SAYL Mail

 Sixth grade classes at Colony Middle School in Palmer are looking for rural schools who would like to partner in having online broadcasted discussions about Alaska literature.  CMS students will be developing book reviews of Alaska books, creating podcasts and broadcasting them on Radio Free Palmer this summer.  Partnering rural schools would be welcome to join us on this technological literature adventure as well. Interested schools would need to have the available technology to use Skype.  Skype is a free VOIP service (voice over IP), or talking for free over the Internet.  We also hope to use video over IP also supported by Skype.   Using Skype would require some kind of broadband connection to the Internet, but other then that is very easy to use and we are just learning too.  See http://skype.com/ Interested?  Read the letter below from our 6th grade teacher with more details. 

 My name is Robin Howell and I teach 6th grade language arts at Colony Middle School.  My students (about 120 kids) are dedicated readers, writers, and thinkers.  We have all made one podcast and we are ready for more.   Our 4th quarter goal is to read Alaska genre books, write short, critical, yet entertaining book reviews, and then make a podcast of the written narrative (about 30 sec. to 1 min).  It is our thought that tourists who may be visiting Palmer and wandering the aisles of Fireside Books (in Palmer) will be inspired to purchase an Alaskan book to take home to remember our great state. Students will use a first or nick name only so we won’t need to worry about protecting their identity.  We would be happy to share some of our better podcasts as a sample of their level of work.  We are actively working with our librarian, Robin Turk, in the podcast process.  We are also planning on using Skype to expand their understanding of Alaska and the genre by developing “Skype Pals”.  Our intention is to connect with students across Alaska to form a technology relationship so they will better understand the book they are reading. Robin Turk is supporting our efforts by sending messages out to state wide librarians.  Steve Krueger, our techno wizard for MSBSD is supporting our Skype efforts.  Like all great ideas, many hands make light work! We hope to form a partnership with you and support good reading, writing, listening and community building. Thanks so much for your time,

Robin Howell, 6th grade, Colony Middle School 

If your rural school is interested in partnering with Colony Middle School, please reply to the school librarian, Robin Turk at: Robin.Turk@matsuk12.us 

BOOK BONANZA REMINDER – Deadline April 30, 2008 

The deadline for the 2008 Book Bonanza competition is coming up at the end of the month.  This year there is an entry form AND the usual essay.  For details about how you can enter to win book credits for your school or public library, click:http://www.akla.org/akasl/bonanza/index.html  

IS THERE A POEM IN YOUR POCKET:  POETRY MONTH,   YOUTH POETRY WEEK, POETRY DAY?

April is National Poetry Month, and this year the week of April 14-20 is Youth Poetry Week (almost matches National Library Week), and to make it even better, April 17  is the first Poem in Your Pocket Day.  

Poetry may seem obscure to many, but for the last several years the love of poetry has experienced a revival among young people.  Poetry slams and contests are flooded with contestants these days. 

For some interesting suggestions about how you can make a Poem in Your Pocket day work in your school, library, or community, look at: https://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/406   They even offer a selection of online pocket poems.  Guide poetry readers young and old to the pocket poem link at: https://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/409  

Several poets have web pages featuring their poetry for younger students.  Among them are:           

Kristine O’Connell George:  http://www.kristinegeorge.com/for_students.html            

Joyce Sidman: http://www.joycesidman.com/teachers.html   (You can hear her reading her poems, and students can submit their own.)           

Joyce S. Wong: http://www.janetwong.com/poems/index.cfm 

SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA MONTH

Not only are we celebrating poetry this month, but we can boast that April is School Library Media Month.  If you would like to spread the word in your community or just within your school, check the American Association of School Librarians web site at:

http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslissues/aasladvocacy/schoollibrary.cfm

Here you will find some downloadable School Library Media Month audiospots by Carmen Agra Deedy, a storyteller extraordinaire. There you’ll find spots of a variety of lengths and also some suggestions of how to get them aired outside your school if you have a radio station in your community. At the simplest level, you could air them during school announcements (and possibly throw in a poem, too?).

LIBRI FOUNDATION GRANTS – Deadline April 15

The Libri Foundation is devoted to give grants for collections in rural public libraries through the country.  A number of Alaska libraries in small communities have won in the past.  For information about how you can apply by the nearest deadline check:

http://www.librifoundation.org/apps.html   Here you will find the application and guidelines.   School libraries cannot apply, but combined school/community libraries are eligible.

There is also a fall deadline on August 15, 2008 and a winter one on January 15, 2009.

SCHOOL LIBRARY COORDINATOR STILL WANTED – Deadline April 25, 2008

If you or someone you know is interested in a job that allows one the opportunity to travel throughout our wonderful state and to use your expert knowledge in a way that benefits Alaska school libraries, please checkout the job posting on Workplace Alaska at: http://notes5.state.ak.us/wa/mainentry.nsf/WebData/1hp1HomePage/?Open

The job, listed as School Library Coordinator AND Librarian III, is located in Anchorage and provides the opportunity to work with a great Library Development team of the Alaska State Library.

Hopefully,

Sue

Sue Sherif