April Bookmark

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President’s Message It is hard to believe that it is April already. We were very lucky that our winter was so mild. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to warmer weather and lighter jackets. I am also looking forward to School Library Month. On April 4 th , the NJ State Board of Education will adopt a resolution proclaiming April as School Library Month. What a great month to celebrate your library! Visit the AASL website, http://www.ala.org/aasl/ aaslissues/slm/schoollibrary , for ideas and activities to help you celebrate. One School Library Month activity I hope you participate in is NJASL’s essay contest, “Why My School Library Is Important.” Please make the contest entry form available to your students. You may be surprised by what they say! I hope you share their responses with your administrators as well. Let the administrators hear how important the library is to your students. At the same time, we at NJASL will be sharing the essays with elected officials, DOE personnel, and other interested parties. This April, you may also want to participate in Reading for the Earth. This program is a national effort to promote reading and environmental awareness. Sponsored by the Earth Day Network, with NJASL as a partner, the program’s purposes are to educate students about the environment and motivate students to read more. Students go to the library, pick out an environmentally themed book, and sign a pledge that they will read it during the month of April. The toolkit, with a list of suggested books, the pledge form, and other ideas is available on our website, www.njasl.org. To keep you updated, at the March meeting of the State Board of Education, the new NJQSAC regulations were adopted. We were successful in including School Library resources in the Instruction and Program section of the monitoring regulations. The wording now reads, 18. The district requires and verifies that instruction for all students is based on the district’s curriculum, instructional materials, media and school library resources and includes instructional strategies, activities, and content that meet individual student needs including Individual Education Plans (IEP). “All students” include those students with disabilities, English language learners, gifted and talented students, and students in alternative education programs. Documentation includes: Library Skills/Information Literacy/Library Media curriculum. bookmark Newsletter of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians Vol XLI, Number 8 PO Box 610, Trenton, NJ 08607 609-394-8032 http://www.njasl.org Calendar 2012 Apr 18 - Union Middlesex Meeting May 5 - Annual Spring Membership Meet- ing at Ocean Place Resort and Spa, Long Branch May 19- Letters about Literature celebration at Princeton Nov 29 - Dec 1 - Annual Conference at Long Branch, “Inspiration, Motivation, Participation”

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The newsletter of the NJ Association of School Librarians

Transcript of April Bookmark

Page 1: April Bookmark

President’s Message

It is hard to believe that it is April already. We were very lucky that our winter was so mild. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to warmer weather and lighter jackets. I am also looking forward to School Library Month. On April 4th, the NJ State Board of Education will adopt a resolution proclaiming April as School Library Month. What a great month to celebrate your library! Visit the AASL website, http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslissues/slm/schoollibrary, for ideas and activities to help you celebrate.

One School Library Month activity I hope you participate in is NJASL’s essay contest, “Why My School Library Is Important.” Please make the contest entry form available to your students. You may be surprised by what they say! I hope you share their responses with your administrators as well. Let the administrators hear how important the library is to your students. At the same time, we at NJASL will be sharing the essays with elected officials, DOE personnel, and other interested parties.

This April, you may also want to participate in Reading for the Earth. This program is a national effort to promote reading and environmental awareness. Sponsored by the Earth Day Network, with NJASL as a partner, the program’s purposes are to educate students about the environment and motivate students to read more. Students go to the library, pick out an environmentally themed book, and sign a pledge that they will read it during the month of April. The toolkit, with a list of suggested books, the pledge form, and other ideas is available on our website, www.njasl.org.

To keep you updated, at the March meeting of the State Board of Education, the new NJQSAC regulations were adopted. We were successful in including School Library resources in the Instruction and Program section of the monitoring regulations. The wording now reads,18. The district requires and verifies that instruction for all students is based on the district’s curriculum, instructional materials, media and school library resources and includes instructional strategies, activities, and content that meet individual student needs including Individual Education Plans (IEP). “All students” include those students with disabilities, English language learners, gifted and talented students, and students in alternative education programs.

Documentation includes:

Library Skills/Information Literacy/Library Media curriculum.

bookmarkNewsletter of the

New Jersey Association of School Librarians

Vol XLI, Number 8 PO Box 610, Trenton, NJ 08607 609-394-8032 http://www.njasl.org

Calendar2012

Apr 18 - Union Middlesex MeetingMay 5 - Annual Spring Membership Meet- ing at Ocean Place Resort and Spa, Long BranchMay 19- Letters about Literature celebration at PrincetonNov 29 - Dec 1 - Annual Conference at Long Branch, “Inspiration, Motivation, Participation”

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While this wording does not require a library/librarian in every school, it does add strength to having a library and a library curriculum in the districts.

Another advocacy effort is Library Legislative Day in Washington, DC. This event takes place on on April 22nd

and 23rd, and Amy Rominiecki, Mary Moyer, and I will be attending. We will be advocating for our libraries and programs in meetings with NJ’s elected officials. This year we have additional documentation with the release of the New Jersey Study of School Libraries, One Common Goal: Student Achievement. We will be sharing the study findings with NJ legislators in our meetings. Other issues that will be addressed are the SKILLS Act and funding for school libraries. We will be there to share our “stories” and inform the legislators how important school libraries are for the students of NJ. You can add your voices by emailing your representatives and asking them to support the SKILLS Act and school libraries. Share some of your own “stories” with them.

