MLA Drops Everything to Read!

A HUGE THANK YOU to Rob Fleming, MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake & Official Opposition critic for Education participating in Drop Everything and Read at L'Ecole Quadra on October 27th. Photos courtesy of Amber Nash.

Pre-Registration for 2014 DEaR

We are trying something new this year: Pre-registration for DEaR. If you know schools that are participating next week we'd really appreciate your feedback by completing the form below.

THANK YOU!

IT'S OFFICIAL: DEAR 2013 IS THE BIGGEST YET!

A tremendously gracious 'THANK YOU!' to all British Columbia students and teachers, librarians, volunteers, and community literacy advocates for their support of the seventh annual 'Drop Everything and Read' event (@BCTLA_DEaR)!

Another amazing reason to celebrate a successful event...?

With nearly 72 000 students involved in this year's event the participation rate has increased by over 30% from last year! Stunning! And there's still more room for participation!

Let's continued the charge for literacy and reading in BC! Indeed, 'friends of DEaR' have begun to spread to other public and municipal institutions. Surely, a ''DEaR' epidemic is not too far off...

Stay tuned for how DEAR 2013 was celebrated around the province last month!

More Photos of Fassbender @ DEaR

A couple of more photos of the Minister of Education, Peter Fassbender, and his visit to Richard Bulpitt Elementary on BC School Library Day. Our BCTLA TL of the year Deb Cowland hosted the Minister in the brand new Richard Bulpitt Learning Commons. Photos courtesy of Deb Cowland.

Drop Everything and Read...At the Mall

That's exactly what a group of students from L.V. Rogers Secondary in Nelson did on Monday's BC School Library Day at the Chako Mika Mall...

A thing of beauty ain't it...?

Photo Courtesy of Sam Van Schie

Buddy Reading Event for DEaR IN SD8

To celebrate BC School Library Day students from Ms. Hammerich's kindergarten class from Hume Elementary spent another DEaR reading with Ms. Klan's English 9 class from L.V. Rogers Secondary. Sharing the beauty of reading in Nelson...

Photos courtesy of Kim Hammerich!

 

Former Library Professor Speaks Out for School Libraries

Professor Emeritus, Donald Hamilton, in support of BC School Library Day wrote a letter to Victoria's Times Columnist titled 'Libraries should be more than rooms'.

Here is the letter in its entirety...

Oct. 28 is School Library Day in B.C. This should be a cause for celebration. The promotion of literacy and the acquisition of learning and thinking skills must be goals for all of our children. Every child must learn to learn with the whole gamut of resources in print, picture and digital formats. That is what the school library was meant to develop and support.

Every school in the province has a library-like place. In many high schools, they tend to be large, established facilities boasting programs delivered by teacher-librarians supplementing and enhancing the curriculum through active, formal engagement of teachers and materials.

Unfortunately, in elementary and smaller secondary schools, that program is frequently not offered or severely limited due to cutbacks. The teacher-librarian who would drive the program is missing, replaced by volunteers and clerical assistants.

Without a “library program,” the library becomes an unappreciated vestige of a vanished time. Many of those libraries are maintained through donations of money and old books. The library is not a vital part of the school’s learning program or its budget.

A school library without a program is merely a room. If only we could have a School Library Program Day and expect all our schools to have qualified, dynamic teacher-librarians to develop quality collections and programs that make a difference to every child. Then the “rooms” would come alive. Then we could really celebrate the school library as a force for personalizing learning.

Donald Hamilton

Emeritus education librarian

University of Victoria

Nelson Public Library Drops Everything to Read!

While they still provided elemental and exemplary service, staff at the Nelson Public Library took 20 minutes out of their work day to join us for DEaR. Photo courtesy of June Stockdale.

Nelson City Councillor Deb Kozak, NPL adult librarian and author Anne DeGrace, and NPL board chair Dianne Harke take time to DEaR in support of school libraries and literacy.

And here's Anne's column in the Nelson Star in support of literacy, reading, DEaR, and school libraries!

A huge thanks to the staff and board members at the NPL for continuing to be our community literacy leaders!

