Tyee Elementary does DEAR Challenge

Tyee Elementary in Vancouver also celebrated DEAR. Here's on from the library courtesy of teacher-librarian, Chris Evans.

Seniors Buddy-Read with Little Ones in Nelson

A group of seniors for L.V. Rogers Secondary spent the morning buddy-reading with the Kindergarten class at Hume Elementary in Nelson in celebration of National School Library Day!

Final Numbers Coming Shortly!

OK. I've been asked by a couple of folks about the final DEAR 2011 participation numbers...

I hope to have these tallied by early this week. We just wanted to make sure that we had as many school results as possible. 

So stay tuned for details. We'll also post the results on our Facebook page via Twitter (@BCTLA_DEAR).

Thanks again to everyone that participated and to those that all logged their participation numbers!

Glenwood Elementary Celebrates DEAR House-Style

Glenwood Elementary in Burnaby celebrated DEAR with a 'Read in your House Teams' event. All of the house teams gathered together and read their favourite books. Their were lots of students wearing their house team colours for added festivity (and to earn house points!). Amazing participation, everyone!

Aberdeen Elementary Gussy Up Their Doors for DEAR

Aberdeen Elementary in Kamloops decorated their classroom doors a part of their DEAR challenged and celebration of National School Library Day! Way to go, guys!

Parkland Secondary Does the Mission Impossible!

The students and staff at Parkland Secondary in Sidney created a fantastic video for DEAR Challenge 2011! Great work guys, and thanks for sharing!

DEAR Goes at Glenmerry Elementary

At Glenmerry Elementary in Trail it was a busy morning at the DEAR Challenge!

Full Stop at Blair Elementary for DEAR

The entire staff and student body at Blair Elementary in Richmond dropped it all and read for DEAR Challenge 2011. Apparently, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop in the parking lot!

Photos courtesy of Janice Novakowski

BCTF President Supports DEAR in Negoitations

On Monday, British Columbia Teachers' Federation president, Susan Lambert (a former teacher-librarian) proudly wore her swanky new DEAR t-shirt to her negotiations with the government over, ironically, Bills 27/28 (i.e the class size legislation). We are awaiting to a photo...

DEAR a Family Event at South Nelson Elementary

South Nelson Elementary, in Nelson, celebrated DEAR with a 'family group reads' where all members of each family were invited to join their children and school staff (in their pyjamas) for some good 'ol fashion family reading!

all photos courtesy of Michelle Quesnel-Tosney

Nanaimo Garners Press for DEAR

Students drop everything and read

By Jenn McGarrigle - Nanaimo News Bulletin

Published: October 25, 2011 9:00 AM

Hundreds of Nanaimo students put their regular studies aside to enjoy a good book Monday.

About half of the schools in the district participated in the Drop Everything and Read Challenge, which celebrates and joy of reading and the power of literacy by reading for 20 minutes, said Val Martineau, teacher-librarian at Randerson Ridge Elementary School and the district's representative with the B.C. Teacher-Librarians' Association.

The event also highlights the importance of school libraries, she added.

Mr. Mazzei, principal at Randerson Ridge takes some time to drop everything and read.

Members of the Nanaimo Clippers choosing books to read to the kids

"We're kind of the meeting place for everyone, the hub of the school," said Martineau.

Some schools are having students read or reading to them for 20 minutes, while other schools have organized special activities to make the event more exciting for students, she said.

Randerson Ridge had a pyjama day and members of the Nanaimo Clippers hockey team, as well as superintendent Dave Hutchinson, dropped in to read with students.

"Some of our older kids are reading with the little kids," Martineau added.

Members of the Clippers will also head to Quarterway Elementary School.

At Wellington Secondary School, city councillors are coming to read a newspaper article about a decision council made to social studies students and members of the Vancouver Island Raiders football team, First Nations elders and school trustees will also read to and with students.

Senior students at John Barsby Secondary School are going to surrounding elementary schools to read with the younger students.

Martineau said getting sports teams involved gives literacy a huge boost for the boys especially because students are seeing their role models reading.

The district has been participating in DEAR every year on National School Library Day since 2007, the year it was started by a teacher-librarian in Victoria, said Martineau, and the event has grown steadily.

"Last year we had 45,000 people partake in it in B.C.," she said.

The Cat in the Hat Reads at DEAR!

The Cat in the Hat reads at Canyon Lister Elementary in Canyon, BC for Drop Everything and Read on Monday, October 24th.

The Cat in the Hat in action at Canyon Elementary

Former NDP Leader Reads for DEAR!

Former BC NDP leader, Carol James, drops everything to read with the students at Central Middle School in Victoria!

Photo Courtesy of Lindsay Ross

Ladysmith-Nanaimo (SD68) into DEAR Challenge 2011

And the events continue...

• Chase River Elementary: Junior hockey squad, the Barsby Bulldogs are there to read with students.

• Quarterway Elementary: Junior hockey squad the Nanaimo Clippers are there to read with students.

• Ladysmith Intermediate: School-wide DEAR at 11:00 and "dress up as your favourite book character" day with prizes for individuals and classes with the most participants

• Rock City Elementary: It's "Give a mouse a cookie PJ day; at 11:00 they will be DEARing with a cookie and a buddy reader.

