GCS School Library News
September 2015
Summer at the Library
Camp Achieve: GCS Summer Reading Program for Grades 1-3
4 Weeks
9 Media Centers
1 Public Library Partnership
17,863 Books Circulated
Check-Out the News Release & Pictures from Camp Achieve
Give Five - Read Five
Submitted by Kim Beam, Bessemer City Primary
GCS Student Shares Love of Reading
Expand Your Mind at NCCAT
July 13-17, 2015, I was fortunate enough to go to NCCAT in Cullowhee, North Carolina. I attended the workshop Strategies for Teaching and Learning in a Digital Environment. I was looking for some good ideas to share with our faculty about using BYOD in the classes. Boy howdy, did I hit the jackpot.
My instructor was Glenn Gurley, a former teacher and Instructional Facilitator from Gaston County Schools. He is now working at UNCC with their student teachers and at NCCAT. His pace was stringent, but not rushed. He introduced this diverse group of 32 teachers from all over North Carolina to a great many programs in a way, as he stated, that he and we would never use in a classroom. But, he only had a week, whereas we have all year. We spent time learning Ed Puzzle, Flubaroo, I-nigma, Symbaloo, Edmodo, Kidblog, Audioboom, Blendspace, Todays Meet, Poll Everyhere, a few photo editors, and some assessment tools, just to name a few (whew). Glenn also threw in some best practices for student management that we didn’t always realize, like the green check on the board when it was okay to use phones and the red x on the board when it was not.
If you have not been to NCCAT, you need to put it on your bucket list. I’ve been able to attend both campuses, the one in Cullowhee and in Ocracoke. Both are beautiful. The dorms are single occupancy with private baths, no tv in the rooms. The food is WONDERFUL. The staff treat the participants like kings and queens. All expenses, once you get on campus, are paid. PENC is now offering a grant to pay for substitutes while teachers are at NCCAT. Information is at www.pencweb.org/scholarships-and-grants
The focus of NCCAT has changed in the years of budget cuts. It used to have all different kinds of workshops and participants had to wait three years before they could return. The focus now of NCCAT is on Literacy and Technology. They are offering different types of workshops in these areas along with online courses as well. If you are working on your National Board Certification, you can go to one of the campuses and work using their facilities and resources. The other change in NCCAT is that you don’t have to wait for three years before you reapply. HMM, I wonder what they’re offering this winter?
Find out more about NCCAT at www.nccat.org.
Submitted by Nancy Olls, Cherryville High School
Back-to-School 2015
Kicking Things off With a Bang!!
- GCS Students began the school year with 8.719 new book on their media center bookshelves.
- During the first 6 days of school, 22,515 books were checked out!
- During the teacher workdays, all SLMC's in Gaston County met to formulate SMART Goals for the upcoming school year. Goals for this year will focus on promoting literacy, improving collaboration with classroom teachers, and increasing collection ages.
- Bessemer City Middle Celebrates Library Card Sign-up Month! Every student who shows Mrs. Dodd their public library card is enters into a drawing for 2 tickets to a home football game!
- Mrs. Davis at Pleasant Ridge Elementary will be hosting her first literacy event for parents entitled "Tips to Engage Reading" on Monday, September 14 from 11:00-11:45.
W. B. Beam Intermediate
Springfield Elementary
Highland School of Technology
Gardner Park
Highland School of Technology
Bessemer City Middle
Bessemer City Primary
Thank You! Books-A-Million
Books-A-Million has been collecting books for Gaston County Schools during its second annual BAM! Book Drive. On Saturday, August 29th, patrons had the opportunity to donate books to Belmont Middle School. Each year BAM branches select community organizations for the Book Drive. The other schools participating this year were East Gaston High and Brookside Elementary. Several BMS staff including media coordinator, Linda Cathcart, attended the event. Classroom book sets that were purchased by customers include “Percy Jackson & The Olympians,” “Hatchet,” and “The Midwife’s Apprentice.”
Submitted by Linda Cathcart, Belmont Middle School
Kindergartners Get Ready to READ
As Kindergartners at Costner Elementary learn the 4 READ Rules, they share a weekly book that helps them discuss each rule.
Respect the library materials (Mr. Wiggle's Book)
Everything has a correct place (Clifford and the Grouchy Neighbors)
Always Share (Llama Llama Time to Share)
Don't Disturb others working in and around the library (Curious George Visits the Library)
Submitted by Sherry Kubbs, Costner Elementary
Library Black-Out
Submitted by Catelyn Franklin, Brookside Elementary
Act of Kindness
One act of kindness that will always be remembered by this Media Coordinator.
It was so heartwarming to watch one of our fourth grade students help a new student at our school. The new student did not know how to navigate the school, let alone the Media Center.
Two boys entered the Media Center. One was known to me, one was not. The fourth grade "veteran" student acted superbly as an ambassador. The ambassador didn't ask for my assistance, he just talked with the "newbie" to get an idea of what types of books were interesting to him. They made the circuit of the Media Center a few times to collect desired genres.
Then it was time to wrap up their adventure in the Media Center and teach the "newbie" how to check books out. The ambassador did a great job detailing the process. The "newbie" dutifully and easily followed the instructions. But we were all smiling when the ambassador asked "newbie" if he could have one last thrill, scanning the last book himself.
This 8 minute event was very special to me and something I will always remember!
Submitted by Patti Updike, Carr Elementary
New, up and coming titles in HS Young Adult literature: (from School Library Journal)
Like it never happened by Emily Adrian, ISBN: 9780525428237, Dial, June 2015
The Essential Five (the “true” thespians of the high school) take the theatre seriously. Things begin to change as the star, Rebecca and her leading man begin dating; things aren’t always what they seem. Realistic fiction in the vein of E. Lockhart (reviewed by Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA - SLJ, 3/2015)
Nowhere to hide by Sigmund Brouwer, ISBN: 9780736917483, Harvest House, March 2015
A thriller about three friends working with the CIA off Puget Sound, this is sure to please anyone who enjoys mystery, espionage, and conspiracy theories. (reviewed by Susan Harris, Ridgeway High School, TN - SLJ, 3/2015)
Dancing with Molly by Lena Horowitz, ISBN: 9781481415521, Simon Pulse, June 2015
A journal written by a “band geek” who has her first experience with Ecstasy. The book is akin to Ellen Hopkins in both form and content. Mature sexual scenes and drug use are evident. (reviewed by Deanna McDaniel, Genoa Middle School, OH, SLJ, 3/2015)
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli and Morim Kang, ISBN: 9781600091803, NETCOMICS 2015
Opening each chapter with an excerpt from Machiavelli’s classical work, Kang illustrates the main points of The Prince using examples from history in a realistic but manga style art. Historical notes included and may serve well as a classroom supplemental. (reviewed by Sarah Knutson, American Canyon Middle School, CA - SLJ, 3/2015
Submitted by Robin Jordan, North Gaston High School