As a reminder, our annual spring meeting will be held on Saturday, May 5th at Ocean Place in Long Branch. Illustrator Chris Soentpiet will be the speaker. Registration will begin at 11:00 AM, with the meeting starting at 11:30 AM. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you there. We can celebrate our Enthusiastic Readers, enjoy a great lunch, and listen to a wonderful presentation from Chris Soentpiet.

Lastly, if your district is holding School Board elections in April, don’t forget to vote on the budget. A number of schools have switched school elections to November, but some will still vote this month. My district is one of them. It is important that we continue to support our schools by voting.

Have a great School Library Month!

All the best,

Fran

Fran King NJASL President , [email protected] Library Media Specialist Lincoln Middle School Passaic, NJ

2012 Conference PreviewIf last month’s conference preview began to

tantalize you, this month’s article should further inspire, motivate, and get you ready to participate! Robert Sabuda, pop-up artist extraordinaire, has agreed not only to be our banquet keynote presenter, but also to offer two hands-on workshops on Saturday morning!

Robert credits his parents with nurturing his love of reading and creating with his hands. His mother read to him every night and his father, a mason and carpenter, transformed rough pieces of wood into “graceful objects of knotty beauty.” As a child, Sabuda helped create scenery for the shows at his mother’s dance school and bulletin boards for his teachers. It was a trip to the dentist, however, that planted the seed of his vocation…he discovered his first pop-up book!

Robert attended Pratt Institute and, over the years, has worked in publishing, package design, and various illustrative techniques including mosaics and stained glass. His gift is in transforming flat lifeless pieces of cardstock into intricate, three dimensional, moveable structures that literally bring stories to life. Robert is a two-time recipient of both the Golden Kite and Meggendorfer Awards, and his books are frequently included on notable booklists compiled by ALA, The New York Times, Bank Street Books, and more. Just this past February, Chanukah Lights, inspired by a poem by Michael J. Rosen, received the 2012 Sydney Taylor Book Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries.

Robert will present “Travels Through Time and Space,” a Powerpoint slide show during the Friday evening banquet. He will cover “a bit of the history of movable and pop-up books for young people as well as a section on how I create my own work.” We will have an opportunity to try our hands at creating an actual pop-up during the workshop “Mountains, Valleys, and in the Gutter” on Saturday. Pre-registration will be required in order to have enough supplies on hand. Each participant will be asked to bring their own pair of scissors. Get a sneak preview on Robert’s website, robertsabuda.com, where he has directions for making a variety of simple pop-ups.

If you have any suggestions for the 2012 conference, please email me at: [email protected]. Please visit NJASL’s newly redesigned website where you will find updated conference information and forms for program and poster session proposals. The deadline has been extended to May 31, 2012. Pam Gunter, Vice –President 2012 Conference Chair

Bookmark is published monthly September through June by The New Jersey Association of School Librarians, PO Box 610, Trenton, NJ 08607.

October through May are online editions. Deadlines are always the 15th of the month. Editors: Pat Morris, Bev Siti. Email to <[email protected]>

and please put NJASL or Bookmark in the subject line.

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AASL and More at ALA Midwinter, Part IIHilda K. Weisburg

AASL Liaison, AA Delegate

I’m thinking spring thoughts, so it is definitely time to wrap up what happened at ALA Midwinter in Dallas. As

promised, I will share the fourth scenario from the Saturday roundtable session before reporting on what occurred at the Sunday Affiliate Assembly (AA) meeting.

Scenario 4: Your state has adopted the Common Core, the Partnership for the 21st Century, and is working on the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Reading for College and Careers) Frameworks. (NJ is doing this.) Everything is looking proactive for school children. However, costs for new materials, technology, and professional development look precarious. Districts plan to use these initiatives to evaluate school librarians and student achievement to create new pay scales based on performance. (The teacher unions have not spoken for school librarians specifically.) How can you prove that school librarians cannot be assessed fairly if they do not have the proper funds, schedules, and materials? To whom do you present your results?• Compare scores on mandated tests to other districts that properly fund libraries.• Use correlation between student achievement and money, schedule, resources, staffing; show the data that exists.• Point to differences from district to district where some are well supported and others have one certified person for the

whole district.• Learning4Life (L4L) should develop an evaluation tool.• Districts without technology are at serious disadvantage.• Can you teach without technology—how do you show this?• Talk to civic organizations, businesses, and other private funding sources to get technology• Follow the money—get the ear of your funding source—state, federal, and local (county, city, town) decision makers

to explain the impact of no funding and make a case for equity in how librarians are evaluated (what you need to do the job you’re expected to do).

• Develop great relationships with parents and teachers - their voices are louder than yours.• Get in right away at the district level to show how we teach the Common Core. • Make sure that school libraries are part of the collaborative teaching of the Common Core.

Affiliate Assembly – As usual, various committee chairs and others brought information to the delegates.

• AASL Retirees – As a committee member, I informed the delegates about a new Special Interest Group AASL is forming for retirees and presented the top 10 reasons for continuing as an ALA/AASL member:1. Free ALA membership when retired if you have 25 continuous years as a member.2. Full rights and benefits as members. 3. Members are able to affirm and relish their passions. 4. Pay it forward: mentor and share knowledge and expertise.5. Stay active mentally and physically. 6. Stay young by connecting with members and colleagues. 7. Participate in discussions, committees, task forces, etc. 8. Advocate for the profession. 9. Once a librarian, always a librarian. 10. ALA and AASL need you (retirees).

