In this issue…
SAYL News in Brief
News in Brief includes the average reading time with the source information.
Spending Bill Includes Big Increases for Libraries [American Libraries. 2 min.]
Why School Librarians Matter: What Years of Research Tell Us [Phi Delta Kappan. 8 min. ]
“[N]ewer studies, conducted over the last several years, show that strong school libraries are also linked to other important indicators of student success, including graduation rates and mastery of academic standards.”
AILA Rescinds Sherman Alexie’s 2008 YA Book of the Year Award [School Library Journal. 2 min.]
“In a bold move, the American Indian Literature Association (AILA) is rescinding Sherman Alexie’s 2008 YA Book of the Year Award ‘to send an unequivocal message that Alexie’s actions are unacceptable.'”
Why Wikipedia Works [NY Magazine: Select All. 4 min.]
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Scholarships, Grants and Awards Opportunities
DEED Releases 21st Century Community Learning Centers FY19 Request for Applications
DEED is seeking applicants for competitive 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) funding that would begin providing programming in the fall of the 2018-19 school year. The goal of the 21st CCLC program is to raise student academic achievement by providing students engaging out-of-school-time academic assistance and educational enrichment opportunities. Any Alaska school district, community-based organization, tribal organization, or other public or private entity located in Alaska and working in partnership with their school and community is eligible to apply. Applications are due April 27, 2018. For questions, please contact Jessica Paris at jessica.paris@alaska.gov or 907-465-8716.
[If your district identifies school libraries as community learning centers, it could fund extended hours, programs, and additional supplies. Contact Jared Shucha with questions.]
Closing March 31st. Ezra Jack Keats Mini-Grant. Up to $500 “to provide creative, innovative programs that support or extend the Common Core Standards in education”
Closing April 12. NEA Challenge America Grant (part 1). $10,000 (minimum $10,000 match required) for programs that “extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations.”
Closing April 15. Penguin Random House Foundation Library Awards for Innovation. $1,000 – $10,000 plus $1000 in PRH books to public libraries (or school libraries serving the capacity of public libraries) “creating innovative community-based programs, which encourage citizens to participate and support reading initiatives that connect libraries with their community.”
Closing April 20th. Snapdragon Book Foundation Grant. $500 – $20,000 to improve school libraries for disadvantaged children (primarily project-based collection development).
Closes May 1st. Girls Who Code Club Fund. $300 for existing Girls Who Code clubs for experiences encouraging girls to get excited about learning computer science.
Closes April 30th. Alaska Teacher of the Year. During the official year of recognition, the NTOY Program is released from classroom duties to travel nationally and internationally as a spokesperson and advocate for the teaching profession.
Closes May 1st. Capstone Interactive eBook Matching Grants. Double your Capstone ebook purchasing power. $750-$5,000.
Closes May 4th. Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming. $5000 to a “school library that has conducted an exemplary program or program series in the humanities during the prior school year.”
Closes May 9th. Friends of ALSC Institute Scholarship. Registration and $1,000 travel stipend for ALSC National Institute September 27 – 29, 2018 for ALSC members who work directly with children in a library setting.
Closes May 21st, 2018. SLJ School Librarian of the Year. $2,500 cash award, plus $2,500 worth of print and digital materials from Scholastic Library Publishing.
Closes May 31st. Best Buy Community Grants. $5,000-10,000 to schools within 25 miles of a Best Buy store for”out-of-school time programs that create hands-on access to technology education and tools that teens will need to be successful in their future schooling and careers.”
For the complete record of scholarships, grants, and other award opportunities posted in SAYL Mail, visit the SGA Archives.
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Training and Continuing Education Opportunities
The following webinars are no cost and run approximately one hour unless otherwise noted. Opportunities not fitting your schedule? Many of these webinars will later be available as archives.
