Reimagining ASD Libraries

ASD Libraries are always working to improve and to enhance the experience for our students and our community. Our goal is to live our vision for ASD Libraries, making it a reality. 

"ASD Libraries serve to inspire and guide students on their personal learning pathways. The libraries provide students with ubiquitous access to relevant information through dynamic virtual and physical spaces. The libraries are a model and center for collaboration, communication and innovation."

As a K-12 Library team, we developed targets to help us reimagine our libraries and work towards our vision of dynamic spaces that enhance learning for a variety of students:

1. Create distinctive ASD Libraries identity and signage.
2. Develop collaborative, flexible study rooms and classrooms.
3. Create multi-purpose learning areas using dynamic, flexible and varied seating.
4. Enhance and showcase print collection with versatile, mobile shelving.
5. Create flexible check-in and circulation system.

Since June, our libraries have added new flexible and varied seating. Some seating provides opportunities for collaboration and some for independent reading. Some are "5-minute chairs" and some are "curl-up and stay for an hour" chairs. We realize that a variety of learners need a variety of seating.

Our library study rooms and classrooms have all had a major remodel. We have tables on wheels and light-weight stackable chairs. The rooms can be easily reconfigured in just a few minutes to meet the needs of learning and instruction. We have also added white boards to each space for students to show their thinking, either independently or as a group.

New book browsing bins and new magazine display shelving have also been added to enhance our students' browsing experience. A special thank you PTSA for helping fund our new front-facing magazine shelving and storage in both the Elementary and Secondary Libraries. We greatly appreciate your continued support as we make our libraries the best they can be for our students.

Students are excited about the new additions and changes! We love making improvements when our students are so appreciative and responsive to the changes. Look our for even more exciting additions in the next semester!

Congratulations summer readers!

Over the past few weeks, Mr. Advento, Ms. Bello and I have been visiting classes to congratulate students in K1-Grade 5 who participated in the Superhero Summer Reading Challenge. In total, 102 elementary students completed the challenge. Each student was presented with a certificate and congratulated by his or her homeroom class and teacher.

Students were encouraged to set a challenge for themselves over the summer. Reading across genres was encouraged as well as reading in-depth within an area of interest. Our students recorded their reading progress in a variety of different ways. Some documented their reading using images of the book covers, some made lists or collages, some used the Superhero grid, some made their own charts -- each one was unique and reflected thoughtful reading!

We have enjoyed hearing about all of the wonderful books our elementary students read over the summer. Congratulations to all of our super readers! And here's to another year of setting reading goals together.

Back to School Night

Welcome Back for a SUPER Year in ES Library

Welcome back to all of our students, parents, teachers and staff! Our library team is thrilled to begin another exciting school year at ASD. 

We have a super team in the ES Library this year! Joining us is Mary Kelly Bello, our new K1-5 Librarian, and Kate Rodden, our new Library Assistant. Returning from our team is Mara Ziemele and Parvis Somani, as library assistants, and myself, Natasha Pollock, also a K1-5 Librarian this year.

All of our students from K1 through Grade 5 have now visited the library with their classes at least once during the first rotation. We have also enjoyed greeting our student visitors as recess times during the day. Don't forget we are open also before school from 7:30-7:50 am and also after school from 3-4pm. It's great to see many families already getting into a routine of visiting the library.

Our newest K1 students have taken tours of their new library and practiced reading books together. We love how excited our K1 boys and girls are about finding books to share and to read at home. All grade levels thought about how we can use the ASD Core Values to make our library a super place to learn.

 Our shelves are bursting with books just waiting to be read! Stop by the library for a visit!

A Fond Farewell to Ms. Carly and Ms. Margaret

Carly Brown has been an member of the Elementary Library team for six years. Most recently, she taught our K1, K2 and Grade 1 students in library classes. Carly's passion for children and books combine to make her well-loved and well-respected by many in the ASD community. A special contribution of Carly's is her work with the Student Librarians whom she trained and coached in their service to the Elementary School. The library won't be the same without you, Ms. Carly. Best of luck to the Brown family as they journey back to Texas.

Margaret has worked at ASD for three years, first in the MS/HS Visual Arts department, then in the Elementary Library. Margaret has left her mark on our students and teachers with her kind nature and sense of humor. She reorganized our nonfiction collection, started up of a self-check out system and encouraged our students to be independent information seekers. She will leave her legacy with the beautiful new library entrance designs for both the Elementary and Secondary Libraries. We wish Margaret and her family all the best in Singapore.

We will miss you both so much. Thank you for all you have given to our library and to ASD. Once a falcon, always a falcon. See you soon!

ASD Gets Graphic: Announcing Visiting Authors March 2017

ASD Libraries are excited to reveal our Visiting Authors for March 2017! Drum roll, please! We will celebrate graphic novels in our reading community with Victoria Jamieson, Matthew Holm and George O'Connor joining us as authors and artists in residence.

