Oropi School Library

I have noticed folk are still visiting this/my page.
Thank you for your interest.
I have resigned as Oropi School's librarian, as mentioned in my last post, but have kept the page open so I can (one day) record all the history in the posts.
My link with Oropi school will last a while longer as my daughter-in-law still teaches there, and a kowhai tree planted in my memory (sounds like I am no more!) grows happily on the grounds.
I am enjoying my retirement, but have still not completed all the tasks on my 'to do' list - a list that continues to grow! 😄
I trust you are all well and prospering.

After ten years as a volunteer and eleven years on staff, I have resigned from my position as Oropi School librarian.

While I have relocated five times during my tenure, two into temporary locations, I have enjoyed my time at Oropi School.
My last move took me from the container back to the lovely new library I had been in for three years previously; a welcome move as I was able to restore the library to its former glory before leaving. I didn't quite finish tying up the loose ends, but I can pop in next year to sort those.

I have had the privilege of working with amazing and supportive staff, and wonderful children - who I think I will miss the most.
And let's not forget the parents who came to help with covering and mending books, and with setting up and packing down Scholastic Book Fairs.

Thank you to those who contributed to my farewell gifts: the flowers at prizegiving and the bird bath and steel bird at my Farewell morning tea. Who knew I had been looking at getting a bird bath for my garden? I was 'blown away'! And the steel bird is a kokako, a significant bird for Hans and me. Amazingly thoughtful gifts.

I'm not sure what will become of this page. Time will tell.

In the meantime, Have a wonderful Christmas (remember the Reason for the season) and a prosperous 2021.

I wrote a poem for my farewell which I share below.

Reading Nook
© Jan Pendergrast 2020

Reading is the special key
to take you where you want to be:

Antarctic ice, so crisp and cold;
history’s days, both lived and told.
Cross Finland’s ice-lands on a sled;
then learn sea’s secrets from its ocean bed.
Next travel high to mountain peaks,
or to sandy shores to study beaks
of birds galore.
Then turn the page to find still more.
Go with Alice down a rabbit hole;
be entertained by Rat and Mole.
There’s nothing you can’t do,
with friends like Tigger, Eeyore and Pooh.
Or go with kids to Hogwarts School,
then dive with dolphins in an ocean pool.
Learn what it’s like in a war-torn land;
read of volleyball on beach’s sand.
Research elephants, small rats and geese;
solve a mystery piece by piece.
There’s lots to see when reading a book.
Pause for a while; take a second look.
You might find a famous dog or cat,
a dinosaur, a native bat.
Many of you like to cook.
Guess what? Recipes are words in a book.
Try crafting on those rainy days?
Or, for a change, try acting plays.

Books are magic, mystery, strife,
tell of love and war, death and life.
So much to know, lots to enjoy,
amazing words for girl or boy.
Dive into reading, explore the world,
pick up a novel, see lives unfurled.

So... grab a drink, a rug, a book.
Curl up with a story in your reading nook.

We are back in our library. Yay!

The last four weeks of Term 3 were hectic, from my move of books and shelving from the 'summer house' (container), Scholastic Book Fair and Book Week activities, and re-establishing the library along with checking every book with culling in mind!

On Friday 28th August, our move started gradually, but was given a boost when helpers from Mr Higgin's class showed up and everything happened instantly. Thank you to those helpers, my faithful librarians and Heather Salmons for your enthusiasm while moving that afternoon.

Books were lined up on the floor for the next week while I 're-hung' the shelves, washed them all, and cleaned the stacker doors. Come Friday, 4th August, it was time to set up the MPR for Book Fair. Thank you Jo, Veronica and Lynda for your help.

The following week was full-on!
A big thank you to all the parents who bought books. Book sales were the best they've ever been, and the Lit Quiz was well supported. We didn't quite hit 100 people in the MPR with 20 teams for the Junior Lit Quiz.
We also had Book-Talk and colouring competitions, with our week concluding with a book character dress-up day.
Pack-down on Friday 11th was a quick process with less books to box. Thank you, Lynda, for your help with that.

