Monday, August 30, 2010

Make sure you visit Healthy Harold's website to support what your child learnt at the special caravan classroom.

Parents you could try the Healthy Harold's Family Challenge

Your children will enjoy Healthy Harold's games section  


There is even a special cooking section: Healthy Harold's kitchen tips with lots of yummy recipes to try.


Kids' who read, succeed!!!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

READ ...Get involved

Children's Literacy / Library PSA from Susan Chien on Vimeo.

This is a PSA that I made in my Animation IV class. I was recently asked by the Arlington Public Library (in Arlington, VA) if they could use this in one of their weekly local TV shows, and I happily donated the animation to them.



The music and sound design was composed by Nate Donmoyer.

Kids' who read, succeed!!!
Cheers :-)

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Your Child's School Library: What you should know.

 Your Child’s School Library: 
What you should know  by Georgia Phillips, co-founder of The Hub:
Campaign for Quality School Libraries in Australia
A quality school library is kid friendly and student focused.
The school library is not just a storehouse run by a loans assistant, but a vital learning centre,
operating under the guidance of a dual-trained teacher-librarian*, in partnership with classroom
teachers.
Learning today means more than memorising facts. It means learning to learn for a lifetime. Savvy parents and educators know that the school library is key to teaching students not just to read but to practice the skills they need to seek, evaluate and use information throughout their lives. In fact, research shows those students from schools with professionally staffed, fully equipped libraries score higher on literacy and achievement tests.
Does your child's school library measure up?
• Is there a qualified teacher librarian? Is there adequate support staff?
• Does your child have access to the school library anytime during the day that he/she needs to use its resources? Does the library offer remote access from home via computer?
• Is the school library budget adequate to provide a full range of both print and electronic resources?
• Is the library central to the school’s literacy program?
• Are school administrators knowledgeable and supportive of the school library?
• Does the school provide ongoing training to support teachers and staff in learning about new technologies and integration of information skills?
• Are teachers encouraged to work with the teacher librarian to extend learning opportunities?
• Is there a process for ongoing evaluation of the school library?
Children cannot be educated to live and work in the 21st century using resources from the 1970s. Let your principal and school parent group and/or school board know of your
concerns. Work with your principal to ensure support for the school library program.
Get to know your teacher librarian. Ask what the needs are and how you can help. Offer to volunteer your time.
Foster the love of reading by promoting reading at home and by regularly visiting your local public library. Read together with your child.  
Research shows that children who are read to in the home do better in school.
 
KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS

Key Finding #1:
“A school library program that is adequately staffed, resourced, and funded can lead to higher student achievement regardless of the socioeconomic or educational levels of the community.” School Libraries Work! Scholastic, 2008.
Key Finding #2:
"Children who attend schools with school libraries with better collections and superior staffing do better on tests of reading." S. Krashen. “What do we know about libraries and reading achievement?” Book Report, 2002
Key Finding #3:
"Students learn more and produce better research products following planned, integrated information skills instruction by the teacher and teacher librarian together."
K. Haycock. “What works: Integrated information skills instruction: Teacher Librarian 25, no.2:39, 1997
Key Finding #4:
“Free voluntary reading is the best predictor of comprehension, vocabulary growth, spelling and grammatical ability and writing style.” M.Lonsdale, Impact of School Libraries on Student Achievement. ACER, 2003.
Key Finding #5:
"Australian research has shown that the school library plays a critical ole in supporting student learning." L. Hay. Student learning through Australian school libraries Synergy, 2005, 2006.
Support legislators who support libraries and education. Let them know you think the two go together and should be a high priority.
Inquiry into School Libraries and Teacher Librarians in Australian Schools
Unfortunately, in Australia, over the past 15 years, principal autonomy in staffing along with
inadequate budgets have led to the decline of qualified teacher librarians (TLs) in Victoria,
Tasmania, and the ACT. 50% of Tasmanian schools and ACT primary schools now have no TLs.
In Victoria this could now be as high as 87% of metropolitan primary schools. TLs are not
required in WA primary schools. In Queensland TLs may not be placed in the library. Seven
state high school libraries on the Gold Coast now do not have TLs. In South Australia 28% of
primary libraries have no TLs. In the NT only 5% of schools have qualified teacher librarians.
NSW is the only state still staffing trained teacher librarians in every school, but in primary
schools they are generally used for teacher relief time, diminishing their leadership and teaching
potential.
In March, Julia Gillard initiated a House Inquiry into School Libraries and Teacher Librarians.
Publication of the committee’s report has been interrupted by the election. After 382 submissions and hearings in every state and territory, the cross party House Committee on Education and Training chaired by Sharon Bird, MP, has come to grips with the complex issue of declining numbers of qualified teacher librarians in our state schools.
The loss of tertiary training programs, inadequate staffing budgets, lack of national standards,
ignorance of international research linking well-staffed and well-supported school libraries with
student literacy and learning and the loss of state school advisory services and their corporate
knowledge are just some of the causes identified in the hearings.
The report must be published. Recommendations must be acted upon. In this election, ask what
your candidates will do to facilitate this. After the election, ask your local federal and state member.
Every Australian student deserves a quality school library with a qualified teacher librarian.
Help spread the word by signing the petition "A Qualified Teacher Librarian in Every School." 