Graphic novels have grown tremendously in popularity over the last decade. And, graphic novelists are responding to their devoted readers with more diverse offerings. Many educators think of graphic novels as the "grand equalizers." Redford, YCDC Education Editor says, graphic novels "invite all levels of readers into reading conversations. Since everyone can read graphic novels, everyone can talk about them. And talk they do. Teachers love to witness how graphic novels allow everyone in the class to develop a passionate reading identity."

Learn more about these talented storytellers below and by exploring their websites.

Victoria Jamieson

www.victoriajamieson.com

Victoria Jamieson is a children's book and graphic novel author and illustrator. Her works include Roller Girl, winner of the 2016 Newbery Honor, The Great Pet Escape, Olympig and Bea Rocks the Flock. She studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, and went on to receive her MA in Museum Studies at the University of Syndey. After living in Rome, Montreal, and Australia, she moved back to the United States, where she began working as a designer with a children's book publisher in New York City. She now lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and young son. Along with writing and illustrating, she teaches children's book illustration at Pacific Northwest College of Art.

Matthew Holm

www.matthewholm.net

Matthew Holm is the co-creator of two critically-acclaimed and award-winning graphic novel series for children, Babymouse and Squish. Together with his sister, author Jennifer L. Holm, the pair created both graphic novel series, and raised the profile of the graphic novel in children’s literature, as well as proved how important graphic novels can be in getting children to learn to read. Babymouse and Squish have become staples on classroom and library shelves around the world, and have enticed even the most reluctant readers into reading for pleasure.

Matthew enjoys speaking at schools and libraries. His enthusiasm for his profession and the books he has created acts as a wonderful catalyst for discussion about the literary world and the role that graphic novels play in it, as well as entertains and encourages children to become lovers of reading. In addition to his job as an illustrator, Matt is also a professional graphic designer and the Consulting Creative Director for Hot Knife Design, Inc., of Boston, Mass. He lives in Portland, Ore., with his wife and dog.

George O’Connor

www.olympiansrule.com

George O’Connor’s first graphic novel, Journey Into Mohawk Country, used as its sole text the actual historical journal of the seventeenth-century Dutch trader Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert, and told the true story of how New York almost wasn’t. He followed that up with Ball Peen Hammer, the first graphic novel written by playwright Adam Rapp, a dark dystopian view of a society’s collapse as intimately viewed by four lost souls. Now he has brought his attention to Olympians, an ongoing series retelling the classic Greek myths in comics form. In addition to his graphic novel career, Mr. O’Connor has published several children’s picture books, including the New York Times best-selling Kapow, Sally and the Some-Thing, and Uncle Bigfoot. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

All books are doooooo!

Thank you all students, parents and teachers for returning your library books as soon as possible! All books are now "doooooo" back to the ES and MS/HS Libraries! Remember, library users who are leaving need to clear their accounts before they can be checked out for the end of the year. Your help is very much appreciated!

Superhero Summer Reading

Reading is a super power! Elementary students are invited to join our Superhero Summer Reading Challenge. Students can build their power over the summer by reading some great books. The best part? Students decide what to read! The goal is to read across genres and formats.

Students will keep track of the books they read on the SUPER challenge card and turn into the Elementary Library by August 25. Students will receive a certificate and special recognition by Mr. Advento at the first ES Assembly of the new school year.

Students can read any genre or format including picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, information books, magazines, newspapers or ebooks. 

Challenge yourself, students, to complete one of the following achievement 
levels:

• Planetary Reader: Read 10 books

• Cosmic Reader: Read 15 books

• Ultimate Power Reader: Total Black-Out of 25 books

Parents are encouraged to support younger readers by reading aloud and completing the challenge as a family. Remember to explore the ES Library Summer Reading website for reading suggestions. And, visit the eResources page to access our ebook collection and research tools any time, any where.

Elementary parents are welcome to join us for a Talk Tuesday on summer reading on Tuesday, May 24 from 8:15-9:15 in the in the ES Library. Bring your devices with you and set up some reading tools to take home with you.

Happy Reading!

Click HERE to print out a Superhero Challenge tracking sheet or to create a Google doc to keep track of books read.

Please also visit our ES Library website for more information and suggestions for reading.

Image credits: http://revidevi.etsy.com

Visiting Authors: Memories for a Lifetime

Our students are energized, inspired, captivated. Our community of readers has been moved by the stories behind the stories we have come to love. The stories of Jacqueline Woodson, Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. From movement and paper collage workshops in the Elementary School to deep readings and discussion in AP English classes in the High School, our students experienced unforgettable learning.