Hockey Heroes DEaR With Randerson Ridge Elementary

Randerson Ridge Elementary

Randerson students and staff were joined by members of the Nanaimo Clippers Hockey Team today to Drop Everything and Read. More than 320 students took part reading their favourite books and relaxing in their pajamas. Nanaimo Clippers joined in the fun with some players reading to the younger students, while others shared books with our intermediate kids. At lunch, the Clippers played tag football and tetherball with the kids. Photo by Shauna DeBodt, Communications Assistant, Nanaimo-Ladysmith Public Schools.

Submission courtesy of teacher-librarian extraordinaire, Val Martineau.

Kamloops-Okanagan #73 Get Into DEaR Action

This report of DEaR action in the Kamloops-Okanagan is courtesy of district librarian Andrea Wallin.

Good morning everyone,

Wow! What an amazing reading motivation event yesterday! A huge thank you to all the SD73 teacher-librarians and library assistantswho organized SD73 DEAR at 37 schools this year, a district record! From selecting, purchasing, cataloging, processing and displaying engaging books for our readers, to book talking books and helping students find the "just right fit books"...thank you for all that you do to encourage our students to read on a daily basis.

I haven't tallied the numbers yet as the school participant numbers are still coming in but I'm sure we have surpassed the 10,000 participant mark. Check out our district spotlight for this information next week.

More important than the participant numbers is the enthusiastic response to DEAR district-wide. I was fortunate to visit three schoolsyesterday and was overwhelmed by the decorated doors, costumes, special literacy events, guest readers and just the pure magic of school-wide reading.

As Faye Brownlie noted this year at a presentation in Kamloops, “every K-12 student needs to read something he/she chooses every day,” DEAR gives our students that opportunity in our schools. Thanks again for everything you do! Andrea Wallin

http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20131028/KAMLOOPS0101/131029852/-1/kamloops/reading-by-choice-a-key-message-in-national-program


Some of the activities we hosted in our 37/47 schools in Kamloops/Thompson include:

• pajama day
• over 400 students buddy reading in the gym
• celebrity visitors, trustees, firefighters

DEAR week long events:

• book draws every day for up to 6 books & a big final draw for a copy of Allegiant
• Tuesday: Board Game Day
• Wednesday: Maker Faire (making bookmarks with International Students)
• Thursday: Dress as Your Favourite Literary character for Halloween!
• Music in the Library--every day

Thank you to Nicole Gorman, SD73 teacher-librarian, for coordinating special Firefighter visits to a number of schools in Kamloops/Thompson during DEAR. Listening to our local heroes reading stories to keen students was a definite highlight yesterday!

Kamloops-Okanagan DEaR Photo Album

Monterey Middle School Drops Everything to Read

Below is the official press release from teacher-librarian extraordinaire, Keely Thornton...

Hello Kevin!

As I mentioned on the phone with you, today was our Annual Drop Everything and Read Event (DEAR Event) here at Monterey Middle School.  We joined many other schools across the district and across the province in this annual Provincial event where we encourage everyone to drop whatever they are doing at 11:20 am and read for 20 minutes!  For information about the event itself, please visit the Press release and website: http://www.scribd.com/doc/178106032/Drop-Everything-and-Read-2013-Press-Release

http://dropeverythingandreadbc.ca/

This event has been slowly gaining popularity and attention over the last few years and we were thrilled to invite members of our Oak Cay Community to come and share in the joy of reading with our students.  Some of our special guest readers this year were the Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen, The Superintendant of School District #61 John Gaiptman, our School Liaison Officer Constable Julie Chanin, The Assistant Fire Chief Cam Thompson and 6 of the Firefighters from the Oak Bay Fire Department, Children's Librarian Devon Tatton at the Oak Bay Branch of the GVPL, and retired Monterey Teacher Karen Evans.  Our guests were introduced by the school's Library Leaders and asked what their favourite book was before settling in to take 20 minutes out of their very busy schedules to enjoy a good book! All of our students participated in the reading event, with some in the music room, some in the computer lab and most in their classrooms putting their pencils down and picking up a book. 

The first one features John Gaiptman, Superintendent of SD #61 reading with Mr. Brown's Grade 6 class.

School Liaison Officer Constable Julie Chanin

A firefighter reading in our lovely library with Mrs. Rud's grade 6 class

An Oak Bay Fireman reading on a comfy couch

The school was so silent you could have heard a pin drop!

