Original post:
I am looking for letters written to the teaching staff
at the beginning of the year.
I am a new librarian and want to send out a short
introductory letter which includes a bit about me, a
request for teachers' themes/units they have planned
for the year, and a few library updates.
Does anyone have any letters they would be willing to
share?
Responses: I received more requests for a hit than I
did responses, so if any of you find any letters
sometime soon, I think the group would appreciate a
post to the list. Thank you to all of you who
responded.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I was thinking about modifying/adjusting Doug
Johnson's letter for "baby teachers"
[http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/baby.html] to my
needs.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
[I am attaching the letter I wrote to the teachers at
my new school. I changed it a little, adding a line
about how we have moved the professional collection
and deleting some of the stuff about my education. I
did not ask for anything specific from them because I
am planning to go to a grade level meeting very soon
and ask them in person. Hope it works!]
Hello!
I’m __________, Bouie’s new Media Specialist. I am
excited to be starting a new school year with you. I
have been an elementary media specialist for nine
years at schools in Gwinnett and Forsyth Counties. I
have a Bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and a
Masters from the University of Maryland. I took
additional courses at Georgia State to get my
certification in media. In my spare time, I like to
cook, garden, read(!), and spend time with my
granddaughter (14 months old and cute as a button!).
Sherry Rivers, Mary Barber, and I are looking forward
to a fun, productive year in the Media Center. Please
let us know what you need---books, equipment, lessons,
websites, chocolate---we’ll do our best.
We’ll have a signup sheet out for orientation. All
classes should come for a short (30 minute)
orientation during the first three weeks of school.
Students may check out books during that time too, if
you wish.
Please stop in and say hello. I’m looking forward to
meeting you and working with you to make this a great
year at EL Bouie.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TO: ALL OTKEN STAFF
FROM:
OTKEN LIBRARY
DATE: AUGUST 6, 2003
WELCOME BACK! WE JUST WANTED TO WELCOME EVERYONE
BACK TO SCHOOL AND TO GIVE YOU A QUICK LIBRARY UPDATE.
HERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO MAKE NOTE OF:
WE ARE LAMINATING TUESDAYS 1:30 – 2:15 AND THURSDAYS
12:30 – 2:00. WE ALSO WILL LAMINATE THE DAY BEFORE AND
THE DAY OF MAJOR HOLIDAYS.
WE HAVE A NEW MAGAZINE CHECK-OUT PROCEDURE THIS YEAR.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SIGN IN/SIGN OUT MAGAZINES ANY
MORE. WE WILL PUT EACH MAGAZINE IN AN ENVELOPE & SCAN
IT SO IT WILL BE CHECKED OUT IN THE COMPUTER.
PLEASE DON’T FORGET ABOUT OPEN BOOK CHECK-OUT TIMES
DAILY FOR ALL GRADES: 7:45 – 8:15 AND 2:00 – 3:15. YOU
CAN SEND UP TO 4 STUDENTS AT A TIME TO EXCHANGE THEIR
LIBRARY BOOKS.
NEW LIBRARY HOURS THIS YEAR ARE 7:00 TO 3:30, SO ALL
OF YOU EARLY BIRDS CAN VISIT THE LIBRARY IN THE
MORNINGS.
1ST & 2ND GRADE LIBRARY CLASSES WILL BEGIN MONDAY,
AUGUST 11, 2003. SECOND GRADERS WILL BEGIN CHECKING
OUT BOOKS AUGUST 25TH AND FIRST GRADERS WILL BEGIN
SEPTEMBER 2ND . SECOND GRADE CLASSES** WILL BE COMING
TO THE LIBRARY EVERY OTHER WEEK THIS YEAR.
**PLEASE SEE THE CALENDAR ATTACHED FOR YOUR LIBRARY
DAYS.
KINDERGARTEN WILL BEGIN LIBRARY CLASSES MONDAY, AUGUST
18TH.
THEY WILL BEGIN CHECKING OUT BOOKS DURING 2ND NINE
WEEKS.
ACCELERATED READER WILL BEGIN SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER. I
WILL SEND YOU A NOTE ON THAT LATER.
WE FINALLY FINISHED YOUR LIBRARY RESOURCE GUIDES. YOU
SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED YOUR COPY IN THE CAFETERIA AUGUST
1ST (WITH YOUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL GOODIES). I HOPE THESE
GUIDES WILL BE HELPFUL TO YOU IN PREPARING YOUR LESSON
PLANS & OTHER ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR ROOM. I WOULD
APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK ON THE GUIDES!
