books

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For the love of books…

The freedom to read is a nonpartisan American value. Libraries and books are for EVERYONE.

Those of you who know me personally know I love books, and stories, and poetry, and well, lifelong learning. I also adore libraries, librarians, storytellers (including musicians), and all the folks who work to support and sustain our American library system. Some of my besties are Library Ladies! Some of my fondest memories, most profound life revelations, and contented moments have occurred in a library. Armed with a love of reading, the world opens wide for all to embrace.

So on this final day of Banned Books Week 2024, I’m lifting up libraries for the important resource they are to our communities across this vast country.

This beautiful poem, by the poet Nikki Giovanni called “A Library,” is a favorite…

A Library Is:

a place to be free

to be in space

to be in cave times

to be a cook

to be a crook

to be in love

to be unhappy

to be quick and smart

to be contained and cautious

to surf the rainbow

to sail the dreams

to be blue

to be jazz

to be wonderful

to be you

a place to be

yeah… to be

Please take care of yourself as you find ways to care for others…and READ on, my friends!

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Celebrating readers and books…

CBW2May 12-16 is officially National Children’s Book Week and we always celebrate in big ways at LME!  Please join us next week in dressing for the daily theme and bring some wonderful reading material to share with others as we get ready for summer reading fun!  🙂

  • Monday: “We MUSTACHE You To Read!” Wear a mustache to school; prizes awarded for the top 3 most creative.
  • Tuesday: “Sneak Up On A Good Book.” Wear camouflage clothing.
  • Wednesday: “READ A Shirt Day!” Wear a shirt with words on it.
  • Thursday: “Reading With A Friend Is Twice As Nice!” It’s Twin Day so dress the same as a friend to read together.
  • Friday: “A Book Title In My Pocket…” Have a favorite book title written down in your pocket to pull out and share with a friend.
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Fine Art Form and more…

sign1The annual Fine Arts Show and Gallery with our Family Book Fair event was another huge hit this year.  Each child displays seven completed personal masterpieces thanks to the talented vision and execution of our art teacher extraordinaire, Scott Fiorenza.  Whether it’s a Head Start student or an Art Club master student, Mr. Fio knows how to create and deliver artistic magic each year!

Thanks also goes to our entire Specials Team of educators artshow1who not only support each other through programs, shows, exhibitions, 5K runs, and more, but have so much fun along the journey too!

We are blessed with the most amazing PTO Volunteers who spend time and creative talents arranging, organizing, and hanging each child’s artwork throughout the hallway galleries for this big show.  These ladies also host the refreshment table each year…yum!

Much appreciation goes to Melissa Bolgiano, our Library Media Specialist, and her volunteers who ensure our Book Fair and Family Night event goes smoothly.  Thanks for supporting our campus library and the new Maker Spaces in our 21st Century Media Center.

Our Miller Ringers and Singers along with some talented piano students shared beautiful musicartshow3 for gallery gazing throughout the evening.  Thanks, Mrs. Perez and friends, for setting the tone and mood for success.

It is so critical for our young learners to have these important creative, artistic, and musical outlets throughout their educational journey.  Judging from the turnout and the responses, our learners are most definitely in fine art form…and more!  EnJOY your holiday weekend!  🙂

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READ in the new year…

It’s our annual LME tradition to READ In The New Year on the Friday we return from holiday break each year.  Today, we read in 2014 seconds, which is actually 33 minutes and 34 seconds (for all you mathematicians checking our work today).  From novels to e-readers, our classrooms were readinthenewyear2014filled with all manner of great reading materials, picture books, and special “friends” to assist in the process.  Even the office staff enJOYed some time for reading and sharing today.

Special thanks to Ms. Daniell for sharing the attached picture of first grade friends celebrating their reading success in true 2014 form!  Here’s hoping you find time soon to READ in the new year!  🙂

Note:  It is a campus goal to assist every learner in becoming a lifelong reader.  We encourage you to check out http://www.tumblebooks.com for a special reading program our school purchased for students to enJOY books at school and at home everyday.  (login = laruemillerelem; password = books)

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The little homerun lessons of life…

“Everyday is a new day which gives us a new opportunity to shape a child’s life.”  Thus begins the little jewel of a book called Life’s Little Lessons…An Inch-by-Inch Tale of Success by Joanne Scaglione and Gail Small.  This tale for children, parents, and teachers, inspires with a simple message, in fact, the authors have this to say: LLLbook “We hope to teach children that although life has it’s twists and turns…if we face life with our chin up we can accomplish anything!”  The story centers around a caterpillar named Cyrano who lives with his mom and spends a great deal of time in trouble with the school’s principal, Mr. Tweeterman.  Cyrano cannot make or keep friends, his teachers are so hard on him, and his dad has left home.  He is sent to Mr. BeeCallus’ class (known as the Bee Better class) where Mr. B recognizes his talent with a baseball…and you can probably guess the rest of the story.

Resonating throughout the book is the importance of learning life’s lessons when we’re young and how knowledge can lead us to greatness in the future.  When a young learner looks at me and asks, “Why do I need to know this, Mrs. Van?”, it is my sincere hope the WHY is always more important than the WHAT.

As we begin to start a new school year, there is great excitement and anticipation on the road ahead.  Here’s hoping you savor these last few days of summer time, family, friends, and fun…and here’s hoping the new school year allows each learner the opportunity to make multiple home runs of success!

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Thank you, Mr. Falker!

I had the privilege this morning of being a mystery reader to a group of learners who specifically requested a favorite story of mine, Thank You, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polacco (she’s one of my personal favorites).  Knowing they would want a little background about the writing of this story, I did my homework and learned some amazing things.  It turns out, Ms. Polacco experienced her own struggle with reading and this particular story honors the teacher who took special time to offer help.  With her dyslexic, dysnumeric, and dysgraphic tendencies, she required special reading assistance.  Mr. Falker, her teacher and “hero,” was the one who made it “available in those days.”  She notes: ” To this day, I remember the first day that words on a page had meaning to me…Mr. Falker had reached into the most lonely darkness and pulled me into bright sunlight and sat me on a shooting star.  I shall never forget him…”  She talks about how this personal academic struggle destroyed her self-confidence while she was being teased by a bully, feeling dumb and so sad to “be different than the others.”  Her teacher was the one who rescued her; what a powerful testament!  Believe me, the conversations and the emotions raised during our story time made for interesting observations!  I walked away wiping tears and feeling more confident in these little learners becoming champions for others!  🙂

As we celebrate National Children’s Book Week, I challenge each of you to take a moment and share a favorite story with your child.  Revisit and reflect on your own challenges growing up and share these with your learner.  Be an active listener because your child has much to tell you!  Here’s hoping we all celebrate a teacher who becomes a “hero” to your child just like Ms. Polacco did with hers…thank you, Mr. Falker!  🙂