'Little Free Libraries' popping up around Spokane

The concept comes from the national non-profit Little Free Libraries. Its mission is to promote the love of reading with free books exchanges, as well as build a sense of community.  
She lives near Mullan Road Elementary School and loves the fact that the kids are latching on to the library. With iPods, iPads and iPhones at kids' fingertips, Oakley believes it's important to keep literature a little closer.

"A little redhead came by, took a cookbook out and asked his mom, 'Can we go home and try some of these recipes?' It's wonderful seeing kids get excited about books," Oakley said. "Putting a paperback in your hand is, to me, kind of comforting. I'm trying to move into the electronic age, but I'm doing it kicking and screaming." 

Oakley dedicated her library to her best friend, a teacher who loved book and recently passed away.

http://www.nwcn.com/news/155935995.html

Little Free Library

THE LITERACY COUNCIL OF SOUTH TEMISKAMING'S LITTLE FREE LIBRARY

Check out this terrific idea from the Literacy Council of South Temiskaming. It's a Little Free Library!

The Literacy Council of South Temiskaming (a community-based LBS agency in northeastern Ontario) is excited to be the stewards for the Little Free Library #1442 on behalf of their neighbors and our community!

The way it works is simple:
We initially stock the LFL with a variety of good quality books that we hope will interest our neighbors You stop by and take whatever catches your fancy You return and bring books to contribute LFL books are always a gift – never for sale!

Little Free Library is a movement started in the USA in 2010, and has grown to include little libraries in most states and dozens of countries. Little Free Library's mission is to:

Promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide Foster a sense of community and connection as we share skills, creativity and wisdom Build more than 2,510 libraries around the world (the number of "real" libraries built by Andrew Carnegie)!

Check out the LFL story at www.littlefreelibrary.org and look at the amazing examples of little libraries.

Source 5 |May 2012 – CLO Members' E-Communiqué

Read more at http://www.littlefreelibrary.org

Team work or social loafing?

At most organizations conventional wisdom is that working in groups is more productive than individual work. Yet, research on teamwork shows it can actually inhibit or even damage productivity.

One reason is that under the cover of group work people are less productive, sometimes even satisfied that others are the same — a behaviour coined "social loafing" by a French professor, Max Ringelmann who studied groups in the 1890s.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/productivity/Productivity+often+hindered+teamwork/6690622/story.html#ixzz1wSp1Z3rH

Lessons in Learning

Lessons in Learning – November 13, 2008

Report by Canada Council of Learning

Non-permanent teachers are known by a variety of titles, including substitute teachers, supply teachers, occasional teachers, or teachers on call. Whatever title they are given, they play an important role in Canada's education systems: between Kindergarten and Grade 12, a child will be taught by a non-permanent teacher the equivalent of one full year.

The authors of this document argue that despite the importance of non-permanent teachers, education and training geared towards them is largely ignored. They suggest ways that teacher education programs, school districts and school boards, teacher federations and unions, and provincial governments could fill this gap.

http://library.nald.ca/item/10359

May Student of the Month

The Springfield School District May Student of the Month is Peter Murr, a fifth grade student at Sabold Elementary School.   When Peter was asked what he wants to be when he grows up, he said without hesitation, "A librarian – because I like to read books and help people."   

 

 

http://springfield-pa.patch.com/articles/peter-murr-is-the-district-s-student-of-the-month-for-may

Champaign high schools now require summer reading

CHAMPAIGN — If you're going to a Champaign high school next year, you already have an assignment: Read a book and write down your thoughts about it.

And, yes, it's required.

This is the first time the high schools are requiring summer reading of every student, although in the past, some honors or Advanced Placement students had to do so.

 

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/education/2012-05-28/champaign-high-schools-now-require-summer-reading.html

Kind kids: Genesee Elementary group memorializes lost friend, tries to spread kindness

The Kids With Pride, a character education leadership group of fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders at the school, is launching its fourth big service project, and the theme this year is kindness.

The group has learned about Sunshine Friends, an organization that brings therapy dogs to people who need a little sunshine.


