Spring Forest Middle School Library

Hi SFMS Parents!
If you have a child that loves to draw comics, you might share this Houston Public Library Comics Creation Contest https://houstonlibrary.org/ld.php?content_id=67161456
I know we have some wonderful artists that love to draw comics, and as hot as it is outside this could be a wonderful way to keep them using their brains during the summer.
Enjoy!

houstonlibrary.org

It is with a heavy heart that I share this post today. Another senseless shooting of innocent children in our state may bring about questions from your children. Dr. Blaine shared this link https://www.apa.org/topics/gun-violence-crime/shooting-aftermath with everyone in the district, and I think it might help you talk to your children about this tragedy. Some children might not bring up the subject, but that doesn't mean they aren't thinking about it. These conversations may not be easy, but they are definitely important to insure the mental health of our children.

Helping your children manage distress in the aftermath of a shooting As a parent, you may be struggling with how to talk with your children about a shooting.

It is that time again, Parents, when your kids will be asking for book fair money. Our book fair will run from Monday, May 2 until Friday, May 6. We have a host of parent volunteers who are helping out, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate their help. The library is a very busy place in the morning, and I couldn't do the book fair without their help. While we do get a great deal of sales on "school supplies," I encourage our students to invest their money in books. We have a variety of budget-priced books that start from $2.00 and go all the way to a beautifully illustrated copy of a Harry Potter book that sells for almost $50 (I know that is a huge amount of money, but the illustrations are beautiful if you can afford it.😊). I have to admit that I don't put everything out as I have had some bad experiences with invisible ink pens and the like. We also have a few cookbooks that might interest some of you, so come in a shop. I look forward to seeing you at our Book Fair.

I have a poster in the library that says basically, "It hurts my heart when I hear a child say they don't like to read." The sad but true fact is that this is true. When a student tells me they don't like to read, what they are really saying is that they don't like to learn, that they aren't curious about the world around them, that they aren't preparing themselves to live in a world that demands that people be able to teach themselves new knowledge. I've mentioned my sons before, especially the two who are dyslexic. By encouraging them to read what they wanted to read and then providing that reading material either through purchases or the library, they are readers to this day. One son now has a child of his own and has made a point of buying his child the books he enjoyed as a child. If your child is a reluctant reader, which I define as a child who can read but chooses not to, check out this Common Sense Media article, "How to Raise a Reader." https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/how-to-raise-a-reader?j=8826540&sfmc_sub=171436485&l=2048712_HTML&u=191072503&mid=6409703&jb=4010&utm_source=media_how-to-raise-a-reader_20220309&utm_medium=email
Our school administrators have always been strong supporters of our library program, and we have loads of good books that will appeal to any level reader.

How to Raise a Reader | Common Sense Media Eight tips for getting your kids hooked on books -- ebooks or the paper kind. Advice from Common Sense Media editors.

It has been a busy time at SFMS. Dealing with Chromebooks and helping to cover classes. Times are tough for students and teachers alike. We try very hard to make sure that all of our students are learning and thriving, both in and outside of school. Parents may be interested in a resource that I use, Understood.org
You can sign up for an email newsletter or simply inspect the resources found on their website. This resource focuses on those who think and/or learn differently, but I have used some of their suggestions with all of my students. While this resource, "How to make an accomplishment box," is probably geared for younger students, it could easily be adjusted for older students.
Getting your kids to talk about school can often be difficult. I had the same problem with students in my classes. I was amazed when I got the hint to say to students, "Hey, I noticed you worked really hard today!" or "I noticed that you looked a bit down today." Students would often open up about what was troubling them or smile in my recognition of their hard work. Notice something about your child and see what happens.

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Our first book fair in one and a half years will kickoff September 20th in the library. No matter what your child tells you, every student gets excited when we have a book fair. We try to limit the "trinkets" and maintain a focus on books. With this book fair we are getting even more books. Encourage your child to scope out the books. You can set up an eWallet account so your child doesn't have to carry cash. Find out how to sign up for eWallet by checking out our Book Fair homepage:

Come to Our Book Fair! Visit our school's homepage to hear the latest Book Fair news, RSVP for events, sign up to volunteer, and more!

