being a place for students to access AR books and take quizzes.  The Acme PTA helps support AR purchases and this in turn supports avid readers! 

We also find busy readers at the Harmony Library.  With the encouragement of Library Teachers Kim Schwartzman and Lorraine Brouwer students are reading award winning books (Sasquatch, Children’s Choice) and being recognized at assemblies for their reading adventures.  Last month Suzanne Williams, a local author, came to visit at Harmony. She shared her books and her writing process with all the students.  Students enjoyed the books Mamma Doesn’t Know My Name and Library Lil (complete with a large, noisy motorcycle at an assembly)! Thank you to the Harmony PTA for their support of this event.

Visit the library at Kendall Elementary and you will see books and materials displayed that complement classroom work, including an area that has been set up with science experiments for students to “Look, Touch, Guess” as they investigate and make observations about a science phenomenon.  With circulation averaging between four and five thousand books per month you can see that the Kendall Library Teachers, Bev McKissick and Belva Tyska, are also supporting avid readers!   With the help of the PTA, Kendall just recently celebrated one of their two annual book fairs.   The library was transformed into a rainforest, complete with Tarzan roaming the lunch room in costume, handing out stickers and coupons.  These book fairs generate an average of $2,000 each for the library.

The JH/HS Library is yet another example of avid readers and researchers.  Through the encouragement of Library Teachers Sher Ross and Kristi Anderson, students are in and out of the library finding books to read and conducting research for class projects.  Several students traveled with Ms. Ross to Village Books last month to meet author Tamora Pierce.  On December 14^th and 15^th the JH/HS Library  hosted their first ever Book Fair with proceeds going toward bringing an author to the school to teach and inspire students.

For more information visit the MBSD Curriculum Web Page
www.mtbaker.wednet.edu/curricassess

 Questions or Comments?
Contact Trina Hall at 360-383-2011
or email thall@mtbaker.wednet.edu

We appreciate your interest and your input!