Read more: http://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/kind-kids-genesee-elementary-group-memorializes-lost-friend-tries-to/article_24e2f1c2-0e79-5dfb-ae5d-0fd45e651f33.html#ixzz1wJ7Werga

 

Alberta Arts Days 2011 Schools

Thank you to all of the students, artists and educators who participated in Alberta Arts Days 2011. Your involvement helped make for three wildly creative days! If you have photos from your event, consider sharing them through the Alberta Culture Days Flickr Group Pool.

If your school participated in Alberta Arts Days 2011 and you don't see your name on the list below, please email us at AlbertaCultureDays@gov.ab.ca and tell us how you celebrated!

The following schools took part in the Alberta Arts Days 2011 School Initiative:

• Monseignor J.J. O'Brien Elementary/Junior High School – Calgary – Art classes participated in a sidewalk art project.

• Bishop Greschuk Elementary School – Edmonton – As Arts Days 2011 overlaped with Read-In Week, students replicated their favourite book covers using whatever media they chose. Winning pieces were framed and displayed in the library.

• Blair A. Macpherson – Edmonton – Students were treated to a variety of performances and workshops throughout the day. There was a mixed dance performance for students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 featuring modern dance, classical and traditional Indian dance, Punjabi dancers from J. Percy Page School, and the Prince Charles School Fiddlers and Dancers. There was also a performance for Grades 7 to 9 students by the Rosslyn School Chinese and Lion Dancers.

  On Saturday, October 1, the Alberta Arts Days festivities continued at ABM and the entire community was invited to attend. The day started at 10 a.m. with an International Market outside the school that included a medley of French, German and Italian opera, lyrical and contemporary dance, a performance by an in-house singer songwriter and an interactive dance performance with Edmonton's West African Dance Troupe. Foods and crafts were sold in the International Market until 2 p.m.

• KingEdward Elementary School – Edmonton – This year the school began a new Arts Enrichment focus that kicked off during Alberta Arts Days. On Friday, September 30 the kids covered the sidewalks and play area around the school with chalk drawings that celebrated the vibrant community of Old Strathcona and the school's special place in it.

• Ermineskin Jr. Sr High – Hobbema – On Friday, September 30 Grades 7-12 headed outdoors to colour the entire area concrete area around the school with chalk. The theme was friendship and unity.

• Vera M. Welsh Elementary School – Lac La Biche – On Friday, September 30 the school finished a week of Artists-in-Resdiency with Quest Theatre, with a school-wide final performance in the afternoon.

• Galbraith Elementary School – Lethbridge – Students gathered for a slideshow presentation, arts exhibition and performances featuring students, staff and performers with the theme "Lifelong Involvement in the Arts."

• T.A. Norris Middle School – Peace River – T.A. Norris Middle School celebrated the Year of the Tree with each homeroom creating an artistic tree that included all class members. The trees were then displayed throughout the school. At noon, students participated in a dance where some of the music had a tree theme. Occasionally the word "tree" was called out during the dance and students were encouraged to mime trees. All month students have been treated to the TREX display, "Out on a Limb."

• Woodlands Adventist School – Ponoka – Students participated in a sidewalk chalk day focused on the theme "What Service Means to Me".

• Whitelaw Academy – Fairview – Whitelaw Academy Celebrates Arts Days: The first weekend in October was a big weekend for Alberta with Alberta Arts Days being celebrated across the province in over 100 communities. Whitelaw was no different and the Grade 1-3 class at Whitelaw Academy where their Arts Days program consisted of creating sandpaper pictures with crayons.

http://education.alberta.ca/teachers/resources/connection/may-2012/other/ab-culture.aspx

Music sets the tone for learning

(Port Elgin, ON - May 24, 2012) - This summer, adult learning centres in Grey and Bruce Counties, ON will be filled with the sound of music.

"Returning to a classroom setting can often be intimidating for adult learners, many of whom dropped out of school at a young age," says Steve Ballard, local learning facilitator.

Ballard is hoping to equip adult learners with confidence by handing them musical instruments. His innovative adult learner program, A Few Music Lessons, offers adult learners the chance to learn and develop musical skills by borrowing instruments from the literacy centre. Students are also encouraged to work together and collaborate on music projects and have an opportunity to preform their talents at an annual fundraising event.