• Research and Statistics - Gail Dickinson asked that if you are chosen randomly by the National Center for Educational Statistics to fill out the library survey, please do so. We worked hard to get on their list. Library statistics are important. School Libraries Count is actively working on a press release to inform librarians of the importance of this survey. They want to move the data from correlation to causation. School libraries do count and do have an

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impact on student learning. The National Center for Educational Statistics can be accessed at: http://nces.ed.gov.

• Intellectual Freedom (IF) Committee – Helen Adams pointed to resources you can use in your state. There is an IF Toolkit with a position statement on reading levels on books http://www.ala.org.aasl.aaslissues/positionstatements/labeling, and the wiki on Essential Links has IF information http://aasl.ala.org/essentiallinks/index.php?title=Welcome!.

• Last year was the first for Banned Websites Awareness Day. Visit http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslissues/bwad/bwad to deal with over-aggressive filtering during Banned Books Week. May 1-7 is the third annual Choose Privacy Week, http://privacyrevolution.org. Check for resources from the ALA store (I Am Not an Open Book, plus more) – there are lots more available on this. The committee posts monthly on the AASL blog http://www.aasl.ala.org/aaslblog/?p=2435. One example is Lasting Impression: What Digital Footprint Do You Want to Leave? If you are looking for school privacy policies, let IF know. (You can email me.) Become a Freedom to Read foundation member. Dues pay for litigation defending first amendment rights.

• AASL Past President’s Report – Nancy Everhart reviewed the Concerns that were sent by AA to the AASL Board after ALA Annual 2011 and how the Executive Committee (EC) handled these.

o Concern #1—Race to the Top funds linked to school librarian effectiveness Race to the Top requires school districts to measure teacher effectiveness based on student growth. States are struggling with how to measure effectiveness of school librarians. In the absence of tools, the process has been frustrating. A variety of nationally recognized instruments are needed to measure the impact the school librarian has on student growth. Action taken by EC: Added an area for AASL’s L4L Sample School Librarian Performance and Evaluation System (Charlotte Danielson model) under Performance Evaluation of School Librarians in Essential Links; will publicize each time a link is added to the AASL Blog. There is a school librarian evaluation publication coming out from AASL which should be available at Annual.

o Concern #4—Filtering and Access In Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs, AASL encourages the creation of a flexible 21st-Century learning environment and notes that “the use of multimedia and global resources can help create authentic learning experiences that teach 21st Century skills and connect what students are learning to the outside world.” However, the reality is that in many schools, access to resources and experiences for students and teachers in the digital world are limited due to restrictions (filters, firewalls, bandwidth, etc.) imposed by technology coordinators without consultation or input from educators, especially from state credentialed school librarians. These library teachers have expertise in evaluating information resources and are in a unique position to apply standard selection criteria to determine the suitability of digital resources to support the curriculum, instruction, and learning.Action taken by EC: Possible session for Fall Forum; add the question to the School Libraries Count Survey; add more information on Essential Links for Banned Sites day (Note: Barracuda Network is used for individual school level filtering – lots of material available through COSN.)

o Concern #5—AASL white paper on CIPA and eBooks There is an increasing interest in using e-books in schools. School librarians are unable to find credible/authoritative guidance regarding the legal purchase and legal use of e-books and e-readers in the school environment. Action taken by EC: Molly Raphael (ALA President) is putting together a task force on digital content (ALA Digital Content Committee) – should ensure AASL representation. Need names for Digital Content and Libraries group and subgroups. Don’t need to be really techie; policy issues, etc. Carl Harvey (AASL President) will need names of volunteers. (Let me know if you are interested.) Chris Harris has been put on this group. They are forming some subgroup working groups and, hopefully, we’ll be able to get AASL representation on those as well. For example, some subgroups are accessibility, privacy and ethics, communication for the library community, and communication beyond the library community.

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o Concern #7—Task Force on Capstone (not the publisher) senior projects Involving librarians as integral to information literacy culmination such as student-centered Capstone Projects (CP)/Senior Projects may alleviate pressure to remove school librarian positions as nonessential to academic achievement. Action taken by EC: Carl and the Board formed this committee at the Board II meeting. Carl needs names of volunteers. o Concern #11—Position statement on school librarians and federally mandated programs Responses to Intervention (RtI) programs are being implemented in schools throughout the nation. The library media center and the school librarian play a central role in a school’s educational program and thus can be a key component of a school-wide RtI program. Action taken by EC: This is the Role of the School Library Program position statement. It is also on the agenda for MW Board II. Cassandra Barnett worked on a draft. We also contacted the pre-service Task Force and asked them to consider this as they worked, too. Carl will send a request to the Blog group or post on the AASL Blog when it is completed.

o Concern #14—Guidelines for school library staffing There are no national recommendations on school library staffing. Action taken by EC: Carl and the Board formed a task force to explore this issue as well as avenues to accomplish the request. Much of the other work is already being done, with the exception of quantitative standards; there is a recommendation in the staffing position statement; also ALA “crisis” committee may be working on this Action: already being worked on from a variety of perspectives.

Next month, I will complete what transpired at Affiliate Assembly, including a presentation from the California school librarians and their California Campaign for Strong School Libraries. As always, if you want any information about ALA/AASL, including membership and committee appointments, or if you want further information about anything relating to AASL, contact me at 732-566-1995 or e-mail to: [email protected].