I spent the first three days of Week 9 sorting out orders, organising book prizes, and printing mini-certificates for all the competition winners.

That done I could start on shelving and culling books with help from staff, parents and librarians. Slowly, but surely we cleared the floor! Thank you, Lisa, for your drive which saw the task completed by term's end - just. We finished with 12 boxes of over 1,000 culled books which were available to the children for free, and then at Calf Club. I have one box of 25 books left.

Last week, while my computer was off-line, I tweaked,
tidied and re-organised the shelved books. On Friday, I made a start on the stock-take. I still have a few thousand left to finish the task!

Which brings us to this week of great excitement and relief, with our library operating normally after eight months of evicted and scattered living. 😁
It's a great feeling and I am grateful to the wonderful team of willing parents and librarians without whom the task/s would not yet be completed.

We have had an off-the-chart result from our Scholastic Book Fair.
The final total is $4,250 worth of books sold. Amazing.
And a big high-five for the librarians who help during all breaks to make the fair run smoothly.
Thank you.

The next task is to re-establish the library: wash and rebuild the shelves, cull, reshelve and stock-take the books.
If there is anyone who can help for an hour or two when you are available, I would love your company.

Scholastic Book Fair is ready to go.

I had three lovely ladies help me set up the Book Fair today: Jo, Linda and Veronica worked hard sorting and displaying the books, along with librarians, Paige, Danni and Elise.

Classes have allocated times during the week to visit the Fair, and there is a Parents' Evening between 5,00 and 6.00 on Tuesday to give working parents a chance to check out the display. (I'll post better photos next we

We start Library Week on Monday with the first of two Lit Quizzes, have 60-second book talks on Tuesday, the second Lit Quiz on Wednesday, our visiting author, Mr Mac, on Thursday and an all-day book character dress-up day on Friday. The children have colouring competitions to enter, due in on the 11th.

The move from the container to the library last Friday happened 'in an instant' thanks to Mr Higgin's class arriving to help me and the librarians with heavy boxes of books and all the shelves. With Heather Salmons' help, we maintained some order with the shift!

The library is closed until further notice, although the children doing the Hell Pizza Reading Challenge can exchange books individually as required.

Once the shelves are cleaned and reinstated, I will return the books to the shelves, do a stock-take, and cull old and damaged books as I go.

I will try to open the library again before the holidays to give the children a chance to borrow books for holiday reading.

Please share with those you think are interested.

Jan

Our children need our school libraries. Please support this.

Save our school libraries The School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (SLANZA) is launching a nationwide campaign to highlight the plight of our school libraries. SLANZA is deeply concerned about the demise of school libraries in Aotearoa. It is estimated that of the 2500 schools in New Zealand only 900 have a lib...

Watch for more info in next the post.

The Book Fair is coming in Week 8.

The Book Fair is coming in Week 8.

You may have noticed the new classrooms on site at school. This means a return to the library proper in six weeks. Yay! Although, it will take a week or two at least to re-instate the library shelving and books. I want to stock take as I shelve the books to save time at the end of the year.

But before that all happens, we have Book Fair.

Be patient. I do want to be open in time for the children to issue books for the October holidays,

If you have a moment or two spare, I would love some help, either to set up for Book Fair on Friday afternoon, 4th September, pack down on 11th, or to re-establish the library in the following weeks.
two lovely ladies have already offered to help.

We have managed well in and from the container, helped by lots of fine weather so far. We had two warmish days last term when the children brought their chairs to sit under the tree during their library time.

Heron brought her gardeners over to w**d and feed my trees outside the container to keep them going for the next six weeks. Awesome, thank you, Heron.

I'm looking forward to catching up with the kids again next week. :)

Cheers,
Jan