"Engagement in the classroom is one of the greatest challenges faced by adult education practitioners," says Ballard.

http://abclifeliteracy.ca/music-sets-tone-learning

Manor Heights celebrates Casper summer reading

The event stemmed from the Natrona County School District's We Read program, according to first-grade teacher Shireen Stafford, who helped organize the luau. Manor Heights started the luau last year, and it was such a hit it might become a school tradition.

"We really want to promote summer reading because kids lose a lot of ground over the summer if they aren't reading," Stafford said. "Literacy is our district goal and our school goal. So we decided to make this really fun."

Read more: http://trib.com/news/local/casper/last-day-luau-at-manor-heights-celebrates-casper-summer-reading/article_a7320de3-5112-5cf8-8c45-66a72e924893.html#ixzz1w89yiRxT

Intel envisions e-literate teachers

Computer chip-making giant Intel Corporation has envisaged an ambitious plan for Uttar Pradesh -to promote digital literacy and produce computer literate teachers in the state. The global corporation is in advance stages of negotiations with the state government about executing its plan before the government begins distributing the promised laptops and tablets to youngsters.

"It is a commendable step taken by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and has clearly impressed us," said Ashutosh Chaddha, director, Intel, South Asia, on the sidelines of the Hindustan Times Development Conclave.

 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Lucknow/Intel-envisions-e-literate-teachers/Article1-862023.aspx

Students in fifth grade at Carroll Lutheran School enjoy reading and have helped coordinate three projects that will bring new materials to their school’s library.

 

Their first addition came by winning a basket filled with 20 books from the Baltimore's Child "We Need Books" program. Their winning entry reflected on their love for reading and their desire to give the books to the library to help build the collection. 

Their second effort was planning and participating in the school's first Read-In, called "Feeding a Starving Collection." Students from grades five to eight participated, and their pledges helped fund young adult books for the Carroll Lutheran School library. Fifth-grader Wayne Tate was the top fundraiser for this event. All students left with prizes donated by local businesses and families from the community.

The third effort was organizing the Art to Remember fundraiser for kindergarten to eighth grade. The items ordered arrived in time to be Easter presents. Funds from this project will be used for nonfiction entries that complement the curriculum in social studies and science.

http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/neighborhoods/in_school/fifth-graders-support-school-library/article_a79c0437-92ba-5873-b88d-02f1d3ce6b5c.html

 

Rwanda: Schools to Get E-Libraries

Isaro Foundation, a local NGO, will establish electronic or digital libraries in secondary schools countrywide in a bid to improve reading and writing skills among students, according to the organisation.

We have so far shipped about 4000 middle and high school students' books such as novels and short story books

Jean Leon Iragena, the foundation's CEO, told The New Times yesterday that his organisation has been shipping books from the US, but this had proved costly because of transportation charges, hence resorting to electronic material.

Isaro is a non profit organisation that aims to improve reading and writing skills in schools in the country.

It was founded last year in October and is supported by Millsaps College a US based institution and Rwanda Diaspora Global Network (RDGN).

 

"Our students are using the books. The books have enhanced their knowledge in writing and reading skills, the reading culture is very critical in the quality of education," he said.

 

http://allafrica.com/stories/201205230087.html

The best thing parents can do for their kids is to read to them

WELLSVILLE —

 

The best thing parents can do for their kids is to read to them, according to award-winning children's author Mike Thaler, who visited with children at Wellsville Elementary School Friday.

http://www.wellsvilledaily.com/news/x639957614/Visiting-author-Mike-Thaler-advises-Parents-read-to-children

Under-privileged kids receive book donations

WEST VALLEY CITY

"Most of our families are just making ends meet and so when it comes to having extra money to buy books, they just don't have it," said Stansbury Elementary School Principal Ernie Broderick.

The "Drop 5 for the Book Drive" donation, hosted by Read Today and Papa Murphy's, raised enough to provide books for the 940 students at Stansbury, and organizers expect the final number of books collected will be 12,000. Friday, teachers ripped open the boxes and students picked out a book of their own to take home and read over the summer.