This amazing event helps promote the joy of reading, something that our students at Monterey have already discovered.  We circulated nearly 5000 books last year through the library and our amazing staff promotes the "Read Anything, Read Often" motto within our school.  And we aren't alone as schools all across the province joined us today and throughout this week for the Drop Everything and Read event.  It was wonderful having our special guests join us on the official BC School Library Day, and we hope to have an even bigger event to promote reading next year for Drop Everything and Read.

If you have any questions please contact me on my cell phone, 250-882-8845.  Thank you so much!

Teacher-Librarian of the Year & Minister of Education

The BCTLA Teacher-Librarian of the Year, Deb Cowland, watches over the Minister of Education, Peter Fassbender, as he reads with some students in the Richard Bulpitt Learning Commons on BC School Library Day!


GOTTA LOVE THOSE RED T-SHIRTS...

From TL of the year Deb Cowland:

Minister Fassbender was at Richard Bulpitt Elementary on Monday to officially open our school. How fortunate for us that he was able stay and join in on the DEAR activities as well. He happily donned his DEAR T-shirt and then, at his request, enthusiastically announced DEAR to the entire school over the PA. He enjoyed time reading with children around the school and promoting the love of reading and the importance of reading books. We were able to chat briefly when he shared his past experiences with DEAR as Mayor of Langley and expressed his long-time support of libraries both school and public. It was a special DEAR Day at Richard Bulpitt Elementary for sure!

Minister Fassbender @ DEaR In Langley

After officially opening the new Richard Bulpitt Elementary school in Langley on Monday's BC School Library Day, Minister Fassbender gets DEaR underway with an announcement over the the school's PA system and then spends time reading with students in the beautiful new school library. 

DEaR coverage starts :59 into the video.

The video above is courtesy of Cindy Ralph, Library Consultant and CLTP Program Coordinator with the Libraries and Literacy Branch.

You can also check out the Minister's entire visit to Richard Bulpitt Elementary including his time reading with students during DEaR!

 

Good Ole Fashion Read-In In Nelson

The staff and students at L.V. Rogers Secondary celebrated DEaR 2013 with their good ole fashion (and annual) read-in throughout the hallways and main entrance.

 

Thanks to all the staff that continue to support DEaR and its advocacy for libraries, literacy, and reading!

Minister of Education DEaRs in Langley

The Minister of Education, Honourable Peter Fassbender, took time from his primary duty of opening the Richard Bulpitt Elementary School in Langley to 'drop everything and read' with the students of the new school.

Here's the official press release. And we're hoping to have photos later this week.

Thanks to Deb Cowland for her support at Bulpitt this morning!

DEaR Action Adventure: Parkland Secondary Releases Another Beauty!

Another awesome DEaR video courtesy of Parkland Secondary in Saanich! 

A HUGE thanks to teacher-librarian, Aaron Mueller, and his crew at PS for this beauty!

Please share with us what you are doing for DEaR this year! We want to know!

2013 DEaR Participation Report: Please share your participation!

That's the question we're asking every school, public and school library, and community! Share with us on our Facebook page (DropEverythingandReadBC), or Tweet us #BCTLA_DEAR or #DEAR2013.
 
LOOKING FOR IDEAS?

Parkland Secondary is shooting another one of its student-led 'mockumentaries' for DEAR. The short video will premiere at the BCTLA Conference in Coquitlam next week! Thanks to Aaron Mueller and the students at Parkland Secondary in Saanich! 

Here's 2011s offering...

 Too much? Then how about...

• Inviting buddy reading with senior and elementary students

• Organizing a 'reading flash mob'

• Staging a 'read-in' in the front lobby of your school or place of work

• Hosting local hockey team or other athletic team or group come into the school to read with students

• Inviting a local writer or poet come into the school to share their work and/or read to/with students

We want to hear from you! What has worked in the past? What have you done at your school or school library to shake it up a little?

PLEASE CONSIDER SHARING!

DEaR 2013: David Livingston Elementary Kicks It Off In Style

David Livingston Elementary in Vancouver celebrated an early DEaR in their pajamas! Even parents and toddlers got in on the action today! Photos courtesy of Sylvia Zubke.