In all of Jacqueline Woodson's discussions with students and adults alike, her message was clear, "Ask me anything. There are no wrong questions." Jacqueline believes deeply in open dialogue as a pathway to deeper understanding. Our students in many instances rose to the challenge of asking probing and complex questions. Students and teachers in Grades 4 and 5, in particular, strengthened their understanding of Brown Girl Dreaming and Show Way in their smaller group discussions with Jacqueline.

In her second week, Jacqueline engaged our parents in an inspirational Talk Tuesday session. She discussed the importance of diverse reading experiences for children - the need for all readers to see themselves in books. Books must serve as both mirrors and windows to the world. She encouraged parents not to restrict their children's reading, but instead read and discuss challenging books with them.

Jacqueline's after school writing workshops gave students an opportunity to write, share and offer each other feedback. Many of our elementary students wrote about favorite holidays inspired my Jacqueline's poetry and bravely read aloud and received comments from the group. A group of High School students, several of whom shared that they are currently writing novels, poetry and screen plays in their own time, wrote fictional pieces with Jacqueline based on a prompt from a silent video.

Steve Jenkins and Robin Page offered exciting hands-on opportunities for our students through paper collage workshops. Students in K1 through Grade 1 created paneled books about their favorite animals using torn and cut colored paper much the same as Steve and Robin do in their published work. High School and Middle School art students had similar opportunities to create alongside Steve and Robin. Our upper elementary students marveled at Steve's rapid-fire presentations of animal illustrations and fascinating facts from the blob fish to the thorny lizard.

A highlight of the week was the after-school movement and art workshop led by Steve and Robin's daughter, Page, a dance instructor. Page skillfully guided our elementary students and parents in a dance session to experience how animals move in many wonderful ways.  It was quite a treat to see students of all ages leap like armadillos alongside each other in the library! The movement activity then inspired the creation of collage books showing animal movement on the page.

Inspired by Steve and Robin's art work, our elementary art teachers, Ms. Anna and Mrs. Confer, and parent volunteer, Jane Elliot, led our elementary students from K1 through Grade 5 in designing a mural of sea life. Each student contributed a layer, a stencil or a three dimensional sea animal to the project. The mural, near complete, will be mounted in the hallway between the Elementary Library and cafeteria.

We know that the learning that Jacqueline, Steve and Robin offered our students will stay with them for a lifetime. We thank each of them for making memories with us. We thank them for deepening our understanding, opening our eyes and changing the way we think as readers, writers, artists and as learners.

Visiting Authors Celebrations: Week 1

When you walk on to campus, you can feel that something special is taking place at ASD. Students, teachers and parents are experiencing a kind of magic. Our community is buzzing with excitement about books and the inspirational people who create them. 

Jacqueline Woodson, Steve Jenkins and Robin Page have delighted our students from K1 right up through High School, as well as our teachers and parents. Thirty-two presentations and workshops were offered in our first week of their visit.

Highlights from the week include the Elementary School welcome assembly, hosted by our Student Librarians, an after-school writing workshop with Jacqueline for ES students and and Steve and Robin's discussions about the design process with AP Art students.

Jacqueline has captivated our Elementary students with readings from Show Way, Brown Girl Dreaming, This is the Rope, Each Kindness and The Other Side. One student described Jacqueline's poetry readings as "mesmerizing" and another said he could listen to her read all day. Jacqueline's insights into her writing and passion are inspiring for our students. Her message is clear, "Do what makes you happy. Do what you love." And writing - writing is what Jacqueline loves.

Steve and Robin engaged our younger students with a book making project in which students each created their own guessing game book. Our upper elementary grades gained insight into many intriguing animal facts and got sneak-peeks at some of Steve and Robin's latest books. Our students are fascinated by the collaborative process that Steve and Robin use to design their intricate books.

Our Library team is proud of the thoughtful questions, responses and enthusiasm of our students as they take full advantage of the learning opportunities with our visiting authors. We can't wait to discover what the second week will bring! 

Upcoming Family Opportunities:

Thursday, March 17: 

ES Art and Movement Workshop with Steve, Robin and their daughter Page 

3:15-4:15pm in the ES Library

Tuesday, March 22:
Talk Tuesday Double Feature: Books as a Mirror and Window to the World (ES Library)

8:15-9:00 Jacqueline Woodson: Diverse Characters in the Hands of All Children
9:15-10:00 Steve Jenkins: Blending Science and Art in Nonfiction

One School, One Book: Reading is Our Own Kind of Show Way

Have you read Brown Girl Dreaming and Show Way? Show your participation in our One School, One Book by adding a patch to our readers quilt in the Elementary Library. 

Each triangle patch on the windows of the library represents one reader. The warm colors of red, orange and yellow show readers of Show Way and the cool colors or blue, green and purple show readers of Brown Girl Dreaming.

Jacqueline tells us that the things that happened before you are your own kind of show way. We believe that all the books you read also make up your own kind of show way.

Stop by to add to our readers quilt and to read the thoughts of our fellow ASD readers.