 

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=20571921

PA Library Association has guidelines for libraries to promote five kinds of literacy

Three years in the planning, the Pennsylvania Library Association has launched an initiative called "PA Forward Pennsylvania Libraries" designed to make public, academic and school libraries across Pennsylvania a community center of information, technology, and learning, ideally leading to a better quality of life for its users. 

 

http://www.thereporteronline.com/article/20120524/NEWS01/120529743/pa-library-association-has-guidelines-for-libraries-to-promote-five-kinds-of-literacy

Quizlet

Quizlet is the largest flash cards and study games website with over 12 million free sets of flashcards covering every possible subject. It's the best place to play educational games, memorize vocabulary and study online. Learn More.

Quizlet Accommodates Aboriginal Languages

The Flashcard website Quizlet has added "Dene" as a language choice on their site and tweaked their display fonts.  Now we can create flashcards in any of the Dene languages of the NWT.

Here's a set to try out http://quizlet.com/10973784

Challenge to Parents and Educators:
Create and share flash cards in Tłı̨chǫ and other NWT Aboriginal Languages.

• Build your own set of flash cards for the words you want to learn.
• Share them on Facebook (or email) to let your friends try your flashcard set. 

Practice, learn, play games such as Scatter and test yourself online.
Compete for championship status on each other's games.

Find Mobile Apps to use your flashcards on the go.
You can also print flash cards in several different sizes.


Read more http://www.wayupnorth.ca/blog/quizlet-accommodates-aboriginal-languages

Run4Change ‘It’s not just the taking, it’s the giving’

 

"One of the biggest ways to alleviate the impact of poverty is literacy," said Dr. Jean Clinton, a child psychiatrist and assistant clinical professor at McMaster University, and member of the symposium's scientific advisory group.

She says combining literacy with physical activity gives a big boost to children who experience poverty and often live in stressful environments, which makes concentrating in school difficult.

"Exercise plays a strong role in decreasing stress," she said, adding that research has shown children who participate in such programs have shown marked improvements in their reading and writing scores.

But Clinton said engaging children this way does more than improve grades.

"It's not an improvement in IQ, it's an improvement in social and emotional well-being," she said, which is important because "it's not being poor that makes you sick, it's feeling poor."

"Exercise plays a strong role in decreasing stress," she said, adding that research has shown children who participate in such programs have shown marked improvements in their reading and writing scores.

 

Run4Change

A 2.5-kilometre walk or 5 km fun run to raise funds for Canadian children living below the poverty line.

Wednesday, May 16, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bayfront Park, 709 Simcoe St. W.

Hosted by Start2Finish, with more than 2,000 student participants from the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board.

For information, visit: www.run4change.net.

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/724519--it-s-not-just-the-taking-it-s-the-giving

Apps and Ideas for Literature Circles on iPads

Mobile Learning | Feature

Apps and Ideas for Literature Circles on iPads

By Margo Pierce       05/08/12

Technology is sliding a power cord, app, or some other innovation into every aspect of education, even elementary reading classes. Today, the use of e-books and iPads in the classroom are taking reading to a "whole new level," according to Diane Darrow, library information media specialist at Bel Aire Elementary in Tiburon, Calif and an Apple Distinguished Educator.

Darrow says that traditional methods for teaching reading have centered on a verbal-only methodology, which she describes as using one track in the brain. This approach fails to utilize other ways of learning that engage students and supports the development of reading skills such as comprehension, retention, and vocabulary.

"You want to give [kids] different types of learning experiences so that learning sticks in the brain," Darrow says. "If you're only using a one-track system, which we have been for years, it's less likely that the understanding is going to stay. If you make it more memorable and you give them a variety of different systems to use to articulate--drawing, web clips--you're using more aspects of the mind, which makes it a more memorable experience, and it's more likely they'll remember information."

One method of getting kids to engage reading in different ways is through a tablet-based literature circle. Darrow builds off the Harvey Daniels book (and methodology) in Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups (revised 2002). Lit circles developed as an innovation in reading that advocates for student ownership of learning. Students organize into small-group, peer-led book discussions. Each student chooses (or is given) a role that corresponds to a specific task in the reading process--researcher, vocabulary enricher, illustrator. As they read, students gather information to bring back to the group to help each other understand the story.

