by HJUHSD Library Staff
LIBRARY WINS GRANTS
The Sierra Pacific High School Library has been thrice blessed this spring! First, a $150 dollar grant was awarded to Mrs. Carol Bennetts (HJUHSD Teacher Librarian) by the Kings Retired Teachers’ Association. Mrs. Bennetts wanted to add some permanent artwork to the library and chose to purchase four prints of famous paintings/photographs with frames. Two busts (one of Ernest Hemingway and one of Frederick Douglass) were also purchased and donated to the library.
The second grant of $700 was awarded by the California Table Grape Association to fund the project “Know Your Heritage.” Books about local history have been purchased from the Carnegie Museum and the Hanford Chamber of Commerce. Additional books have been ordered that will be part of the grant project, which will consist of students using the books about local history and agriculture to answer a daily question relating to Hanford, Kings County, the Central Valley, or California. Prizes (purchased from the Carnegie Museum) will be awarded each day and the project will run for one month. The books will then become part of the permanent library collection, and the historical knowledge gained will become part of the students!
The third grant of $5,000 was just received from the Barona Indian Tribe and will be used to add reference and non-fiction books to the collection. Assemblyman David Valadao (who sponsored Sierra Pacific in the grant competition) will be awarding the check to the Sierra Pacific Library this week at a small reception.
The Sierra Pacific Library Staff (Mrs. Carol Bennetts, Ms. Amanda Martin, and Mr. Jason Wix) would like to thank these generous grantors for their help in making the library even more inviting and comprehensive.
CYRM PROGRAM A SUCCESS
Hanford West, Sierra Pacific, and Hanford High Libraries have completed the California Young Reader Medal (CYRM) program for the 2011/12 school year.
The voluntary reading incentive program kicked off in January with Mrs. Bennetts (Teacher Librarian) trying something new this year as far as inviting students to participate in the program. Thanks to Mr. Ross Brock and his video production class for filming the traditional book talks which were then sent to teachers to show to English classes. During the next few months, Mrs. Calderon & Mrs. LaTraille (HW), Ms. Martin & Mr. Wix (SP), and Mrs. Stafford & Mrs. Brock (HH) worked hard at getting books back from students in a timely manner and getting them into the hands of other students. The 3 books chosen at the state level for this year were If I Stay by Gayle Forman, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, & Beastly by Alex Flinn.
Students received prizes (& sometimes extra credit in English) for each of the three books read.
At the completion of the program on March 21, 2012, 42 students (HW), 32 students (SP), and 16 students (HH) who had read all three books were invited to attend a pizza party in the Library, at which time they voted as to which of the three books they preferred. The book chosen as the best by students at all sites was Graceling. Additional prizes and congratulations were given to Sarah Porter & Emma Graff (HW), Harrison Nicholas & Christina Gong (SP), and Beatriz Garcia & Lorraina Hernandez (HH) who were 1st & 2nd of all students at each site to complete the 3 books.
This was the 11th year that the program has been run at HW and the second year at HH & SP (Mrs. Wheaton ran last year’s program at SP). Students from all four grades are included.
A big THANK YOU goes out to the English teachers, who not only handed out prizes for us and kept students on track, but also gave extra-credit points to encourage the students to read. Way to go, English teachers (& thanks, also, to our principals for funding the reward parties)!
LIBRARY STATISTICS
Library Books in collections –
HW 13,557 books worth $325,379
HH 11,835 books worth $225,639
SP 3,368 books worth $86,835
Textbooks in collections –
HW 35,511 books worth $1,277,359
HH 26,840 books worth $1,174,267
SP 8,795 books worth $483,104
Money made (50% in book profit) at Book Fairs:
HW (third book fair) made $761.76
HH (second book fair) made $767.30
SP (first book fair ever) made $1,043.11
APRIL IS SCHOOL LIBRARY MONTH
Stop by your library and check us out!
Joint Staffs Help Each Other & Celebrate
The Library staffs of HW, HH, & SP worked together again this past year for all 5 walk-thru events at the 3 campuses. Although it was A LOT of work, the overall results were praised by all involved, so it will be tried again this fall at all 3 sites (that is, assuming we live thru the check-in sessions this spring!)
The Library staffs from all 3 schools were able to meet for lunch together at Christmas (and Mrs. Wheaton was able to join us) where we had a cookie exchange – yummy!!
Mrs. Bennetts & Mrs. Wheaton also attended an informative conference on March 9th at Fresno Pacific where delicious foods were served along with provocative ideas.