Wednesday, April 4th, noon – Librarians’ Insights on How to Integrate Technology into Makerspaces [School Library Journal]
Wednesday, April 4th, 3pm – Making & Assessing Learner Connections Through the AASL Standards [AASL]
Thursday, April 5th, 11am – Simple STEAM: Preparing Young Children for the Careers of the Future [edWeb]
Tuesday, April 10th, 10am – STEM vs. STEAM: Science and Art in the Classroom [Booklist]
Tuesday, April 10th, 3pm – Making & Amplifying Educator Connections Through the AASL Standards [AASL]
Thursday, April 12th, 10am – Interactions with Teens [YALSA]
Thursday, April 12th, 10am – Promoting Library Resources with Email [EBSCO]
Thursday, April 12th, noon – Author Ideas on Integrating Fiction into the Middle-Grade and Middle-School Curriculum [AASL]
Save the Date!
As Seen on Alaska School Librarians Facebook
A roundup of resources shared and questions asked on the Alaska School Librarians Facebook group. This is intended to give readers the chance to access resources at work if Facebook is filtered. Only timely questions, announcements, and links to non-Facebook resources are listed here.
3/15 – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told teachers that allowing students to have choice and autonomy in their research will result in more engagement and reflection. Sometime they get it, but other times I hear… well, I have to cover X topic and they have to write a paper anyway so I might as well make them write it about X topic. How do you convince those teachers that choice is important to the process?
3/16 – Recording of a webinar aired last year on students rights and free speech. Great way to educate yourself and your school community.
3/16 – More on Fake News:
3/16 – Great resource!
3/16 – Great resource for Graphic Novels for K – 12
3/17 – Need a great book list of books written by Indigenous women? Here you go!
3/18 – Collaborative lesson opportunity?
3/19 – I’ve done database smackdown type activities before but never as flipped instruction or with badges. I’m interested to hear if anyone else has done these activities in this type of format and how it worked?
3/20 – Advocacy doesn’t always mean writing letters to the editor, speaking at school board meetings, or calling your legislators. Advocacy is also forming relationships with your patrons and families
3/20 -Loved The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. All YA libraries should get this title. A beautiful portrait of the struggles and the joys of being a teen.
3/21 – If you or someone you know if being affected by a RIF, layoff, firing, or other push against your/their job or budget, our SaveSchoolLibrarians.org digital advocacy campaign is here to help.
AND It is free of charge because of Follet’s support. Please contact me here, at john.chrastka@everylibrary.org or via the site.
3/21 – Infographics you can use for advocacy. Or just because they’re awesome.
3/21 – Anyone tried this? Sounds like an awesome idea. I think I would add a written reflection though to keep students on track and for formative assessment.
3/22 – Yeah!? Why shouldn’t school librarians be part of this debate? I appreciate and value my non-certified colleagues. However, I still believe that school librarians should be required to have a credential. In addition to all the studies that show the value of a certified librarian to student success, I believe this because there is no other position in the school that is allowed to not only supervise students but also instruct without having that credential. Exempting the librarian from this requirement sets him or her apart and creates confusion in the minds of parents, teachers, and administrators. What do you think? Do you think we are different than the public library? Should no librarian be required to have a degree to have the title / job?
3/25 – [Why Do Our Brains Love Fake News?]
3/25 – I’ve worked with teachers of all the core subjects to incorporate novels into their classes. Reading is relevant everywhere.
3/26 – [Why School Librarians Matter: What Years of Research Tell Us]
3/26 – I know I’ve been a little Library centric the last few days but I wanted to share this cause it’s a good demonstration of what libraries do. Except this is a public library. For a school library you have one or two people doing ALL of this with the addition of teaching and collaboration with teachers.
3/28 – Summer Reading? Check this out
Check It Out Next Time!
The next issue will be April 12th. To share news, success stories, resources, and opportunities, please contact Jared Shucha. To get SAYL Mail updates sent to your inbox, request a subscription to the AkASL listserv and ask a colleague to do the same!
[su_frame]Jared Shucha
School Library Coordinator
jared.shucha@alaska.gov
(907) 465-8187[/su_frame]