Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Missing in Action - Catching Up

I have been missing in action but that doesn't mean that the UnDeweying effort has diminished. 

I finished the school year with our big Patterson Grant celebration!  BCPSTV was here.  Representatives from the area office and Office of Digital Learning were here.  It was a great day.  Every student got a book to read, discuss in a cross grade level group and then take home.  Check out our Twitter @eeslibrary for some cool photos of that day. That same day, representatives from Follett came to visit and meet and learn about our school undeweying and created such a huge uptake in circulation. 

Then the Spring got even crazier.  I was nominated, by a fellow librarian, for Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Teaching and I WON!  What?!!

 
And then, as if that were not enough, I was nominated by our school's Pre-K teacher to be a Ravens Touchdown for Teachers candidate and I was one of 5 finalists.  I didn't win but I had a great day at the stadium and got my own personalized jersey and a cash prize to spend.  (I just spent it and as soon as I can share it with you I will!!)

 
And, as if that were not enough, I was unexpectedly invited to attend the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy 25th Anniversary celebration at the Library of Congress.  TOTAL LIBRARY GEEK LOVE! I got to meet Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter) and the then head of the Library of Congress.  What a spectacular evening.
 

 

 
Then the whirlwind year ended with a retirement dinner for 5 fellow coworkers that I helped plan and saying farewell to both my Principal, Assistant Principal and administrative secretary.
 
Needless to say, I was ready for a summer off and that is exactly what I had!
 
Back to school this fall with a new administration and a personal loss, my beloved Grandmother (who visited this time last year to see all the pumpkins in the library).
 
 
And the, out of the blue, these tweets appear (followed by emails).  Undeweying is still alive and well and spreading. People are talking at the School Library Journal conference in Washington DC!  I had considered submitting proposals, in the past year, to present at various conferences but assumed that those embracing the movement had better role models than I or had decided to undewey by now.  Maybe not.
 



 
So, I am going to try to diligently blog more about what is happening in the library. (Let's be honest and admit that it will NOT be a regular event.) But I am going to strive for once a week.
 
So look out for some pumpkin photos next week. They are rolling in right now for this year's contest.