This week I got to take a tour of the library at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School! Director Maria Burnham escorted me around the library – not an easy task in a library filled with students working on school work, group projects, and puzzle creation before school started for the day. There was a lot to see here, and everything looked just great. (Yes, it was hard to pull myself away from the books in the collection; but I was brave about it!) Maria is based here, but spends a lot of time charging around the building helping out in classrooms, teaching, and working with students wherever they could use a librarian. She is a great example of the way library service is changing for the better: we don’t sit and wait for people to come find us, instead library service goes where it can best be of service!
When you walk inside the door, you are immediately aware you are in a library that is connecting with patrons!
Lots of good books on display here!
Not only is this a very nice looking book shelf, displaying all kinds of interesting new books – but it was created in shop class at the school by a student. Engaging patrons to that extent is an impressive achievement! Continue reading Library Visit: Sauk Rapids-Rice High School→
It is always good to get professional awards. And when they come from your peers, they are even more special! At this year’s Information and Technology Educators of Minnesota (ITEM) conference in Minneapolis, CMLE was proud to have not one but TWO winners!!
From the left: Willie L. Jett II, Angie Kalthoff, Maria Burnham, and Erich Martens
Angie Kalthoff, @mrskalthoff,is a Technology Integrationist in St Cloud School District 742. She won the award for Technology Support She was joined by her very proud Superintendent Willie L. Jett II. Right after the ITEM conference ended, she continued her advocacy for libraries and technology work by leading sessions at the Code.org workshop at the North Dakota Association of Technology Leaders conference in Minot!
Our own CMLE Board President Maria Burnham, @MariaBurnham4 ,Technology Integrationist at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School, won the award for Library Media Specialist of the Year. She was joined by her equally proud Principal Erich Martens.
Both Angie and Maria have been very active in the library community of central Minnesota; as well as both reaching out to work with their peers. I can tell you that the applause for both women was thundering, as the conference attendees recognized the work they have done to improve service and technology for their communities. It was great to see, and to be a part of, the celebration of the achievements of so many interesting library people.
Take a moment to applaud their achievements! It is great to work in a community with high-achieving people; we all benefit from their example, and we can all work out new strategies to keep our skills sharp and our library services aimed helping our patrons!!
Attention Central MN! This FREE conference is a haven for students who love to read and write. Maria Burnham, Sauk-Rapids Rice High School Media Specialist, is hoping that if a few different schools get together and share a bus, they could share the cost of transportation along with CMLE who has agreed to pay for a portion of the bus fee. Please contact Maria if you’re interested in attending with students and she will work with you to coordinate details. Or, please pass this information along to any others you think would be interested. Maria is willing to do the organizing if you can get the kids! Call Maria at 320.258.1625, email her at maria.burnham@isd47.org, or find her on Twitter @MariaBurnham4.
Maria Burnham with Author Steve Brezenoff
Not sure? Read Maria’s account of Teen Lit Con last year….
Looking Back at TeenLitCon 2015!
Let’s face it. In the K-12 world, everyone loves spring. Our students have grown and changed since the fall, and the warmer weather has us all dreaming of summer days to come. For me, one of the reasons I so look forward to the spring is attending the TeenLitCon at Henry Sibley High School.
Last year was the first year I attended the event. I brought six students with me in a school van, and we made the hour-and-a-half long trek to the southern Metro on a beautiful Saturday morning in May to immerse ourselves in books, writing, and a love of reading.
Upon our arrival, the energy of the place was magnetic! The Henry Sibley gym was full of enthusiastic teenagers waiting to meet their favorite authors. The day started with a Q & A panel with E. Lockhart, Matt de la Pena, Gene Luen Yang,
“Next read” predictions gurus!
and Gayle Forman. The rest of the day was a “build your own schedule” of breakout sessions: book signings, keynote speeches by the four featured authors, writing workshops, button-making, poetry writing, “your next read” predictions, illustration tips, and book talks. I walked away from the day with a bag full of signed books and a renewed energy for teen literature. My favorite of the day? Joining in a dance party with Gayle Forman and about a hundred other students.
I’m looking forward to attending the event this year, once again held at Henry Sibley High School on Saturday, May 7th. Giving up a Saturday isn’t always easy (especially one in May), but this event is worth it! The van ride home last year was completely quiet as my students were engrossed in their new books. Some of my aspiring authors left the day with a few writing tips and opportunities for summer writing camps. Others were so excited to receive an advanced copy of a book by an author they just met. No matter the take-away moment for the student, all enjoyed the event and left with memories that will stay with them forever.
Thank you to the metro public libraries for sponsoring such a wonderful, FREE event to teenagers! Hope you’ll join me in attending TeenLitCon this year!
This post is part of an original series created by librarians/media specialists across Central Minnesota featuring books.
Title: It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens by Danah Boyd Review by Maria Burnham, Media Specialist at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School
For the recent ITEM conference (Information and Technology Educators of Minnesota), I had the opportunity to read this book and discuss it with my peers from around the state. It was such a wonderful opportunity, and a motivator for reading a professional development book.
I thought Danah Boyd did a nice job of providing perspective on why teens make the kinds of decisions they do on social media. The book weighs in on online predators, cyberbullying, teens creating personas in the digital world, and privacy, addressing these topics in how they are portrayed by parents and society compared to actual facts and statistics. I particularly LOVED that the book wasn’t just “Teens are ruining their lives with social media!”; rather, it was a commentary on the evolution of teen life over the years and how that behavior manifests itself in this very digital age. I felt as though Boyd gave students credit for being savvy and finding digital tools that fit their needs. It was an optimistic read, but yet insightful and full of discussion points.
My only squabble with the book is the enormity of references to MySpace, making the book feel more dated than it actually is. Overall, a book I recommend for parents and professionals alike.
This post is part of an original series created by librarians/media specialists across Central Minnesota featuring books.
Title: Dead Wake Written by Maria Burnham, Media Specialist at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School
Wow! A stunning tale of the sinking of the Lusitania. I simply don’t know how Erik Larson continues to produce book after book of gripping non-fiction. I have to admit that I didn’t have much knowledge of the event before I started reading, but by learning what’s happening from all perspectives of those involved in the terrible tragedy, I was glued to the pages. In the 353-page book, I learned about the U-Boat captain who fired the deadly torpedo at the passenger ship. I learned about many of the passengers aboard the ship — why they were headed to London and what they were doing as the ship sank deep into the ocean. And I learned about President Wilson’s life and handling of the German attack.
This book is gripping. Of course, at first the reader learns about details here and there that eventually add up to making for a gripping plotline overall. About halfway into the book, I couldn’t put it down. One day, I brought the book to the lounge to read after I finished eating (which, by the way, also says a lot about the book–I usually like to visit with colleagues during lunch), and I kept audibly gasping in horror.
The details in this book will stay with me for a long, long time. Well done, Erik Larson. Another gripping non-fiction tale!
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