 

http://thejournal.com/articles/2012/05/08/apps-and-ideas-for-literature-circles-on-ipads.aspx?=THEMOB&m=2

The Writers’ Guild of Alberta and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Present: Grant Information Session for Literary Arts Projects

 
When: 1:00-4:00pm, Sunday, June 10, 2012
Where: Hotel Arts (119-12th Avenue SW, CALGARY), Room TBA
RSVP: by June 4 at wga-agm2012.eventbrite.com. Select "Sunday Afternoon Grant Information Session"
FREE EVENT
 
Whether you are an established or emerging writer, consider applying for grant support from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA). The Literary Arts Project Grant Stream supports almost all tasks related to the writing life: from honing your craft in writing courses to marketing your book, from conducting research for a new project to support while you write that first draft.  Join Jonathan Meakin, arts development consultant responsible for the AFA's literary arts programming, for a discussion of program eligibility, application requirements, and the assessment process; tips for developing a proposal and budget; and much more. Participants are strongly encouraged to bring a copy of the Literary Arts Project Grant application form and guidelines to the session. The form and guidelines are available here: www.affta.ab.ca/individual-project-grant-program.aspx.

Shell Fuelling Change Challenge “Love your Lake”

Love Your Lake Vote for CWF's shoreline project
CWF is in the running for another $100,000 grant from the Shell Fuelling Change Challenge, but this time for our "Love your Lake" project. This project, in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Watersheds (CSW), will educate and engage shoreline property owners in steps they can take to become better shoreline stewards and improve the health of their lake. We need all the help we can get with your votes. The challenge runs until October 31. Visit Fuellingchange.com to find out how you can cast your votes.

Great Canadian Turtle Race

Follow the Great Canadian Turtle Race With Your Students This Fall
With swimming speeds of over nine kilometres per hour, leatherback seaturtles are no slow-moving turtles. Want to see them in action? Join the Canadian Wildlife Federation and the Canadian Sea Turtle Network for the Great Canadian Turtle Race! This summer, scientists will tag female leatherback turtles off the coast of Nova Scotia and in early fall, the turtles will head out to their southern nesting beaches. Which of these endangered turtles will be first to haul up on a nesting beach? You and your class will have to follow along to find out! Sign up today to get the latest news on the turtles, pick one to cheer for, and get all sorts of information about this gentle giant!

Make a Splash During Rivers to Oceans Week in June

Rivers to Oceans Week (June 8 to 14) is your opportunity to celebrate the water that makes Canada special and help your students recognize that ocean health is a freshwater issue. CWF is encouraging youth to enter its Water's Worth It! video contest. Have your class send us a one-minute video telling us what's so special about your local body of water and why it's worth conserving. If you win, CWF will contribute $2,000 in funding towards a water-conservation project in your area. We will be accepting entries from June 1 to, 30 with online voting at RiverstoOceans.ca to choose the winner.

Darien librarians have fresh summer reading ideas for your children

Written by The Darien Times
Wednesday, May 23, 2012 11:00 AM

Children's librarians from Darien Library are visiting every grade at each of the town's elementary schools during May and June, to present each child with a list of reading recommendations for the summer months.

 

http://www.darientimes.com/news/darien-features/local-news/5003235-darien-librarians-have-fresh-summer-reading-ideas-for-your-children.html

Manitoba improving quality of math education

The province is working with its education partners to help improve the quality of math education in Manitoba, Education Minister Nancy Allan announced today at the Manitoba Education Math Summit at the Holiday Inn Airport West in Winnipeg. (May 16, 2012)

The minister announced the province has identified three areas in which it intends to take action to ensure students receive a high-quality math education:

• strengthening the math curriculum by ensuring the appropriate balance is struck between skill development, conceptual understanding and problem-solving abilities.;
• ensuring that high-school math courses have the learning expectations and outcomes necessary to prepare students for success in university and college programs, and the world of work; and
• working in partnership with the faculties of education to ensure that teacher candidates are prepared with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide solid instruction in mathematics in schools.