ALA ELECTIONS Vote for BARBARA STRIPLING

See her website at http://www.barbarastripling.org/whatibelieve

Middle School Literacy Corner - Bruce DuBoff

Northrop, Michael. Plunked. Scholastic, 2012. 247 pages. ISBN 13: 978-0-545-29714-1. This book is appropriate for grades 4 to 7, or ages 8 to 12, depending on reading level and interests.

I make no apologies for liking baseball and baseball books. Just as I subscribed to Baseball Digest as a kid, now (as an older kid) I like to read about the national pastime as soon as I hear that pitchers and catchers have reported to their Florida and Arizona residences. Fortunately, publishers know there are other folks like me out there, and they always accommodate us with new baseball fiction. The one I chose this year, Plunked by Michael Northrop, did not disappoint. The former Sports Illustrated for Kids writer produced a well-constructed retelling of one of the oldest tales in our collective history: the overcoming of The Fear. Every epic/tragic hero, from Gilgamesh and Enkidu to Moses to Achilles and Hector to Sir Gawain to Hamlet to Luke Skywalker and Winston Smith, has had to face his/her darkest fear to move to the next plane of existence. For some, that plane represents religious freedom, liberation of the soul, the chivalric code, revenge for murder most foul, or submission to a higher positive power (the Force) or a higher negative power (Big Brother). Protagonist Jack Mogens’ mission is simpler: he simply wants to make his local Little League team before he gets killed. Book Review continues on page 7.

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AECT Update

The Summer Leadership dates have been finalized. It will be in Louisville, Kentucky, July 15 - 17. This location will give the AECT Board a chance to enjoy Louisville again, as AECT was there two years ago. On Monday of Summer Leadership, the AECT Board will hold its midyear board meeting. On Tuesday, the Board will discuss leadership and its many facets. There will be breakout sessions and a final evaluation. More details will be forthcoming as the Leadership committee finalizes Tuesday’s schedule.

The Divisions have received proposals for the Fall Conference at the end of October, and they are now being reviewed. There are approximately 500 sessions being planned – 30- and 60- minute workshops, roundtables, and Presidential sessions that are geared toward specific topics, plus committee and division meetings.

AECT has set the dates for Fall Conferences thru 2015. So far, the 2013 conference will be in Anaheim, 2014 will be in Jacksonville, and 2015 will be in Indianapolis. There is talk of Las Vegas for 2016---people are excited about that!

The School Media Technology Division is planning for its responsibilities for the AECT Fall Conference, as well as working on two major projects. The first is the revision of its Handbook. We are half way through and hope to complete the job by summer so voting can take place at Fall Conference. The Division’s second project is the consideration of reinstituting an award to be presented to a Library Media Specialist or Technology Coordinator. We are hoping to get an outside sponsor to provide monies – if you have a suggestion, please let me know.

AECT election results are as follows: The President-Elect is Steve Harmon, who will be 2013 Conference Chair in Anaheim. School Media Technology Division: President-Elect is Lucy Green, Communications Officer is Morgan Reece, Member-at-Large is Mary Beth Jordan, and Secretary is Kaye Dobson. Congratulations to all!

The recipient of the 2012 Villy Gandhi Leadership Award will be announced at the May Spring Membership meeting and then in Bookmark. The committee is in the process of reviewing the applications.

If you have any questions about AECT, please contact me. Leslie Blatt, AECT Liaison

NJ Center for the Book The judging for Letters About Literature is done so watch this column next month for all the winners.

Book Review by Corrin Sellen, General Charles G. Harker School, Woolwich Twp.

One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo. Illustrated by David Small. New York: Dial

Books for Young Readers, 2012.

Here is a picture book that proves that the sum is greater than its parts. Toni Buzzeo tells the story of precocious proper and scientific Elliot and his new pet penguin brought home from the aquarium under his father’s not-too-watchful eye. David Small uses pen and ink and watercolor to illustrate the events with details that add humor and tone beyond the words themselves. Together the words and the pictures pop and bring chortles to readers sophisticated enough to read between the lines and peek into the details. Second grade students who previewed this book plan to make One Cool Friend one of the first books they check out when it is added to our library collection next year. (As a bonus the dialogue pages featuring speech balloons encircling the quotation marked speech could be most helpful in introducing the use of quotation marks to young writers.)

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Interactive SMART BoardsIf you’ve seen SMART boards in action, you

already know what powerful education tools they can be. Interactive white boards can engage students in exciting ways, and offer easily customizable tools for teachers to plan great lessons. They can be intimidating at first, but if you keep an open mind and a positive attitude you will be amazed at how SMART boards can enhance your teaching and your students’ learning.

Our students are part of a generation whose relationship with technology is second nature. They often get easily discouraged when their school experiences are less than interactive. Using the SMART board to engage these students just makes sense. You would be amazed to see how students perk up when their teacher starts interacting with the board, and how eager they are to interact with it themselves. It’s a great way to reach learners with a variety of learning styles. Even the most reluctant students will want to get involved in your lesson!

Of course, interactive white boards are also a boon for teachers. There are so many pre-created activities that teachers can use to create dynamite lessons without a lot of headache! Want an interactive way for students to learn library vocabulary? Want to do a lesson about categorizing books into fiction or non-fiction? Whatever lesson you are planning, there’s a good chance you can use a SMART board to make it more fun for the students.

There are many ways you can get started with using an interactive white board. If your school already has them, see if anyone in the building would be interested in showing you the basics. Look online for pre-made lessons to get ideas. You could even register for a workshop to learn more. If your building hasn’t invested in them yet, be a technology advocate. Bring the suggestion to your principal, and offer to let the library be the guinea pig for this great new device.

