2017 November

Accomplishments

• Story units with Mr. W and Ms. R’s class
• e-book research & evaluation
• Setting & Habitat unit with Ms. R’s class
• Focus on resource sharing across campuses
• Book delivery to other campus
• Meeting with Technology director on e-books
• Student volunteer - scanning
• Lesson plan writing
• Lesson observations
• Laurie Halse Anderson visit negotiations 
• More Google Classroom Training
• Prep Book on Every Pillow books

Technology seems to be the theme for this year. I found about another pilot through the grapevine...e-books. Again, I was surprised I wasn’t consulted for the implementation. I contact the technology director and asked if I could assist with the pilot in any way. Turns out they didn’t have anyone to evaluate the program. Say hello to the new e-book system evaluator!

I started to focus on writing lesson plans for the next few months. I plan on integrating Google Classroom to help model appropriate use for our teachers. A quick note on the Google Classroom program: Technology has set up the pilot to be utilized withOUT students. Yep, a student focused program is being piloted without students. That’s OK I am going to plow through and get this thing up and running.

2017 October Theme: Community Helpers

 Accomplishments

• Provided Sign Language resources for Ms. H’s class
• Selected personal narrative books for reading teacher
• Community helpers unit with Ms. R’s class
• Coordinated book sale set up with BML
• Open house
• Newsletter
• Reviewed results of teacher survey
• Superintendent Conference day (Assist with presentation)
• Intro to the library for Mr. W’s class
• Google Classroom ‘super user’ Training
• Lots of readers advisory 

This month I was made aware of a new Google Classroom initiative. I attended the ‘super user’ training with other campus representatives. Leading the meeting was the curriculum coordinator and technology director. The meeting was very promising. Technology is very limited at my school due to a variety of factors, so having the opportunity to be part of the Google Classroom pilot was exciting! I walked away with a brain-ful of ideas to ensure the pilot is successful.

This month I also assisted the assistant principal with a curriculum presentation at superintendent's conference day. I shared a variety of resources with teachers.

2017 September Theme: Welcome Back

Accomplishments

• Unpack new library
• Training
• First day back to school cultural survey with Ms. R’s class
• Create displays for new library
• Stocked book cart for Book It program
• Weather & water cycle with Ms. R’s class
• Teacher survey

September was mostly a month of unpacking and setting up. Endless facilities requests and boxes! In addition to physical labor, I worked on creating the new layout of the library. I focused self-service use, since I am only physically in the library less than 10 hours a week. So I tried to make everything as self explanatory as possible, including making maps and tip sheets to post throughout the library.

New Library Map

Walkway to New Library

2017 August

Accomplishments

• Continued Summer of Wonder
• Moved library to original room!
• Positive self-talk with Ms. R’s class
• Final community service project with Ms. R's class

Got last minute word that the entire library needs to move by the end of the month. I spend much of this month weeding and packing up for the big move. It was lots of work, but the move forced me to re-examine the collection in a way only moving can do. I was able to weed books and identify collection holes.

So, it is back to the space where the library was originally located. The location is bigger and nicer. The only downside is that it is disconnected from the rest of the school. I’ll have to work extra hard to keep library traffic flowing.

As a final project for the Summer of Wonder program, the elementary students sorted and packed toiletries for The Center for Youth.

Here's to an exciting 2017-2018 school year!

2017 July

Accomplishments

•  Created reading logs for students to participate in BML summer reading
•  Kicked off Summer of Wonder
•  Processed new donations
•  Utilized Cosmic Kids Zen Den with Ms. R’s class
•  Lead Wonder & kindness lessons with Ms. R’s Class

 I had a wonderful time identifying chapters from Wonder to use with primary students. I selected 3 sections to read and discuss. One of which we read the description of Auggie’s face. Students then drew what they think he looked like. We had a discussion about making decisions on appearance along.

 I’ve been utilizing Cosmic Kids Zen Den to talk about mindfulness and metacognition. It’s been a wonderful tool to spark conversations about how our brains work and how we can improve our thinking.

Summer of Wonder

2017 June

Accomplishments

• Wonder Planning
• Magic Treehouse unit with Ms. R's Class
• BML book sale setup
• Yoga meeting with residential
• BML Booksale setup and volunteering

I continued working to plan the summer Wonder program. Spoke with campus representatives about potential partnerships. I also started making a list of potential guest speakers. I finalized a collection of teaching and activity resources for staff. This included procuring 20+ water cooler jugs to use as kindness jars.

2017 May

Accomplishments

• Wonder Planning
• Yoga Proposal
• Author visit coordination
• Reading time with Ms. R’s Class
• Process donated books
• Summer Reading planning
• TBF Book display
• Performance Review
• Eric Carle unit with Ms. R’s Class

May was an exciting time, as the SBPT took on the Summer of Wonder project. The selected book is Wonder. I dove in to help with logistics.