• Wellington Secondary: City council member reading newspaper article on why he voted on a controversial issue and the way he voted, followed by a discussion; two local elders will be coming in and storytelling, with the local junior football team (The Raiders) and school trustees in attendance

• Barsby Secondary: Grade 10-12 students going to feeder schools to read

Let us know what your school is doing! Love to share ideas for next year, too.

More DEAR Events from Around the Province

A couple of more events to celebrate National School Library Day and DEAR Challenge 2011:

• Morfee Elementary in Mackenzie, BC will be celebrating National School Library Day with Drop Everything and Read all afternoon including lots of reading, pajama day, and guest readers from the community in many of our classrooms. One community reader will be our local radio announcer who will be reading his story to students live-to-air! They're looking forward to a great day of reading!

• Rockheights Middle School (SD61, Greater Victoria) will be welcoming their local MLA, Ms. Maurine Karagianis, and local Junior A hockey team, the Victoria Grizzlies!

What is your school doing for NSLD and DEAR Challenge 2011?

Please let us know.

You can leave a message on the DEAR page on the BCTLA Ning or leave a comment or email Jeff Yasinchuk yasinchuk@hotmail.com!

What is your school doing for NSLD and DEAR?

Let us know!

DEAR T-Shirts A Huge Hit @ BCTLA Conference

At the BCTLA conference this past Friday in Burnaby, we managed to sell ALL of our official DEAR Challenge T-shirts!

Thanks to everyone who purchased a t-shirt either at our conference table or through our supplier this month.

And we raised nearly $150 for the BC Digitization Project.

Next year?

French versions, more colours, and more Medium and Large sizes will be available!

Thanks for your support and have fun on Monday!

BCTF to Support DEAR

The President of the BCTF, Susan Lambert, will be joining thousands of students are teachers across the province and drop everything and read this Monday!

C'mon and join us!

They're Gearing up DEAR in SD68!

What is your school doing to celebrate DEAR 2011?

Randerson Elementary (SD 68) is having a pajama day. And members of the Nanaimo Clippers are dropping by for a read-a-long with the students!

Ladysmith Intermediate is came up with the idea of having DEAR day as our first spirit day! The theme is "Celebrating Books" and students are challenged to dress up as their favourite book character, and we will have prizes for most original, funniest, etc. Some ideas that the students shared include: 

• Little Red Riding Hood: black skirt, white blouse, red cape, basket of cookies! 

• Ramona: messy hair in pigtails, kid type cloths (wrinkly, dirty knees) 

• Wolf (from The True Story of Three Little Pigs): jailbird costume, ears, snout, mixing bowl and spoon.
• Mouse (from If You Give a Mouse... books): grey cloths, ears, whiskers,  popcorn bowl or giant cookie.

Let us know what your school is doing! We'd love to share with everyone around the province. Leave a comments or contact Jeff Yasinchuk at yasinchuk@hotmail.com. 

Minister to Read at James Bay Elementary

Yes, the rumours are true! Honourable George Abbott, British Columbia Minister of Education, WILL be reading with (or maybe to) students at James Bay Elementary next Monday in support of DEAR challenge and National School Library Day!

What are YOU doing at your school to celebrate DEAR next week?

Let us know. 

Leave a comment or email yasinchuk@hotmail.com. We want to share what you're doing with everyone!

DEAR in Burnaby

DEAR will be in Burnaby at the BCTLA annual PSA conference. Look for our table in the lobby of Burnaby Mountain Secondary and make sure to stop by and say "Hi!". We'll have a couple of free posters and a limited number of official DEAR t-shirts available for sale ($12) each.
See you next week!

Ministry of Education Still Non-Committal

The British Columbia Teacher-Librarians' Association recently received a letter from the Minister of Education, the Honourable George Abbott, indicating his support (of sorts) for National Library Day. 

And while the Minister goes on to note that the Liberal government recognizes the important roles that libraries play in our society, his office fails to recognize the important (and distinct role) of school libraries and teacher-librarians play in improving reading levels and literacy levels in our schools. He fails to address the fact that hundreds of schools in BC do not have a trained teacher-librarian at best, and at worst, often have the doors to those libraries locked the vast majority of the time. (Anybody in there?).

Sadly, while the list of provincial MOEs that have joined the CASL (Canadian Association of School Libraries) in support of a National School Library Day continues to grow (including Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia), BC continues to be the odd province out.

Why the resistance you ask?

Let's get some answers.

Take a second and write your MLA and ask them. I wonder if they know something that the Minister doesn't. We might be surprised.

DEAR in 'School Libraries in Canada'

DEAR founding member, Karen Lindsay, and recent co-conspirator, Jeff Yasinchuk recently collaborated on an article for the fall edition of School Libraries in Canada. The article traces the brief history of the Drop Everything and Read Challenge including continued lobbying and pleas to the Liberal government to recognize the fourth Monday of every October to our recent attempts at making it DEAR a national event with the BCTLA as one of the major sponsors.

Fall 2011 Issue of School Libraries in Canada

Congratulations to Karen (and her early DEAR conspirators!) for their tremendous work and commitment to the Drop Everything and Read Challenge, school libraries, and BC students. We're not quite where Karen envisioned, but we're headed in the right direction! DEAR will continue to grow.