I've decided that instead of accepting donations for the library through Titlewish, I will put books/materials requested by students and teacher on our Amazon Wish List. Donating through Amazon will earn dollars for QAE and allow you all to see the books being purchased. Our team of library volunteers is strong; we will cover, catalog the new books and place a book label with your child's name on the inside cover of books donated by YOU!

Books included on the Wish List are the 2012 WA Children's Choice Award books, books on CD so that we can provide more options for students to enjoy books and student requested books. Check out the comments on the "Book Wish Blog" - this is a great collection of requests.

Thank you for checking the Amazon QAE Library Wish List and providing great books in our library.

Last year, 49 students requested books by clicking on the BOOK WISH BLOG. Because of the generous donations from our community all those books were purchased and added to the library collection for check-out. For the next three weeks the TITLEWISH campaign will be open for your donations to our library program. Thank in advance for any contributions, big or small, you can make. Feel free to send this blog to friends and family. 

Have you noticed the red button on the library home page? This is our Library Book Wish Blog button. Here students and parents can add a comment to a blog letting me know what books they would like to see added to our library collection. Over time, our collection will evolve into a collection built by us, such a good thing. 

Jeffrey
Teacher / Librarian

Stay connected with the QAE Library and follow us on Twitter. Whether it's a photo, interesting comment, useful web link, book review, reading celebration, (the list goes on and on ...) following us on Twitter will give you snapshots of your child's day at school. Could that help start conversations at home? My husband asks our daughter "How was school today?" and he's gets the same answer everyday.  He now follows @QAELibrary on Twitter.  Check out the Twitter feed on the home page. Nice.


Jeffrey
Teacher / Librarian

Last year, my success as a second year librarian (and every year of my 20 year career) is the partnerships I've developed with volunteers. The time volunteers spend in the library model for our students a strong sense of community involvement and allows me to provide greater support for students and teachers. Volunteers make our school great, and if you would like to join our team in the library/lab please let me know. Join the fun, let me make you a latte!

Click here to visit the special page created that highlights many of the library/lab volunteer opportunities. You can either fill out the short  "Volunteer Interest" form or send me an . I would love to add YOU to our list of amazing volunteers!

Hoping to hear from you!

Jeffrey
Teacher / Librarian

Teachers are busy preparing their classrooms for the first day of school on Wednesday, September 5! Write the script, set the stage, learn your lines and get ready for opening day! Finally, classrooms in the brick building - I am a happy librarian. 

Thank you to the wonderful volunteers who worked at re-arranging the collection this summer, the library is ready for kids! Books are now more accessible for all students. For the next few days I am supporting teachers with their needs. I am looking for volunteers willing to help with a project. 

THE TASK: Leveling books used in the classroom at the appropriate reading level. 

THE REQUEST: Looking for family/friends to take home a box of books (or two) and use the resources already set up to help leveling the books. This task includes a video tutorial and web site for easy leveling. 

Giving our students opportunities to look at text at their reading level will greatly increase their reading success, moving them closer to being life long readers. While we don't require students to read ONLY books at their level, it's encouraged that at least one leveled book be a part of their reading selection. Leveled books will be used during Independent reading in the classroom.  Please let me know if you are able to help  leveling our books!  .

So excited about year #3 at QAE!

Jeffrey
Teacher/Librarian

Summer is here - continue the learning and make it fun! Your child should have come home with a bookmark with book suggestions at their reading level. Remember, readers can explore books on or around their level (in the neighborhood!). While reading "just right books" is a good idea, most important is that the reader is interested in what they are reading.

Collaborating with other librarians, a "Summer Learning" handout was created. Click here to download. Hopefully the ideas and strategies presented are ones that you haven't thought of with your child. Try to m away from "sound it out" when your child struggles with reading and focus more on what makes sense in the text. Look at the photos and contexts of what they are reading. Most of the time, readers will figure it out! 

It is an honor and pleasure to welcome your child into the library and expose them to great resources, bring books alive and be their advocate and friend.  I have the greatest job in the world! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 


Have a great summer! Visit the public library! Drop me a line! 

Jeffrey
Teacher/Librarian

20 years ago I observed a teacher running a classroom in a way that I dreamed of one day doing.  I remember listening to the way this person spoke with children, the way her classroom was organized, what her students were doing and how everything from her mouth was a question or encouraging praise. This was truly a classroom learning through inquiry. This teacher had a huge impact on my career! I never had a relationship with this person, our time together ended after that afternoon. Through my career, I would often think and speak of this person (she had no idea).

Five years ago, as a math coach, I was in a workshop listening to participants introduce themselves. From a distance, I heard "Kathy Egawa, literacy coach". My colleagues watched as I rose to my feet to see the face of the person who inspired my first years of teaching, and many many years after. After that meeting, Kathy and I re-connected. She loved hearing my story about the impact she made on this new teacher.

Kathy is now a  librarian in the district - she and I, along with another librarian formed a PLC (professional learning community) that meets twice a month. Our time together is filled with new learning, great conversation and food.  I recently spent the day with Kathy at her school, Pathfinder K-8. This was a professional day for me to see another librarian in action, see another space, talk about library logistics and procedures.  On Monday, Kathy spent the day at QAE, holding my hand during my first library inventory (9,245 books and equipment). Kathy and I are continual learners - the fact that I can give back to her after all these years makes me proud to be a teacher.

Have a great summer!

Jeffrey
Teacher/Librarian

149 votes have been placed for the top three picture books in the  WA Children's Choice Award. We have more students than that!  If you haven't already, please take a moment to ask your child to vote for their three favorite picture books.

Clicking here shows you all the books.
Clicking here takes you to the poll to VOTE! Yahoo! Yippee!

Today at the Monday Morning Meeting students learned that a total of 11,387 books have been checked for the year. The two classes with the most check-outs is Ms. Yokoyama and Ms. Leckie!

Have a great week!

Jeffrey
Teacher/Librarian

TOP FIVE MOST CHECKED OUT  TITLES IN  THE QAE LIBRARY!
Grace the Glitter Fairy
Diary of a Whimpy Kid: Dog Days
Diary of a Whimpy Kid: Rodrick
Star Wars: Incredible Cross Section
Bone #5 - Rock Jaw, Master Border

Thanks to YOU and your Scholastic purchases, we raised an additional 6000 points which will provide new books as reading incentives for quite awhile. From the bottom of my heart, thank you! 

Jeffrey

Click here to read the "All About Me" books written by Ms. Marks' kindergarten writers. I can't tell you enough how much your comments, questions, praise and encouragement (whatever you want to call it!) means to a learner. Really, we all need it! Ms. Marks receives each blog comment in her email and often times reads them to everyone. Besides your child, would you be willing to read others and comment? How about together with your child, reading what others wrote and leaving a collective comment? I am counting on you.

                             Click here for ideas on praise and encouragement. 

Ms. Yokoyama's writers have also published "All About Me" books. When you visit their e-folio, click on BLOG and you will find amazing stories. 

Have fun reading these master pieces and seeing why these kindergartners are VERY ready for first grade! 

Happy Days!
Jeffrey
Teacher/Learner