Catching Up
I write this as Parent Teacher Conferences begin. While it only happens a couple of times a year, for the most part, both teachers and parents enjoy this moment to catch up about a common interest, the students. It also means that students get a day or two to catch up any missing work. In the library it means we get a chance to regroup after opening to 100%. It has been busy is an understatement. We are seeing well over 250 students a day and in between every class period we are walking around sanitizing and reorganizing. Students have been really good about keeping their masks on and yet trying to use the space effectively.
We were able to re-open the upstairs silent study space, the study carrols, and the VR Rooms for student use. Immediately we increased the number of students under the COVID guidelines that we could allow into the library. We are still limited but it was so nice to have space for more students.
At the same time, we are teaching research all over the school. In the high school, all Grade 11 classes are getting reseearch instruction as part of the preparation for the Ted Talks as well as for the IB Extended Essay. Additionally, the Grade 9 students are recieving specific research instruction in the selection and evaluation of academic resources in their Social Studies classes.
In the middle school, students have been working on research in their Social Studies classes as well as in their Science classes. They are researching earthquakes in grade 6 and the outcomes and early warning systems, and building structures. They are then going to conduct a presentation for their classes.
We all know there is a short time before the long break so these projects will all be coming due soon. Remember that students can always come to the library to support and help with there research any time. Let us know if there is anything we can help you ‘Catch Up On’.
Warmest Regards,
The Main Library Staff
Bell’s Recommendation’s
A strange thing is happening. Young girls seem to have obtained a new power. The power to conduct electricity at will. This starts in Africa and quickly spreads across the globe. Men feel threatened and know one really knows why or how this is taking place. That being said, some girls seem to be using it for their benefit while others are just out using it for fun. As the it becomes a global issue, religious zealots jump on the chance to harness the power for their agendas. A unique story from a fantastic author!
Melinda’s Recommendations
The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold (YA – Science Fiction)
After a deadly flu fly swept the world, the earth as we know it is a shell of its former self. Nico, an 18 year old girl and her dog are sent on a quest to find a “geological anomaly”. Kit is a serious 12-year-old boy who lives in an abandoned theatre with adopted siblings Lakie and Monty who were orphaned by fly flies. Likewise, they are also on the hunt for a safe haven they have heard about. Along the way, they meet other people seeking a life and purpose in a world gone awry. In the face of grief and loss, this is not just a story of survival in a postapocalyptic world, but a quest for meaning. A favorite author of mine, Arnold does not disappoint!
