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News from the Library...
The wrap-up to the 2007 Summer
Reading Challenge was particularly exciting this year as
the students’ Reading Journals kept pouring in. Altogether,
22 students each completed between five and ten book reviews
of novels they had read over the summer. The gang gathered
in the library at the end of September for a photo-op and
to receive their prizes.
Another exciting event was the November 15 visit by author
Ben Mikaelsen, whose visit was made possible by the “Enjoy
the City” fundraiser. A dynamic speaker, Ben spoke
to our middle schoolers about bullying, the writing process,
and being the “Author of Your Own Life.” Ben,
whose books are taught at the seventh grade level and are
enjoyed by all our students, made two presentations for our
students at the high school auditorium and returned to the
middle school library for an autograph session at the end
of the day.
Also on tap this year is the creation of the “NMS Book
Review” Blog (aka Web Log), created in conjunction
with 8-2 English teacher Mr. Emerson, and hopefully soon
available to all our student body. In preparing students
for this opportunity to share their writing with the world,
we stress Internet safety and appropriate writing style for
a global audience. Please check out this exciting venture
at http://nmsbookreviews.blogspot.com. Feel free to leave
a comment! You can also check out another new library creation – our
library “Animoto music videos” – at our
MS home page.
How do you spell a W-I-N-N-E-R? Check out the names of any
of the kids who are currently preparing for our local spelling
bee to be held in the library in January. Any student in
8th grade or younger may actually take part in this exciting
annual event, but kids who come to our meetings on Mondays
afterschool will have an extra advantage as we play spelling
games, watch videos of past competitions, show special viewings
of “Akeelah and the Bee” and “Spellbound”,
and participate in mock competitions. It is also highly recommended
that anyone who wants to participate in the Bee should become
extremely familiar with the words in the 2008 spelling bee
guide, which is available in the library or can be downloaded
at www.myspellit.com. The winner of our school bee goes on
to the regional competition at SUNY-Oneonta in March; the
very lucky winner of that bee, like Norwich’s own Hayley
Chwazik-Gee from last year, wins an all-expense paid trip
for two to Washington DC and the chance to participate in
the world-famous Scripps National Spelling Bee!
Apologies are in order if the word “exciting” was
overused to describe our events thus far, but probably the
most exciting part of a typical day in the library is when
we observe a student return a book and pronounce that it
was “awesome.” Part of the library’s mission
is to encourage reading for life-long pleasure and learning,
and your child is sure to find a good match in one of our
titles purchased with the young adult audience in mind. You,
too, can check out our “awesome” collection of
books, magazines, and DVDs at http://opalsnms.dcmoboces.com.
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