As technology experts in our school, we should always strive to increase the number of tools available to teachers and students in order to increase learning and achievement. Let’s get interactive white boards added to our tool boxes!

Sarah Neiderman, New Brunswick Middle School

Sixth grade has been reasonably kind to Jack Mogens so far. He is at the top of the food chain as an upperclassman at Tall Pines Elementary, he has a secure spot among the jocks in the lunchroom, and he has a pretty good shot at starting in left field for the Braves, the local little league majors team. Jack’s biggest problem is thinking of something clever and witty to say to the Braves’ cute shortstop, Katie Bowe. But the team’s bully, also son of one of the coaches, knocks Jack down in practice, starting a chain of events that could have tragic consequences: “The pitch cuts in toward me, chest high. It’s one of those pitches where you can just tell right away that you’re in trouble. The ball just seems to follow you” (47). Trouble seems to follow Jack after that incident, and after an even bigger episode in a real game, fear and malaise creep into his psyche. The doubts that every competitor must overcome plague Jack: Does he have the courage to face his fears? Can he perform under pressure? Can he shrug off his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and come back stronger than ever? Can he finally not get nervous when Katie Bowe walks into the room? Jack must confront his deepest fears, not lie (too much) to his parents about his situation, find a way to return to left field, and save face with his friends, all before the next game.

I remember what it was like to feel the excitement of baseball season: to collect, trade, and flip baseball cards, to play in Little League, to listen to games on a transistor radio, and, frankly, to be afraid of the ball. Plunked, by Michael Northrop, captures the tweener baseball experience with verisimilitude and humor, and, I must confess, three students have seen me smiling while reading it, and they all want it as soon as I am done. Some of the characters were needlessly underdeveloped, particularly the parents; e.g. Mr. Northrop points out two situations in which Dad drinks too much, but there is no follow-up, consequence, or effect. However, Jack’s passion for baseball and his obsession with starting in left field are unmistakable and charming, and Plunked, by Michael Northrop, will make a fine addition to your sports fiction collection.

-Bruce DuBoff is the librarian at Pennsauken Intermediate School and Howard M. Phifer Middle School in Pennsauken, NJ. Bruce’s e-mail address is [email protected] and his web URLS and blog site are as follows: Websites: http://ww2.pennsauken.net/pim and http://ww2.pennsauken.net/pms, Blog: http://phiferbooks.blogspot.com

DuBoff Book Review continued

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SMART Board Cheat Sheet• Set-upo Need computer and projector (connected by blue wire)o Need USB connection cord from computer to SMART boardo Press the “Orient” button and then press the center of each target

• Using SMART Board toolso Tool bar will be located on left of screeno Arrow is the default toolo To activate marker, can click on one of the marker pictures, or pick up the marker from the trayo To activate eraser, can click on the eraser picture, or pick up the eraser from the tray.o Red arrow is pointing at the right click button – this will enable you to right-click when you press on the SMART board.o Yellow arrow is pointing at the keyboard – this will enable a keyboard to come up on the SMART board.

• Using SMART Notebook softwareo Tabs on the left

First tab on the left enables you to see all slides.

Second tab allows you to search galleries and activities to insert.

Thirdtab(paperclip)allowsyoutoattachfiles(justlikeemail)

Fourth tab allows you to change background colors, and to record action.

o Toolbar on top• Fromleft:

• Forward/backoneslide• Newslide• Open• Save• Pastefromclipboard• GotoSMARTlessondownloadpage

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

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• Undo• Redo• Delete• Insertshade(tocovermaterialonthescreen)• Full-screen• Togglebetweenoneslideandtwoslideview• Takepictureofthescreen• Usedocumentcamera(needtohaveadocumentcameraconnected)• Inserttable• Arrow(defaultpointer)• Marker• Rainbowmarker• Eraser• InsertLine• InsertShape• Magicpen(enablesyoutouseamagnifyingglassorspotlighttoolonapartofthescreenyouselect)• Changebackgroundcolor• Inserttextbox(totypetext)• Properties• Usemathtools(ruler,protractor,etc) o Search Galleries• Tofindpre-madelessons,activities,multimedia,andpictures,clickontheGalleriestab.• UnderGalleryEssentials,clickonthesubjectyou’reinterestedin,thenclickontheappropriatecategory(Pictures, Interactives, etc.)• Tofindmodifiableactivities,clickonLessonActivityToolkit2.0,thenontheactivityyou’relookingfor.

• Toeditanewactivity,mostwillhaveaneditbutton–justfollowthedirectionstocreateyouractivity!

-- submitted by Sarah Neiderman, New Brunswick Middle School Media Specialist

 

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Alice DinizoNJASL-R Reporter

We school librarians do not sit around in retirement. We keep going. For the next several months, we will be featuring a retired school librarian whose life is an inspiration.

Retiree ProfileDiane de Cordova Biesel

It seems impossible to believe, but as of June 2012, I will have been retired for 21 years.

In the beginning, it was difficult for me since I missed the children very much and I wanted to keep active. The solution to this situation was to find five part-time jobs, four of them in my field, one was not.

It was my pleasure to work for a professional cat sitter. I learned to use some complicated security systems as well as driving on some streets that were interesting to say the least. One of the most lovable cats was a gorgeous cross-eyed Persian named Jeffery. One of my duties was to play a VHS video of birds flying and chirping. Jeffery loved it!!