Further information for Parents at The Hub: Campaign for Quality School Libraries in Australia.
Sources: AASL Advocacy Toolkit , K. C.
Lance & D. V. Loertscher (2003) Powering achievement:School library media programs make a difference: The evidence 2nd ed. Hi Willow, Ontario School Library Association (n.d.)“How school library programs equal success for your child” and Wisconsin Department of Education (2006) Your child’s school library media center.
*A teacher-librarian holds a recognised teaching qualification AND qualifications in librarianship, with curriculum and pedagogy knowledge combined with library and information management knowledge.Kids' who read, succeed!!! Cheers :-)

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Starting school

NSW DET has support for parents of children starting school soon.
Kids' who read, succeed!!!


Sunday, August 22, 2010

Could the addition of Omega Fatty Acids into the diet of a child with ADHD make a difference?


"Children need essential fatty acids and should have healthy intestinal flora. These two factors will impact on children's behaviour at school and everywhere else in their lives
."

  *  All children with ADHD are not deficient in omega-3 fatty acids
  *  The addition of omega-3 fatty acids to the diet may be important for some ADHD children.

Read the article for research findings. 

Further reading:
The Doctor's Prescription for Healthy Living, Vol. 4, Number 9 pgs. 12-13


Restoring Intestinal Flora

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Welcome to our new Kinder kids for 2011.

KINDER 2011 ENROLMENT APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY BEING TAKEN. 

If you have or know of a child who is eligible to commence Kindergarten next year please call into the office to collect an enrolment form.

    
  I am really excited to be meeting many of the    


kids tomorrow when they come to visit SBPS library.

What a great opportunity to get together for a storytime!

Build a Bridge for Bookweek

Coffs Harbour City Library
Free children’s activity for primary aged students.

Build a Bridge for Book Week
LEGO Fun Day
Join us to build a bridge to display in the library to celebrate Children’s Book Week 2010
“Across the Story Bridge”.

Build your own bridge, or join with other kids to create a Monster Bridge!
This will be held on Saturday 28th August from 10am to 1pm 
at Coffs Harbour City Library
Cnr Coff & Duke Sts, Coffs Harbour.

Younger children welcome but only under strict parental supervision.

Help needed for Father's Day staff.



Our Father’s Day stall will be held on Tuesday 31st August


Gifts will cost $5.00 plus if you would like it gift wrapped 
there will be an additional charge of 50 cents per present.


 We are also having a Raffle with the prize being a 
“Dad’s Hamper” the cost of a ticket is $1.00.

Please show your support in this fundraiser.


We are asking for donations for our Dad’s Hamper, if you have anything you would like to donate please send it in to the canteen.
We are still seeking volunteers, if you can assist even if only for ½ hour 
 it would be appreciated. 
Our canteen can only continue to operate with the  
support of parents and other family members.
Thank you,
Jody Phillis
Canteen Supervisor

iHelp for Autism -IPad a game changer for children with autism.

"For autistic children,
the new iPad is an effective,
portable device
for teaching communication
and social skills.
It’s also way cool!!"

 
The article states that "developers have begun pumping out applications specifically designed for users with special needs, and initial studies are already measuring the effectiveness of the iPod Touch and the iPad as learning tools for children with autism."
 
 Ashley Harrell indicates that "through the devices, some of these children have been able to communicate their thoughts to adults for the first time. Others have learned life skills that had eluded them for years."  

To read more about how autistic and other special needs kids are learning with ease using the iPad and many of the wonderful apps available:iHelp for Autism