Greater Victoria Public Library Joins DEaR Next Week

Tracey Kendrick, the Children's and Teen Services Coordinator at the Greater Victoria Public Library, is excited to share the news that the GVPL will be participating in DEaR this year!

Whoo-Hoo!

"In addition to outreach visits to schools from Children’s Librarians, at GVPL we are trying something new this year for DEAR. We are hosting book picnics for young children so they can take part in the fun just like the big kids in school. The book picnics will happen on October 28 from 11-11:20am and will include picture books, songs and finger plays. We’ve also featured DEAR in a news item on our homepage at www.gvpl.ca."


Please share how you public library is celebrating DEaR BC 2013?

DEaR: The 'Official' Press Release

Less than one week to go and here's the 'official' word on 2013 Drop Everything and Read BC...

Drop Everything and Read 2013 Press Release

IT'S OFFICIAL: BC SCHOOL LIBRARY DAY IS HERE!

British Columbia, Lieutenant Governor, Judith Guichon, has declared Monday, October 28th to be BC School Library Day!

She has also declared October to be BC Library Month, and in conjunction with DEaR, and National School Library Day, School Library Day now has its moment in the sun.

Thanks to all teacher-librarians, the BCTLA, the Library and Literacy Branch of the Ministry of Education, and all those who support and advocate for school libraries in British Columiba!

Here are the details...

Terrace Challenges Your Community to DROP Everything and READ!

The Terrace Public Library and the Friends of the Terrace Public Library would like to challenge your school’s K-6 classes to participate in this year’s Drop Everything and Read Day.

WHO? K-6 classrooms
WHERE? Your choice
WHEN? Monday, October 28, 2013; 11:00 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.
HOW? Stop whatever it is that you are doing and...just read!
WHY? Because the love of reading is a beautiful, valuable, lifelong habit that everyone should enjoy, every day.

They are offering the following prizes:

First Place: $300 to the school with the highest percentage of classrooms participating 

Runner Up: $100 to the school with the second highest percentage of classrooms participating 

Best Photo: $100 to the school who submits the best photo of their Drop Everything and Read Day event to be judged by Friends of the Library.

Photos will not be publicized unless they receive your written permission.

All prize monies are to be used towards the purchase of books for your school library. If there is a tie, a random draw will be performed to determine the winner.

For more details contact Margo Schiller at the Terrace Public Library.

October 28th Proclaimed BC School Library Day

THIS JUST IN...! 

BC Lieutenant Governor, Judith Guichon, has issued a declaration that October 28th will be BC School Library Day! 
Whoo-hoo! 

And just in time to support DEAR and National School Library Day! 

Thanks to the folks at the Ministry of Education who lobbying tirelessly on behalf of BC students and school libraries!

Why I LOVE My Public Library: Nelson Public Library Jumps All Over DEAR 2013

The wonderful folks at the Nelson Public Library have jumped on board with DEAR 2013.

DEAR At the Nelson Public Library!

Sooooo...on October 28th, I wonder what YOUR local public library is doing to celebrate literacy, libraries, and the pure joy of reading...?

What Are You Doing To Celebrate DEAR 2013?

That's the question we're asking every school, public and school library, and community! Share with us on our Facebook page, DropEverythingandReadBC, or Tweet us @BCTLA_DEAR or #DEAR2013.
 
LOOKING FOR IDEAS?

Parkland Secondary is shooting another one of its student-led 'mockumentaries' for DEAR. The short video will premiere at the BCTLA Conference in Coquitlam next week! Thanks to Aaron Mueller and the students at Parkland Secondary in Saanich! 

Here's 2011s offering...

 Too much? Then how about...

• Inviting buddy reading with senior and elementary students

• Organizing a 'reading flash mob'

• Staging a 'read-in' in the front lobby of your school or place of work

• Hosting local hockey team or other athletic team or group come into the school to read with students

• Inviting a local writer or poet come into the school to share their work and/or read to/with students

We want to hear from you! What has worked in the past? What have you done at your school or school library to shake it up a little?

PLEASE CONSIDER SHARING!

2013 DEAR School Participation

Please help us keep track of the participation of DEAR across so that we can continue our efforts to make in-roads to spread the word by by completing this VERY BRIEF SURVEY.