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU IN THE LIBRARY THIS
YEAR!
LET US KNOW IF THERE IS ANY WAY WE CAN HELP YOU.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE LIBRARY MONTHLY
S.M.M.S. Library Newsletter
For those of you who don’t know, on December 15th I
will be a full fledged librarian. Thank you to
_______________ for allowing me to do my field work at
South Mountain. She is an excellent resource and is
teaching me a lot about the behind the scenes
operation of a library. I am still teaching phys-ed
and also instructing two library classes.
I believe the library should be the hub of the school,
like a huge textbook for everyone. So with that
philosophy, one of my goals is to publish a library
newsletter to inform everyone of any happenings in
your library. Any feedback, good or bad, is always
welcome.
Library Usage
Library classes are taught by JoAnne 4th and 7th
period. I teach 6th and 8th period. JoAnne’s prep is
2nd period and her lunch is 5th period, which means
that the library is open to bring students down 1st
and 3rd. If these times are impossible to make,
please talk to JoAnne about making other arrangements.
She is very willing to work with you to try and
accommodate your request.
Filmstrips
Thank you to those who helped clear out the
filmstrips. The majority went to the art department
for class projects.
Computers
There are 7 computer stations in the library with
internet access. (5 are standing stations and 2 are
sitting stations) If the computer lab gets too
crowded, the library is a perfect place to come.
Vertical Files
I have been working on cleaning out these files. If
you find any mysterious pamphlets in your mailbox they
are probably from me. I have a copy of every grades
subject topics taught. If you don’t want the
information could you please pass it on to another
staff member who teaches the same subject.
Magazines
Everyone should have received a listing of the in
house periodicals If you have any suggestions for
other magazine purchases please let JoAnne or myself
know. We have been getting feedback from students and
realize that we need more high interest magazines to
get students to step foot into the library.
Newspapers
Your library receives two newspapers daily, The
Morning Call and the USA Today. We keep old back
issues in the back room for about one month or until
the pile gets too high.
Reference Section
Science and Social Studies teachers have received
information concerning the resources available in the
reference section. I am in the process of working on
the language arts, reading, music and art curriculum.
MLA & APA Citations
For those of you taking grad classes and need to
provide MLA or APA citations, check out
www.landmark-project.com and click on Citation
Machine. All you have to do is plug in the requested
information, click Process and all the work is done
for you.
Channel One
Everyone should have received an individualized
Channel One sheet covering tapes 1-300. If you
misplaced yours I have extras. When you return a tape
could you please mark down a rating from 1-5 stars.
This will inform others wishing to view the tape
whether or not it is worthwhile to check out.
(5 stars high – 1 star low)
$$$Hidden Fortune$$$
Check your old books at home. If you have a childrens
book entitled Walter the Lazy Mouse by Marjorie Flack
it is selling for $300.00. Better yet if you own
Fourteen Bears, Spring and Winter you could fetch
$600.00 for a copy.
Happy hunting
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
While a short note about yourself might be read, I
wouldn't expect any answers. You will need to gather
those yourself.
If you can get in to the school early, when your
teachers start setting up their rooms, wander through
the classes meeting people. Sharing information about
yourself as is appropirate and asking about units as
you gaze at the stuff in their classes. See a bunch
of crocodile posters,
ask about them and how that teacher weaves it into a
unit.
But don't spend a lot of time, watch yourself and the
clock and move on after 20 minutes or less. Gauge it
by the teachers response also.
Show up with those little chocolate bars or something
to give them as an ice breaker.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I did exactly that my first year at a middle school 8
years ago. I don't have the letter anymore but in a
paragraph I told them about my family, where I was
from and what my interests are. Then I asked them to
let me know their requests and what they planned to
teach. It helped them get to know me quickly. I
haven't done it at the last 2 schools I have been to.
But I wish I had at the one before this one. I used
colored paper to help make it stand out...
Heather Rider, Media Specialist
Smithfield Elementary
Charlotte, NC
heatherfeather_@yahoo.com
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Address AutoComplete - You start. We finish.
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
--------------------------------------------------------------------
All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/el-announce/
LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LM_NET
Mailing List Home