This archive was originally posted at serrc.org/schoollibraries
May 25th – In This Issue…
E. B. Collins papers. “School’s Out, Hurrah!” (1920) UAF-2015-111-33
SAYL News in Brief
(.pdf)
Make Summer Plans with SLAM (ASL Since You Asked)
“Summer is just around the corner and that means fishing, camping, hiking, and traveling, but we’ve also got 10 ideas for great things to do with SLAM this summer.”
2015 Summer Reading Recommendations (Hornbook)
“I feel I should let you know up front that the books for this year’s summer reading list were selected by our editors with zero thought for educational utility, curricular affinity, or Core Standards readiness. They are books to read for the fun of it.”
An Open Letter to School Principals (School Library Connection)
“In this letter to school principals, Jennifer LaGarde explains why hiring and supporting awesome librarians to work with the students who go to your school is the most important part of a school principal’s job.” Subscription to SLC/reVIEWS+ required. Request your free subscription.
How Teens Benefit From Reading About the Struggles of Scientists (KQED Mindshift)
Must Read Indigenous Children’s Books List (Muskrat)
Why Teaching Young People about Research Design Matters: A Middle School Student’s Perspective (Knowledge Quest)
12 Tween Titles to Add to Your Summer Reading Lists (SLJ)
Scholarship, Grant, and Award Opportunities
Ongoing – Teaching with Primary Sources, Western Region. Up to $20,000 to help incorporate TPS materials and methods into existing programs for teachers.
Closing May 31st – James Patterson and Scholastic Reading Club. $1000 to $10,000 for enhancements to school libraries.
Closing June 1st – 2016 Teen Read Week Activity Grant. $1000 “to help fund literacies-focused Teen Read Week (October 9-15) programs and activities that are especially geared towards youth who speak English as a second language.”
Closing June 16th – ASCD Teacher Impact Grants. $10,000 average award “for promising teacher-led, administrator-supported ideas, programs, or initiatives to improve education.”
Closing June 31st – Capstone Interactive eBook Matching Grants. Double your Capstone ebook purchasing power. $750-$5,000.
Closing July 1st – Best Buy Community Grants. $5,000-10,000 to schools (within 50 miles of a Best Buy store) to “provide teens with places and opportunities to develop 21st century technology skills that will inspire future education and career choices.”
Closing September 1st – ALAN Cart/Campbell Grant for Librarians. $500 and registration fees to attend Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the NCTE.
For the complete record of scholarships, grants, and other award opportunities posted in SAYL Mail, visit the SGA Archives.
Employment Opportunities
Additional and up-to-date information at Alaska Teacher Placement
Training and Continuing Education Opportunities
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.
Ongoing: Free subscription to ABC-CLIO School Library Connection and reVIEWs+ Online Professional Development Suite.
Department Offers Webinars to Engage the Public About Standards, Assessments, and Accountability Systems (.pdf)
The Department of Education & Early Development will hold interactive webinars to gather the public’s input on how to craft an education plan for Alaska that meets the state’s unique needs and challenges. The new federal K-12 law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, requires states to develop a plan to implement the law.
The department is embarking on a multi-month process to engage Alaskans in conversations about standards, assessments, and accountability systems – the three key elements required by the Every Student Succeeds Act.
The webinars will reach out to stakeholders from across Alaska, such as families, community members, business leaders, Native organizations, and educators. The webinars will provide an overview of the Every Student Succeeds Act and allow participants to engage virtually. The goal is to generate ideas, recommendations, and feedback on the three key elements of the state plan.
The webinars are identical. The schedule is:
Wednesday, May 25, 1:30-3:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 2, 3:00-4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 8, 5:00-6:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 11, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Monday, June 13, 3:00-4:30 p.m.
If you have questions, please contact Erin Hardin at 907-465-6535 or erin.hardin@alaska.gov
Thursday, May 26th, 10am – Intellectual Freedom and Minors (ALA) with Chris Crutcher. $25/20 ALA non/member.
Thursday, May 26th, 1pm – Designing and Creating Maker Spaces (edWeb)
Tuesday, May 31st, 10am – Federal Government Resources for K-12 (FDLP)
July 25th – 29th – School-Public Cooperative Library (SPCL) Training, UAF
SPCL is an intensive weeklong workshop providing management and foundational library skills to non-certified school library assistants and public library directors without a Master’s degree in Library Science.
Additional and up-to-date opportunities — all summer long — at the Library Development Training and Continuing Education Calendar
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.
[su_frame]5/16 -Please read and respond by May 31. I know it’s a busy time of year, but if we want funding, positions and to be taken seriously we need to respond to all requests for feedback and input.[/su_frame]
5/18 – Great article on inequity in school libraries in Seattle
5/23 – AmeriCorps is looking for a VISTA volunteer to serve in Yakutat for one year. “The VISTA will develop a plan that addresses the decision-making, financing, policies, services, facilities, staffing and technology involved in creating a combined school/public library.”
5/23 – YALSA members – we are looking for a few good mentors! Don’t be shy – make a difference in a colleague’s life. Whether you realize it or not, you have experiences that you can contribute to the discussion. YALSA’s Virtual Mentoring Program is accepting applications until midnight, June 1. Details available at:http://www.ala.org/yalsa/profdev/mentoring.
Almanac
May is Get Caught Reading Month, Jewish-American History Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
May 30th – Memorial Day, State Library is closed.
June is GLBT Book Month, Audiobook Awareness Month
Something You’d Like to See in SAYL Mail?
To share news, success stories, resources, and opportunities, please contact Jared Shucha. The new volume will begin in the fall. To get SAYL Mail updates sent to your inbox, request a subscription to the AkASL listserv and ask a colleague to do the same!