Just in case you are having trouble finding the school supplies list by grade level, check out this listhttps://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1627910294/springbranchisdcom/uoro3ccc5i4ec0s0the5/SFMSschoolsupplylist2021-2022.pdf
It can also be located at the bottom of the Spring Forest Middle School homepage under the "School News" section.

resources.finalsite.net

Parents, it is that time of year again, and we are all hopeful that this year isn't as stressful as last year. The atmosphere here at school is one of excitement. To make sure that your child has a wonderful back to school experience, check out this 4-week plan from the Understood.org folks that lays out a day-by-day plan so that when school begins, your child is ready.
https://assets.ctfassets.net/p0qf7j048i0q/5QEwrQmqPXW52XqKDGtiJj/d02a9341121638bfffe3e76dda77e4d7/A_4-Week_Plan_to_Get_Ready_Understood.pdf😀

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It is time for adult summer reading as well as for their children. I'd like to recommend a book I recently finished. The book, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, whose first book, The Martian, was such a hit with readers, once again takes to space flight. In the future an anomaly is observed between Venus and the sun. After much research it is discovered that this anomaly is blocking sunlight from the earth which will ultimately mean the next ice age is near at hand. Ryland Grace, a disgraced scientist who now teaches middle school, is forced into this research and ultimately lands himself on a su***de mission to a distant star that may have the answer to earth's catastrophic problem. I can honestly say that once I started I had a very hard time putting the book down. If you even mildly appreciate science fiction, you will definitely love this book. And the great thing is if you are taking a family driving trip, it is available as an audiobook that is suitable for the entire family although there is perhaps two or three instances of profanity. This is a great read that I hope you enjoy as much as I did.
Another book that is for kids upper middle school and above that I also thoroughly enjoyed is City Spies by James Ponti. This series of books that is similar to the Alex Rider series is about a team of teens that have been recruited into the British spy agency, MI-6. A genius teen hacker is saved from the U. S. juvenile justice system by a mysterious man who shows up as Sarah is about to got before the judge. What ensues is an improbable scenario where children are being sent to protect a Tech billionaire from assassination, but the author presents the plot in a way that I believed it was possible. This is a fast-paced read that holds all the tension of a good spy movie. If you child likes action/adventure, this is a winner, and the best thing is it has a follow-up, City Spies: Golden Gate that is next up on my to-read list.
I'm currently about to finish book 2 of a Beauty and the Beast remake. Book 1 is A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer. This book finds a tough street-wise girl with cerebral palsy kidnapped into Emberfall by the Royal Guardsman of Prince Rhen who has been cruelly cursed by a wicked enchantress. All the elements of the original Beauty and the Beast are here but with the girl, Harper, the one who is the strong one. I may have to postpone the City Spies: Golden Gate book to finish this series. It is that good. Told through the voices of the main characters, the action and pace of the book will keep kids (and adults!!!) reading.

After over a year of being cooped up due to COVID, it is time to get those kids active outside. Check out this TCEA article for lots of suggestions on things to do outside for both kids and teachers and other adults.
https://blog.tcea.org/summer-activities-for-learning/?utm_source=TCEA+Emails&utm_campaign=2b64e79018-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f3a5bb651e-2b64e79018-41752263&ct=t(RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN)&mc_cid=2b64e79018&mc_eid=2b3218d5d8
Teachers make sure to check out the link for discounts on various types of equipment.

Outdoor Summer Activities for Teachers and Students • TechNotes Blog We’ve curated some useful summer activities links and ideas to keep your students connected to STEM/STEAM topics over their break.

It's close to the time when students will be picking their summer reading. I would also encourage parents to ask their children what they would really like to read. We have collected a wide assortment of diverse books that have all been personally read by the SBISD secondary librarians and are all exceptional reading choices, but when a child picks THE book that THEY really want to read, you can bet that they will read it carefully. There is so much that kids can get out reading for fun, that it is imperative that we do our best to encourage this in our kids. For more information on the importance of reading for fun, check out this Edutopia article, "The Benefits of Reading for Fun." https://www.edutopia.org/article/benefits-reading-fun?utm_content=linkpos1&utm_campaign=weekly-2021-04-28-A&utm_source=edu-newsletter&utm_medium=email
I recently read a middle grade book, City Spies, by James Ponti. The book is about five children who are recruited by MI6 in London to be spies. While reading the book (It was a fantastic read!! 👍👍) I found historical fact after historical fact embedded in the book. Each time I came across something referenced in the text, I would look it up and find that a historical character was a real person and several other interesting facts. Invest in your child's reading pleasure, and you will reap the rewards later in a larger vocabulary, greater fluency in reading, and a habit that will last a lifetime.

The Benefits of Reading for Fun There’s a powerful academic impact, new research reveals, when students are voracious, voluntary readers.

We have virtual students, so why not have a Virtual Book Fair?? Beginning next Monday, April 12 through Sunday, April 25, you will be able to buy all your favorite book fair books and other items online. You can access the online catalog from our book fair homepage: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/springforestmiddleschool1

Check out this video to see how the virtual book fair works. https://youtu.be/4u8e9BRm6Bw
Book-only orders over $25 are shipped directly to your home.

Scroll down to the bottom of the homepage to access the catalog and all the fun stuff! The catalog can only be opened on our book fair days, so make sure to check it out on Monday, April 12

Check out this YouTube video that talks about some of the titles being offered.

https://bcove.video/3jMsxpv .

Scholastic Book Fairs - Virtual Fair Tour This Virtual Fair tour helps you navigate through the all-new Virtual Book Fair experience.