SLMS Library - Holiday Edition
December 2019
'Tis the Season for Scholastic Achievement
The holidays are typically a time of reflection, and for me that means looking back at my first semester at SLMS and all the many positive experiences I've already had here in such a brief span of time. The holidays are also a time for celebration, so I wanted to focus this edition of my newsletter on the accomplishments of our students through library programs. See below for highlights of the readers, writers, and spellers who have been making waves at SLMS, as well as some items to anticipate in the near future!
Crystal Allen's Strikewriter Winners
Children's author Crystal Allen came back to SLMS to provide a lunchtime celebration for this year's and last year's Strikewriters, the winning students from her writing contest. She spoke to them on the value of the writing they'd done and the importance of reading and writing throughout life. Amidst the food and fellowship, Ms. Allen also addressed each of the winners and their stories individually. It was a fun and productive time for all!
A Legacy Continues
Winning writers from last year were invited to partake in the festivities with current winners.
A New Generation of Writers
This year's Strikewriters (Aansar S., Alex L., Annaliese T., Ava C., Brandie G., Christina D., Daniel G., Elizabeth D., Gazal E., Isabella P., Jude A., Liam L., Samuel M., Elizabeth Q., and Isabella T.) pose with Ms. Allen.
Learning the Craft
During the lunch, Ms. Allen provided writing feedback and encouragement to each of the new Strikewriters.
Campus Spelling Bee Crowns a New Champion
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the oldest academic competition in the country, and recently we had 30 classroom winners compete at our whole-campus bee. Competition was fierce, with almost a third of students making it past the study list words and onto words for which they hadn't prepared. In the end though, there can only be one champion! After two hours of grueling competition, 7th grader Richard C. took home 1st place, eliminating tough opponent Abeeha J. for a chance to represent SLMS at the Fort Bend District Bee on February 1st.
The 2019-20 SLMS Matchbook Team
Matchbook is a district-wide academic competition that challenges small teams of students to collaboratively read through 30 award-winning novels and match titles with obscure quotes and clues. It's a brutal format that requires the strongest and hardest-working readers. With more interested students than I had spots on the team, I held a preliminary assessment in the library to determine the SLMS Matchbook Team for this year. The results are in, and I look forward to working with these young scholars as we prepare for the challenge! (From left to right: Ganesh V., Josh J., Jada A., Laiba E., Minahil J., and Abeeha J., who is fresh off her 2nd place at the campus spelling bee)
Thank You For a Stupendous Book Fair!
Having previously organized book fairs only at the elementary level, I was unsure how much participation to expect from a middle school population. I was thus very pleased to have such a huge response from our students (and of course, from their parents). All week long we had excited students discovering new books to whet their appetite for reading. Some students were even given surprise book gifts due to a generous donation from an SLMS parent (see below). And of course, the fair raised a sizable amount of money for the library, which will go straight to purchasing new books and technology for our students. Fundraisers are doomed to fail without people helping to raise the actual funds, and I greatly appreciate the support of our school community in making this fair such a rousing success!
Holiday Events at the Public Library
Even though our campus library will be closed over winter break, the Sugar Land Branch Library down the street has a diverse array of holiday events, many of them tailored for particular age groups. See the link below for their current calendar of events, featuring movie nights, dancing lessons, arts and crafts, and storytimes.
Coding Over the Holidays
Fort Bend County Libraries are also hosting two Star Wars-themed coding events for 4th-8th graders, though not at the Sugar Land Branch. One is at the Missouri City branch on 12/21, the other at the Cinco Ranch location on 12/26. See the link below for contact and registration information.
Looking Ahead
- January 23rd and 24th, professional performers Troupe d'Jour will bring their characteristic theatrics and fervor to SLMS, presenting on mythology to 7th graders and Shakespeare to 8th graders.
- Soon after the semester begins, the library will launch the SLMS MakerSpace, a collaborative space where students can play and create using DIY crafts, coding robots, construction kits, video editing, and other STEM-based activities. Students craving high-tech fun and learning are going to love this!
David Sinclair
School Librarian, Reader, Gamer, Explorer, General-Purpose Nerd
Email: david.sinclair@fortbendisd.com
Website: https://www.fortbendisd.com/domain/2234
Phone: 281-634-3096