TBF MONTH!! We had two TBF authors, AS King and E.E. Charlton-Trujillo, come present a writing workshop to a select group of students. I was very impressed with the students and their willingness to share their writings with the group. Thanks to Jen P. another literacy hero, for helping to bring the authors to campus.

Amy, E and Jen

2017 April

Accomplishments

• Yoga with R’s Class
• Prevention lesson with R’s class
• Poetry class with Ms. R
• Meeting with Foundation for funding
• Lesson Observations

This month I continued a final push for the Book Festival with limited success. I was not able to secure volunteers to man the tables. I will attempt to pick up again in the fall or spring next year. I found out that the volunteer coordinator is retiring. I have already made contact with her replacement.

In an effort to secure funding for further Yoga classes and author speakers, I worked with Foundations to identify new avenues to gain funds.

Re-wiring A Brain

Our brains are amazing. I am so inspired by this video of an engineer learning to ride a backwards bike then re-learning to ride a regular bike.  What a great lesson in the thought that it is never too late!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8JUsJV9a0Q

2017 March

Accomplishments

• Created a new section in the library for writing skills
• Book Festival planning
• Worked with Foundations for special funding
• Title I audit prep
• Wrote book with Ms. R's class
• Initiated yoga classes with two classes
• PD – Curriculum Planning
• Develop new research class unit
• Document formatting for curriculum team
• Author visit planning
• Student volunteering in library
• After writing several books with the elementary students, I have decided to make a new section of the library to highlight tools for writing. This new display is located near the historical fiction area. 

After working with several teachers during a curriculum PD day, I developed a new one day research lesson for high school students. This lesson will be taught to Ms. H's class in preparation for their controversial issues research paper.

Having completed CARE Training, I started doing Yoga story times with the elementary classes. These have been very successful. I am also working with a professional yoga instructor to offer classes for our students this summer.

I have also continued to write books with Ms. R’s class. We wrote a wonderful book called A Whale of a Tale. This has been printed and published and distributed to students.

2017 February

Accomplishments

• Introduced Cosmic Kids to Ms. R's Class (Focus on sorting: both physical and mental)
• Continued Little Bits lessons with Mr. Green’s class
• Brighton Library Book Sale set up
• Begin writing workshop with Ms. R's class
• Begin planning for book festival and author visits in May
• Continued CARE training

In keeping with CARE, I have begun inserting Cosmic Kids meditations, Zen Den and Yoga into primary classes. So for, it has been well received. I am currently waiting on yoga mats to arrive so we can more fully integrate Cosmic Kids into the classroom.

Again, we have a wonderful opportunity to have two nationally known authors speak at our school. I am working with the English teachers and administration to provide a wonderful opportunity for our students. 

Little Bits car built by Ms. R's class!

2017 January

Accomplishments

• Superlatives Lesson with Ms. R's Class
• Magic Tree House reading with Ms. R's class with a focus on research skills
• Began utilizing Little Bits with Mr. Green’s class to teach circuits
• Initiated CARE training
• Re-examine safety of library after several incidents
• Newsletter with a focus on CARE resources

I expanded my Little Bits unit to Mr. Green’s high school science class. Unfortunately attendance in his class was quite low, so I worked 2:1 with his students on expanding their circuitry lesson.

There have been several incidents of students in the library during crisis. This has resulted in books being destroyed, book ends being thrown across the room, shelves becoming unstable and general trashing of the library. Knowing the potential for bodily harm, I worked with administration to educate staff that the library should be avoided when a student is going into crisis. I also removed objects that were readily available to throw and secured items to the wall.

CARE training began this month. I spent much of my time this month, collecting resources for teachers and staff that will support the CARE model. I sent out a newsletter this month highlighting CARE and its impact on our students. 

2016 December

Accomplishments

• New display for hallway
• Update Bibliotherapy list
• Organize audio & video collection and promote to staff
• Little Bits unit with R's class
• Update classroom sets and promote to staff
• Get donated books on shelves
• Deliver books to units
• Title I meeting
• Meeting with Author, Kim Gore

December was a cleanup month. I spend much time going through our existing collection re-organizing in an effort to make materials more accessible.  I focused on the audio & visual collection. In addition to organizing, I secured headphones and batteries necessary to make these materials fully accessible to students.  I also secured a key to be located in the central office. This will make it easier for staff to utilize these materials during my off hours. I also updated and redistributed both our Bibliotherapy and classroom set lists.

I met with an author, Kim Gore to discuss future partnerships. She is a published author and wonderful presenter. I connected her with a director from the residential side and also promoted her availability to a few teachers.

This month I also focused on increasing staff utilization of the library and library materials. I re-organized the audio and visual collection to be more accessible. I also re-inventoried the classroom sets and promoted them to teachers with quick reviews. Finally, I updated the Bibliotherapy resource list. This list contains titles that speak to a variety of mental health issues and trauma. This list has been shared across the agency.. 

Student Published Books