Almost immediately, I began to do some substituting in schools in the local area. It must be explained that I remained firm in my original intention to substitute only in school libraries.

For a short time David and I both worked editing parts of the College Blue Book (a five-volume reference work) while it was still owned by Macmillan.

In 1992, Al Daub of Scarecrow Press, asked me to join David as a Series Editor. Two series were begun, one practical and one philosophical in the field of school librarianship. Two of my authors were Carolyn Markuson and the late Amy Job.

Also, in 1992, I began working for Margaret Bennett of Pro Libra. Shortly thereafter, David joined me and we began working as a team. Most of this type of work involved weeding or deselection. We have worked in both public and private schools, in colleges and military institutions and in some fascinating special facilities. After the holidays one December, Margaret sent us (with some other folks) to the library at the American Kennel Club in Manhatten. The task involved re-organizing the collection according to breed. We were both more than usually interested since David’s aunt, Emma C. Biesel, had a dog that won best of breed in 1927 in what was then called the Russian Wolfhound breed. It is now referred to as Borzoi.

Early in 2000, David and I were sent for a week to the Library at the FBI School in Quantico, VA (on the U.S. Marine Base). This library definitely needed re-organization. It contained materials you would just never see any place else.

We have a system when we do weeding in nonfiction. I do 000-499. Because of his background in physics and sports, David does 500-799. I do 800-899 (and we fight over the 900s)!

Working for Margaret is intellectually stimulating in many ways. Her freelancers are aware of what is available and useful in every area in the curriculum and after a career working in librarianship, it’s a good thing to be able to give back to the community from which you came.

Finally, as a retirement “hobby” David and I began our own publishing company (St. Johann Press). In 1998, we published our first book, actually a reprint of an earlier book by the Rt. Rev. John Shelby Spong. We now do all of his earlier works. We do some poetry, hobbies and collecting. Included in our list is a two-volume (1100 pages) reference set called the Big Book of Buttons. However, the two largest groups on our list are sports history and an extensive number of books in the field of Progressive Christianity.

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April, 2012. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 11

Attention Children’s Literature Enthusiasts:

Kutztown University in Kutztown, PA, will be hosting its 14th Annual Children’s Literature Conference on Saturday, April 21, 2012. The conference will feature presentations by authors/illustrators Matt Phelan, Seymour Simon, and Thomas Yezerski, along with a book review session of the best books of 2011. Time will also be scheduled for book signing. The cost of the conference is $70.00, and the registration deadline is April 1st.

Additional information and a registration form for the conference may be found at http://kuchildrenslitcon.wordpress.com.

Our retirement “hobby” has grown to a list of over 70 titles for St. Johann Press and it keeps growing. At this moment we have eleven titles under contract for our Spring-Fall list. Perhaps I should confess that we aren’t retired at all!!

In closing may I offer some short sentences of advice. Be busy. Be healthy. Be happy.

With great affection. Diane de Cordova Biesel

The Retirees’ Spring Luncheon/Business Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 10th with a buffet luncheon at the Rutgers Alumni Club, followed by a tour of the Zimmerli Art Museum on the Rutgers New Brunswick Campus. The Luncheon is from 11:30 to 1:00, and the Museum tour is from 2:15 to 3:30. The Luncheon is $17.00, and the tour is $9:00. Checks for either or both of the events combined are due by April 27th, and should be made out to Elspeth Goodin, and sent to: 316 W. High Street, Milford, PA. 18337. If you have any questions, you can contact Elspeth at [email protected], or 570-296-8673.all of his earlier works. We do some poetry, hobbies and collecting. Included in our list is a two-volume (1100 Retired? Retiring? Join NJASL-R by contacting Elspeth Goodin at [email protected].

New Jersey Vietnam Veterans› Memorial Foundation Scholarship

Graduating seniors have until April 20, 2012, to submit their applications and essays to qualify for one of two (2) scholarships offered by the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans› Memorial Foundation. The scholarships, each in the amount of $2,500, will be awarded to high school seniors from New Jersey who plan to further their education either at a college or university or trade/technical school. Winners will be notified in early May and will be awarded the scholarship on Monday, May 28, 2012, during the Memorial Day Ceremony held at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans› Memorial. In addition to the scholarship application and proof of acceptance to a college or trade school, all applicants must submit an essay about his/her visit to the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans› Memorial, located off the Garden State Parkway at exit 116 in Holmdel. The deadline for application and essay submission is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 20, 2012. (Those postmarked prior to due date, but received after the deadline, will NOT be accepted). Applications may be mailed, faxed (732) 335-1107 or delivered to the NJVVM Scholarship Program, 1 Memorial Lane, P.O. Box 648, Holmdel, NJ 07733. For more information about our Scholarship Program, please visit www.njvvmf.org or call (732) 335-0033 xt. 100.

