Author Visit

Brian Martin, author of Lunchbox Stories will be visiting our school on Wednesday, November 30th from 9am-2pm.  He has a new and unique take on books and how they are presented to children.  This event will be fun and different from other author visits.  Grades 1-5 will be participating in this event as he books are geared towards this specific age of readers.  If you would like more information about Brian and his stories you can visit http://www.lunchboxstories.com/.  A flyer for pre-ordering his books to be signed at the book fair is also on the school website http://www.stjoevanschool.org/. 
So excited to bring yet another author to our school! 

Library in the computer lab??? What????

This week grades 3-6 spent their library time in the computer lab learning about our on-line card catalog system.  Students have access to the on-line system on a library PC, but have not had group instruction on how to use the system.  Having library in the lab allowed me to instruct large group, and individually, with each student working on a PC.  This was a great opportunity for me to get to know the students in a different setting and also help them learn our system more effectively. 

Students had an overview of the system and then completely a worksheet using the on-line cataloging system.  Our system is similar to the one used at Fort Vancouver, so for review, you might ask your student to log on to http://www.frvl.org/ and try looking up a resource for their next project.  The worksheet they completed will be coming home in their next Friday Folder.

Back to School

Wow has time flew by!  It is mid-September and I am just getting up my "back to school" post.  With Sausage Fest, Back to School Night, Bullying Presentations, MAPS testing, and the million other activities that come with being back to school, I let my blog get dusty and stale.  Well, good news!  The library sure isn't dusty or stale.  I purchased a plethora of new books and magazines to get your kiddies off to a jolly good start.  A few of the new acquires are A Boys' Life magazine, all the new Sasquatch nominee titles (which I can't seem to keep in stock this year because they are so popular!) and some award titles from less known categories such as the ALA Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, and the Dolly Gray Award.  In addition to books, new videos were purchased for use in the classroom on several different topics such as Communities, Plant Life, and Pioneer Life.  And the last and the best are the addition of two, yes count 'em, two Nook e-readers.  The Nook program is being piloted in the 4th grade this year and with any luck, I'll have funds to introduce Nooks into the 3rd grade classroom by the end of the year. 
Now is also a great time to thank you to my new library volunteer Estela McCoy who has been hard at work shelving all the new titles and old ones as well. 
I'm so excited to be back and see all the faces that make this such a wonderful community.
Read on!

Summer Reading!

"Find something to do!!!!!"  I know that is a popular phrase out of my mouth during the summer months.  Sometimes in the Pacific NW, the weather just doesn't cooperate, so if your kids are like mine and they are looking for something to do on those not quite warm enough to run around in your bathing suit days, check out this great list of summer reading recommendations.  Students in grades two through six put together this great list of books that they loved so much they took the time to tell me about them in writing! 

Also, don't forget about Fort Vancouver Library's amazing summer reading programs with top notch prizes.  Click here to get directly to their site.  http://www.fvrl.org/.

And if that isn't enough, Barnes and Noble, our favorite book seller hosts a summer reading program with the chance to win a Nook!  www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading/index.asp   All students who complete a reading journal receive a free book.

The end is drawing near.....

The end of the school year is drawing to a close and things are beginning to wrap up in the library.  Please check all the nooks and cranies for those lost or misplaced books.  The last library date for students will be June 7th.  Library times for all classes are listed on the right side of the blog. 

If you just don't have enough to read at home....  The Used Book Sale will be held June 8th and 10th in the library.  Send your kids to school with cold hard cash (no big bills please) so they can shop their hearts out! 

And if you still just don't have enough summer reading ideas, stay tuned because student reading recommendations will be posted before the end of the school year.

Thanks so much for all the parent support from my book coverers, shelf elfs, and book fair volunteers.  I couldn't have done it without you!

Mrs. Hunt

The Bookfair is coming, the Bookfair is coming!

Like Paul Revere riding through the streets of Boston warning of the British invasion, I am running through the halls of St. Joe's proclaming the news that the Barnes and Noble Book fair is coming to the Vancouver Barnes and Noble on March 20th!  Every purchase whether book, game, or drink earns St. Joseph 20% back towards purchases for our school!  Last year our generous families earned us $600.00 so I could go on a shopping spree to.....  Barnes and Noble of course!  And this year is even more exciting as Mary Casanova author of the American Girl Series, the Dog Watch series, and many other titles will be signing books at our event. So, don't be a Tory, march on over to our big event!