Simply For Teachers

I will spare you the dramatic storyline that has brought me to this task……let's just say I have boxes and boxes and boxes and boxes and boxes and boxes and boxes and boxes and boxes (you get the picture) of books.  They are beautiful books with award winning authors and timeless classics for the ages.  They have been sitting in these boxes for almost two years.  So begins my journey of inventorying, organizing and assembling a school wide leveled library (two buildings, so times two but we won't be getting into that). I did a lot of research and leg work to develop a cohesive vision for the library.  It needed to be welcoming yet have an element of accountability.  It needed to be pleasing to the eye and yet functional. I started with a plan for the organization and the logistics.  That plan was then approved and supported by the administration (thank God).  Then it was a matter or ordering what we needed and setting up the physical space.  Th...

My new position as District Elementary Reading Specialist carries a lot of hats.  I chose to make Read Across America a big deal for the elementary buildings for obvious reasons….1. It's a nationally recognized event. 2. It celebrates READING! 3. It was a perfect opportunity to help further align the elementary schools in a simple way. One of the district wide initiatives was a home and school connection.  I wanted to involve our families to make the week more visible.  The week's theme in our district was from the quote "You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child".  This set the stage nicely for involving our parents.  Since it was the first time we held school wide events in one of he buildings it was important to lay the ground work for future events. I did a couple of things to foster the home & school connection for the week….. 1. School Wide Bulletin Board! Honestly, this was A LOT of work for me but worth e...