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Page 12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April, 2012

Sussex County Middle School Hosts Seminar with Award-Winning Author

Sussex County – On March 21st in Glen Meadow Middle School Library, the Sussex County Library Media Association (SCLMA) hosted a seminar for teachers and librarians. Attendees included faculty from Vernon Township Public Schools, members of SCLMA, as well as those from the Northwest Jersey Reading Council. The event covered topics of Language Arts, Special Education, and Library Media. Genevieve Petrillo, acclaimed children’s picture book author discussed her writing, reading comprehension activities for students with disabilities, and her work with both high school and elementary school children. David Eisenberg, Glen Meadow librarian, who currently serves as president of SCLMA, hosted the event.Petrillo’s book, Keep Your Ear on the Ball (Tilbury, 2007) is a Moonbeam Award winner and has recently been selected for inclusion in The IBBY Documentation Centre of Books for Disabled Young People. Her work has also been included in Highlights, Spider, Ladybug, Turtle, Creative Classroom, Instructor, the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJASK), and a number of other magazines and web sites, including a textbook in Belgium! For more information, check out Genevive’s website www.genevievepetrillo.com or join our SCLMA community @ http://sclma.wikispaces.com.

NJASL STUDENT ESSAY CONTESTWe are looking for original student voices to explain why school libraries matter.

Enter the NJASL student essay contest and answer the following statement:

Why My School Library is Important to Me

Eligibility:The essay contest is open to all New Jersey school students enrolled in grades K - 12. Students must submit original work and parents must agree to let their child’s essay be published in Bookmark, the newsletter of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, and be posted on the NJASL website.

Format:The essay should be no more than 400 words and must be accompanied by this entry form. Entries may be typed or handwritten.

Entering:Entries will be accepted through April 20, 2012. Students should complete this form and mail or email it with the essay to:

Fran King, NJASL President49 Westover Avenue

West Caldwell, NJ [email protected]

Prizes:NJASL will select one winner from three grade levels: K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Each winner will receive at $25.00 Barnes and Noble Gift Card.

NJASL ESSAY CONTEST ENTRY FORM

Name of Student: ______________________________________________________________

Grade: ____________________

Name of School Library Media Specialist: ___________________________________________

Signature of School Library Media Specialist: ________________________________________

Principal’s Name (please print): ___________________________________________________

Superintendent’s Name (please print): _____________________________________________

Name of School: ______________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________________

City: ______________________________________ Zip: _____________________________

School District: _____________________________ County: ___________________________

By Signing below, parent agrees to allow NJASL to publish their child’s essay:

Parent’s Name: ________________________________________________________________

Parent’s Signature: _____________________________________________________________

Page 13: April Bookmark

NJASL STUDENT ESSAY CONTESTWe are looking for original student voices to explain why school libraries matter.

Enter the NJASL student essay contest and answer the following statement:

Why My School Library is Important to Me

Eligibility:The essay contest is open to all New Jersey school students enrolled in grades K - 12. Students must submit original work and parents must agree to let their child’s essay be published in Bookmark, the newsletter of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, and be posted on the NJASL website.

Format:The essay should be no more than 400 words and must be accompanied by this entry form. Entries may be typed or handwritten.

Entering:Entries will be accepted through April 20, 2012. Students should complete this form and mail or email it with the essay to:

Fran King, NJASL President49 Westover Avenue

West Caldwell, NJ [email protected]

Prizes:NJASL will select one winner from three grade levels: K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Each winner will receive at $25.00 Barnes and Noble Gift Card.

NJASL ESSAY CONTEST ENTRY FORM

Name of Student: ______________________________________________________________

Grade: ____________________

Name of School Library Media Specialist: ___________________________________________

Signature of School Library Media Specialist: ________________________________________

Principal’s Name (please print): ___________________________________________________

Superintendent’s Name (please print): _____________________________________________

Name of School: ______________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________________

City: ______________________________________ Zip: _____________________________

School District: _____________________________ County: ___________________________

By Signing below, parent agrees to allow NJASL to publish their child’s essay:

Parent’s Name: ________________________________________________________________

Parent’s Signature: _____________________________________________________________

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Annual Fall Conference

Inspiration, Motivation, Participation!November 29 - December 1st, 2012

Ocean Place Resort and Spa1 Ocean Blvd

Long Branch, NJ 07740Pam Gunter, Conference Chair

Conference Poster Session Proposal Form

Please return proposal by MAY 31, 2012 to [email protected] . Add any additional comments in email. Thank you for your interest.

PERSON SUBMITTING PROPOSAL:Name (please include title):Institution Affiliation:Position and/or Title: Mailing Address:Telephone (Home): Telephone (Work): Fax: Email: NJASL / NJLA Member: Yes NoPlease include a short biography for the program. Limit length to approximately 75 words. List awards, recognitions, etc.

PROPOSED CO-PRESENTER(S): Name (please include title): Institution Affiliation: Position and/or Title: Mailing Address:Telephone (Home): Telephone (Work): Fax: Email: NJASL / NJLA Member: Yes NoPlease include a short biography for the program. Limit length to approximately 75 words. List awards, recognitions, etc.

Name (please include title): Institution affiliation:Position and/or Title: Mailing Address: Telephone (Home): Telephone (Work): Fax: Email: NJASL / NJLA Member: Yes NoPlease include a short biography for the program. Limit length to approximately 75 words. List awards, recognitions, etc.

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April, 2012. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 15

PROPOSED POSTER SESSION INFORMATION:Poster Session Title exactly as it should appear in program: Intended Grade Levels: Poster Session Description: In fifty words or less, please describe your program.

Program Objectives: What three things will participants learn from this poster session that can be implemented?1.2. 3.SPECIFICATIONS:

Preferred Day/Days: Thursday evening Saturday Additional Notes:

Program Handouts: All presenters will be responsible for providing their own handouts during the conference. Due to the cost, we suggest that you limit the number of pages in your handouts and consider providing web access to your handouts where your materials are available for review and printed by the conference attendees. We will provide these links via the NJASL website.

