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Rocket Readers Blast Off!

Wow!  Rocket Readers are off to a huge start!  In our first month with this new reading program we had 288 children participate and earn a certificate.  The prize for all participants was the opportunity to choose a free book.  Students had hundreds of book from which to choose, all donated by our fabulous friends at the Smyrna Golden K.  Details on the Rocket Reader Program can be found linked to the King Springs homepage.

Media Specialists Collaborate to Support Math Standards

On November 3rd Area 2 media specialists met for the second time to develop lesson plans that support math standards through literature.

Bibliographies were compiled under the following categories: Addition, Subtraction, Counting/Grouping, Fractions, Graphing, Measurement, Multiplication, and Problem Solving.

Each media specialist shared math related lessons taught in the last couple of weeks.  Ideas bounced back and forth as enthusiasm for this project grew. 

The outcome of this effort will be an electronic database of tried and true lessons enabling media specialists to effectively address math concepts through children's literature.

Rocket Readers Take Off

We are off to a great start with the new Rocket Readers program.  Details about the program are linked to the King Springs home page.

Three weeks into the program, we already have more than one hundred participants.  The prize for participation this month will be the choice of a free book! 

Using this program has made it possible for students to enjoy a lot more non fiction.  And, we have some great new non fiction books from which they may to choose.

Media Center Makeover

Just before school started the media center received a long overdue makeover.  One of our Partners in Education, Hurt Road Baptist Church, spent two days applying bright and beautiful paint.   Gone are the institutional blue walls!  Nacho Cheese, Rumba Orange, and Rosemary were chosen with the help of Jennelle Derricotte, King Springs parent and interior designer. 

The dark and bowed original counter tops were replaced by our always generous PTA and the result is just beautiful.  The finishing touch included new tables and chairs.  Everyone who turns the corner for the first times actually says it... Wow!

King Springs Unplugged Week is Feb. 23 rd - Mar. 1st

For the first time in America, largely due to lifestyle choices, our children may be facing a lower life expectancy than their parents.  The Kaiser Family Foundation has conducted a study on Parents, Children & Media to help parents think through the use of media and it's impact on a child's growth and development. 

In order to raise awareness about the amount of time we spend watching television and using other kinds of media, we are sponsoring a King Springs Unplugged WeekFebruary 23rd - March 1st. You may have already received a flyer from your child's teacher.  Download Unplugged Flyer   The facts in the flyer are quite surprising.

The week prior to getting "uplugged" our school will brainstorm all the great things to do other than watch TV or play video games.  Ideas will go up on a wall outside the cafeteria.  Hopefully we can get children excited about taking the challenge to turn off the TV and get creative for a week.

To help out, we have two great activities planned that week.  Tuesday night is Family Fitness Night and Thursday is Famly Night in the Media Center (come in your pajamas and enjoy some stories!)

Here is an agreement you may want to print and sign with your family. Download Unplugged Agreement  It has been left open so that you as a family will decide what exactly you plan to do without.  For instance, TV may be completely out, while Wii may be deemed too beneficial to do without.  So, customize your family plan and enjoy some quality time together!

Off to a Great Start!

This year is flying by.  As you may have noticed, we have a garden theme in the media center this year to celebrate the new teaching gardens being constructed.  This is quite a happy place to be, as evidenced by this love note found by one of our computer look-up stations...

Our first Family Night in the Media Center will be Thursday, October 9th, from 6:30-7:30.  Children may come in their pajamas to enjoy some hot chocolate and stories from Sarah Onsager.  Good News... it's all FREE.

A Book Fair Safari is on it's way in November.  Preview days will be the 10th and 11th.  The sale will be the 12th - the 14th.  It will be a lot of fun and I will post more on this later.

We just added hundreds of books to the collection and that brings lots of excitement!  We purchased Accelerated Reader quizzes for most of them.  A list of quizzes the school owns can be searched from any computer @ http://www.quizlist.net/(qgtnbc55rcnkjuuoi5i5tfnt)/search.aspx?id=8854  This link is also available from the home page of our school website.

Choose the Best Tool

We are currently enjoying a teaching and review exercise we have called Choose the Best Tool. Each morning on our news broadcast we give a reference question. Classes discuss where would be the best place to locate the information needed and then give at least three facts about that resource. The class with the best answer is awarded a trophy and is featured in a surprise video interview that is aired the following morning on the broadcast. The class photo, the question they answered, and their brilliant answers are extending their way down the main hall where students can review them while they wait in line for lunch.

You can paint an entire wall with a 2 inch wide paint brush, but a paint roller will work better. You have to know your tools to be able to choose the one that will make your job fast, easy, and give the best result. Students are learning what kinds of information are available in the dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, almanac, and atlas and how to use each of these resources so they will be successful researchers.

"And where is the index located?"

King Springs Students ROAR!

  This year we are setting aside 15 minutes each day for recreational reading.  We are calling the time between 1:50 and 2:05 ROAR time, because:      Reading Offers  Amazing Rewards
   Teachers may be reading aloud to their students or students may be reading independently, but everyone is getting in on the fun!

Media Center News in the Summer Time

   

The computer refresh took place as scheduled and we have beautiful new technology throughout the school!  Our wonderful PTA has purchased a software update for our Accelerated Reader program as well as a half dozen server-based educational programs for our new computer lab.  We have a new camera and a lighting kit for our KSTV news crew.

We now have so much to work with and so many new opportunities.  Our 50th year is going to be the best yet!   

Check out our Book Blog on the Media Center Web Page, and while you are there why not leave your comments about what you are reading?  Have a wonderful and safe summer.  I look forward to seeing all of you again in August.

Mrs. Tovi

Welcome to Mrs. Tovi's media blog: NEW COMPUTERS ARE COMING!

YES!  It is our turn to have our old computers "refreshed" with SPLOST funds!  We will have 30 new Dell desktop computers in our computer lab and 2 to 3 new computers in each classroom.  In addition, our wonderful PTA is helping us update and purchase new educational server-based software programs.  Next year is going to be just fantastic! 

When will all this take place?  Sometime in May.

The media center will be closing on April 27th to prepare for inventory, the computer refresh, and packing up for a complete HVAC renovation over the summer.  We should be in tip top shape for a great 2007-2008 school-year.  Please note:  The Accelerated Reader program will end April 27th.