The province recently announced additional funding of $800,000 for the Early Numeracy Initiative to support school divisions with design and implementation of numeracy programming and teacher professional development to improve students' math skills in kindergarten to Grade 8.
Other initiatives Manitoba is undertaking to improve student achievement in both the short and long term include:

• providing a new, plain-language report card;
• implementing a new assessment policy to ensure more rigorous standards in schools; and
• reducing class sizes to 20 students in kindergarten to Grade 3.

More information about Manitoba's math curriculum is available at: www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/math/index.html.

Library project in Ghana by Urban Design Group

Books and Light

Gaining access to books and study materials is a huge barrier to overcome in rural Ghana, which makes our library essential to wide spread student success. However, an often-overlooked challenge is access to light.

In the typical home in rural Ghana, two parents and three or more children share one or two small kerosene lamps for all household chores.

However, since Ghana is only a few degrees from the equator, 12 hours of each day are spent in darkness.

This means that each student must squeeze all farming, cooking, studying, water fetching, schooling, and recreation into half a day. Our library will be the only publicly available space for evening study, which will expand a student's ability to study by three to four hours a day—that is an extra 45 study days a year.

 

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/719867

 

http://www.amekor.org/newLibrary.html

 

Welcome to Story Lab

What's The Story Lab Project?

The Story Lab project was designed to build on the success of the UK’s national Summer Reading Challenge (SRC). This programme encourages children to continue reading during the UK’s long summer holidays. The theme for the 2012 SRC is StoryLab - a special laboratory where new stories are created.

Bournemouth Libraries decided to build on this idea by designing a programme of events and activities based on stories. The StoryLab project is all about stories - children reading more of them, mixing and experimenting, collecting and sharing, creating and transmitting them. Through remixing and reinterpreting traditional tales the children will produce new stories from old. As well as having storytellers involved in the project, the schools in Bournemouth and Poole can choose whether to tell their stories in printed form or through dance, music or drama. Each school, or class, will select an artist in a different medium to work with the children on their stories.

Bournemouth Libraries was keen that the project should be a global one, with links to the Olympics and the Cultural Olympiad’s Literature and Libraries strand which aims to inspire creativity across all forms of culture, especially among young people. Each local school has been paired with an overseas partner so that they can swap and share stories. We hope they will also discover much about each other and each other’s countries.

This blog has been created to help that happen.

You can still find the last Summer Reading Challenge website games and activities at www.circus-stars.org.uk

The Summer Reading Challenge is run by The Reading Agency
Read more at http://story-lab.org.uk


http://storylab4.blogspot.ca/?zx=862bb68bc6e60c19

Hobbema connection:  http://storylabconnection.blogspot.ca/

COMIC CREATOR CONNECTION

Comic-Con's Comic Creator Connection - a popular program at CCI, WonderCon, and APE - will return in 2012 at all three events. The CCC places writers and artists together to see whether they can find their creative counterparts for future collaboration. Stay tuned for information about the 2012 edition of the Comic Creator Connection at Comic-Con!

http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_comic_creator_connection.php


http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_spirit.php

School districts and community partners are encouraging kids to read more than one book this summer by holding donation drives and reading programs.

Clinton's Eastside Elementary School fifth-grader Natalie Hampton reads at least five books a week so she can become a better writer, reader and speaker.

"I think (summer reading) is a great idea because we have a chance to read (books) over and over again," Natalie said.

School districts and community partners are encouraging kids to read more than one book this summer by holding donation drives and reading programs.

 

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120519/NEWS/205190344/Summer-reading-programs-aim-keep-students-sharp?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CHome%7Cs

 

PUPILS at a tiny primary school have been transfixed by the antics of some feathered friends living nearby.

Staff at Glapthorn Church of England Lower School, near Oundle, put up a bird box three years ago on a side wall complete with a video camera inside.

For the first time, a family of great tits has nested inside giving birth to a handful of chicks.

In the school library a screen has been set up providing live video footage throughout the day.