URL(s) to online handout(s):

Acknowledgement of this proposal will be made via e-mail and will constitute your adherence to the information provided in this document. Thank you.

All proposal forms and questions should be e-mailed to [email protected] by MAY 31, 2012. Thank you.

Pam Gunter, 2012 Conference Chair

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Page 16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April, 2012

Annual Fall Conference

Inspiration, Motivation, Participation!November 29 - December 1st, 2012

Ocean Place Resort and Spa1 Ocean Blvd

Long Branch, NJPam Gunter, Conference Chair

Conference Program Proposal Form

Please return proposal by MAY 31, 2012 to [email protected] . Add any additional comments in email. Thank you for your interest.

PERSON SUBMITTING PROPOSAL:Name (please include title):Institution Affiliation:Position and/or Title: Mailing Address:Telephone (Home): Telephone (Work): Fax: Email: NJASL / NJLA Member: Yes NoPlease include a short biography for the program. Limit length to approximately 75 words. List awards, recognitions, etc.

PROPOSED CO-PRESENTER(S): Name (please include title): Institution Affiliation: Position and/or Title: Mailing Address:Telephone (Home): Telephone (Work): Fax: Email: NJASL / NJLA Member: Yes NoPlease include a short biography for the program. Limit length to approximately 75 words. List awards, recognitions, etc. Name (please include title): Institution affiliation:Position and/or Title: Mailing Address: Telephone (Home): Telephone (Work): Fax: Email: NJASL / NJLA Member: Yes NoPlease include a short biography for the program. Limit length to approximately 75 words. List awards, recognitions, etc.

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April, 2012. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 17

PROPOSED PROGRAM INFORMATION:Program Title exactly as it should appear in program: Intended Grade Levels: Workshop time: 60 minutes 90 minutesProgram Format: Panel Lecture Demonstration Program Description: In fifty words or less, please describe your proposed session.

Program Objectives: What three things will participants learn from this session that can be implemented?1.2. 3.SPECIFICATIONS: (We will try to accommodate your needs as the schedule permits.)Would you consider presenting twice? Yes NoIf Yes, Same Day Two Days

Preferred Day/Days: Friday Saturday FlexibleAUDIO VISUAL EQUIPMENT: Please note that each workshop room will be equipped with a screen and table at the front. Wireless internet access is available in each room, but can take some time to access. Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your session time for set-up.

Please note that Workshop Speakers are requested to provide for ANY additional AV needs.

INTERNET ACCESS: Does your presentation require Internet access? Yes NoAdditional Notes:

Program Handouts: All presenters will be responsible for providing their own handouts during the conference. Due to the cost, we suggest that you limit the number of pages in your handouts and consider providing web access to your handouts where your materials are available for review and printed by the conference attendees. We will provide these links via the NJASL website.

URL(s) to online handout(s):

Acknowledgement of this proposal will be made via e-mail and will constitute your adherence to the information provided in this document. Thank you.

All proposal forms and questions should be e-mailed to [email protected] by MAY 31, 2012. Thank you.

Pam Gunter, 2012 Conference Chair

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Workshop Presentation: Chris SoentpietAward-winning illustrator, Chris Soentpiet (SOON-peet) is the recipient of the Parents’ Magazine Best Book of the Year for SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL. His other prestigious honors include the International Reading Association (IRA) Book Award for MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, MOLLY BANNAKY & COOLIES which also won the Parents’ Choice Gold Award. He is the recipient of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for his illustrations in MY BROTHER MARTIN. In 1996, he received a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators, an award judged by fellow illustrators. Chris Soentpiet's artistic realism earned him the distinction from the Children’s Book Council as one of seventy-five author and illustrators everyone should know. A Korean-born adoptee, his multicultural background and experiences are reflected in his choice of distinct cultural and historical settings for his books. His multi-cultural books are used in schools to help educators integrate social studies to their classroom lessons. In addition to creating his award-winning picture books, Soentpiet visits schools to help children understand the book making process. His school presentations engage and reinforce learning, use of imagination and foster creative thinking. Visit his website at www.soentpiet.com.

Spring General Membership Meeting Luncheon & Workshop …. where the learning continues!

Saturday, May 5, 2012                        

Cost! $30.00 per personLocation Ocean Place Resort & Spa, One Ocean Blvd., Long Branch, NJ 07740

Directions www.oceanplaceresort.com

Schedule9:30am Board of Trustees Meeting11:00am Registration Opens11:30am General Membership Meeting & Enthusiastic Readers Awards12:00pm Buffet Lunch12:45pm Workshop Presentation3:00pm Sale and Signing of Chris Soentpiet’s Prints Luncheon MenuBasket of Seasonal Greens, selection of House DressingsOrzo Pasta with Basil,TomatoesRoasted Mediterranean Vegetable SaladGrilled Chicken Breast, Lemon Buerre Blanc, Penne Pasta with Marinara SauceOcean Place Cookie Selection, Seasonal Fruit TrayCoffee, Tea, Iced Tea

Registration FormRegistrations with payment must be received by April 25, 2012

Name ______________________________! School ________________________________District _____________________________! County ________________________________Phone _____________________________! Email _________________________________Amount $___________________________! Check #________________________________

Make checks payable to NJASLMail this form and check to:

NJASL, P.O. Box 275, Mantua, NJ 08051Questions? Email [email protected]