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone for their Herculeanefforts in making the seventh annual DEAR event the biggest yet!

Hugs,

BCTLA

2013 DEAR POSTERS: GET YOURS TODAY

The British Columbia Teacher-Librarians' Association welcomes everyone to download digital copies of the annual DEAR posters (in French and English) and recommends printing them on 11 x 17 poster stock.

To download your favourite versions of our Al Smith (@literateowl) designed 2013 poster visit out Advocacy Page today.

Courtesy of Al Smith, 2013 (C)

Courtesy of Al Smith, 2013 (C)

DEAR T-Shirts Available For Order!

Once again this year, the fancy-schmancy official Drop Everything and Read T-Shirts will be available for sale through our vendor, Out of the Blue Designs, for $10 each plus shipping and applicable taxes.

  A minimum order of 12 is required.

Please contact Randy for ordering and shipping details at 1.877.311.0122.

NOTE: A very limited number of red t-shirts with with white text will be available for sale at the DEAR booth at the Fall BCTLA conference.

IMPORTANT: To ensure receipt of t-shirts before October 28, please order before September 27, 2013.

For more details about DEAR Week (October 28-November 1, 2013) please visit or subscribe to this blog!

DEAR 2013 ANNOUNCED

In case you haven't heard the news...

The British Columbia Teacher-Librarians' Association's Drop Everything and Read will kick off School Library Week 2013 in BC on Monday, October 28, 2013.

Stay tuned for more blogging in the months ahead!

Saanich (SD 63) Celebrates DEAR (and how!)

Thanks to TL extraordinaire, Jean Prevost, for an update on how SD63 (Saanich) celebrated DEAR 2012.

• Vivian Hicks, TL at Bayside Middle School reports: We enjoy 30 minutes of silent reading time every day at Bayside, but on Wear Red for Reading Day, (our "spin" on Drop Everything and Read Day),  everyone was "visibly" reading during that time -- as the photos show, even the administration. 595 staff and students were reading for DEAR at Bayside this year. See photos below!

photos courtesy of Vivian Hicks

• Sarah Windle, TL at Keating Elementary reports the whole school participated in a Family Read In.

• TL at Sidney elementary, Shannon Curtis invited families and guest readers into their school for a half an hour of buddy reading.  Ms Curtis made an Animoto of the event photos to share with students. 

• At Brentwood Elementary, they celebrated DEAR by inviting all adults and students in the school and at home to read at 12:15 for 20 minutes. Some classes invited parents into the classrooms to read in the morning.  The teacher-librarian, Donna Wende posted notices about the focus on reading on bulletin boards, on the School and Library websites, and sent it out in the Parent newsletter.

• At Cordova Bay Elementary, Jean Prevost reports 280 students and staff participated in a Wear Red For Reading Day as everyone read together to celebrate DEAR.  This event was noted in the school newsletter.

• At Parkland Secondary, students were outdoors reading and the principal and a helicopter were involved.  More to come!

Thanks to all TLs and their schools for AMAZING support of DEAR again this year! 

Saanich, you guys rock!

G.W. Graham DEARs It Up!

G.W. Graham Middle-Secondary in Chilliwack supported the cause last week, too!

Choo-Choo: A DEAR Reading Train

A DEAR Reading Train made a stop at J.W. Inglis Middle School in Lumby (SD22) last week. Here's a look at the action!

Kamloops School District Breaks DEAR Participation Record!

Congratulations to everyone in School District 73 (Kamloops) for breaking their old DEAR participation record with over 8500 students from across the district involved in last week's event! For more details visit the SD73 website.

Excerpt: SD73 teacher-librarians coordinated a variety of  events leading up to the day including pajama day, decorate your door for  DEAR, group and buddy reading activities, communicating with authors and  reading challenges. A number of special guests also visited schools  including: school trustees, Kamloops Blazers, Cat in the Hat and local media  personnel. Students read a variety of choice material such as magazines,  nonfiction materials, picture books, stories on e-readers, comics, webpages,  articles on ipads and print newspapers.


Many thanks to district teacher-librarian, Andrea Wallin, and all SD73 teacher-librarians, administrators, and staff that supported the event this year!