 

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/education/feathered-friends-providing-inspiration-for-school-pupils-1-3861205

Capacity Building Program: Annual and Multi-year Project Funding Canada Council for the Arts Deadline 30 June 2012

The Canada Council for the Arts is committed to equity and inclusion, and welcomes applications from diverse Aboriginal, cultural and regional communities, including people with disabilities.

Overview

The Capacity Building Program provides strategic support to Aboriginal arts groups, collectives and organizations. This support is intended to assist the development of administration, financial management and governance structures. The program also provides opportunities for organizational development and professional development.

The Capacity Building Program is composed of the following three components.

1. The Flying Eagle
2. Annual Project Funding
3. Multi-year Project Funding

Component Descriptions

The Flying Eagle

This component provides flexible, short-term (up to six months) support to Aboriginal arts groups, collectives, organizations, independent arts administrators, and artistic and cultural mediators. Grant funds may be used for organizational development and professional development. The Flying Eagle component of this program has its own guidelines and application form, which are available on the Canada Council's website.

Annual Project Funding

This component provides focused one-year project support to Aboriginal arts groups, collectives and organizations that are committed to building their organizational capacity and/or community capacity.

Multi-year Project Funding (2012-2015)

This component provides multi-year project funding to Aboriginal arts groups, collectives and organizations that already have a permanent infrastructure in place or are committed to building one.

Deadline 30 June 2012 for Annual and Multi-year Funding

Please refer to the Program Guidelines for detailed information.

 

http://www.canadacouncil.ca/grants/aboriginal/kd128015231979371765.htm

Comfort Publishing

Comfort Publishing has been in business for over a decade, producing both a range of periodicals and a rapidly expanding books division. Our books span a wide range of categories, from science fiction and fantasy to non-fiction biographies and suspense. Since launching our book division in 2008, Comfort Publishing has received numerous awards and accolades, including 2009 and 2010 Bronze IPPY awards in the romance category, a 2009 USA News Best Book Finalist award, a 2010 Foreword Magazine "Book of the Year" nomination and a PreditorsandEditors.com 2010 "Book of the Year" reader's choice award in the fantasy category.

Comfort Publishing has also been an exhibitor at the Book Expo America in New York City for the past two years, and will be an exhibitor at the 2011 Christian Writer's Conference in Atlanta. These appearances have been integral in establishing our brand in the publishing sector on both the consumer and retailer ends.

As a mid-sized publisher, we believe we can work together with independent booksellers to tailor an experience for book lovers that cannot be matched by large chain distributors.

If you are interested in receiving the newsletter, hosting an author event, or receiving early review copies to consider, contact Rob Hamilton at rhamilton@comfortpublishing.com.

http://www.comfortpublishing.com

 

Canon's Take Root Grant Program

Canon and Evergreen have partnered to offer this national program that provides funding for stewardship and restoration activities across Canada.

Amount offered: $5,000 and a Canon PowerShot camera

Application deadline: May 25, 2012

Eligible Projects

To be eligible, projects must provide community members with opportunities including:

• Planting native trees (at least 250)*
• At least one tree planting event in September 2012
• Stewardship activities, such as invasive-species removal, mulching and site maintenance
• Monitoring activities, such as plant survival rates and wildlife-species observation
• Public education, such as site tours and installing interpretive signage
• Community development projects involving diverse communities

* For a list of native plants in your province, visit Evergreen's native plant database. Applicants are also encouraged to consult local ecologists to determine appropriate native plant species for projects.

Eligible Expenses

Funding can be spent on:

• Native trees
• Gardening supplies such as soil, mulch, compost and hand tools
• Educational and communications materials such as signage, flyers and press releases
• Volunteer expenses such as refreshments, awards and honouraria
• Health and safety supplies
• Transportation (car or truck rental, delivery of materials/supplies)
• Staff wages, salary for professional consulting services, or project coordination, to a maximum of $1,000 of funds awarded through this program

Ineligible Projects and Expenses

• Schools (elementary and secondary), government agencies, businesses, individuals are NOT eligible for funding through The Canon Take Root Grant Program.
• Projects occurring on privately owned property that is not publicly accessible
• Projects that do not use native plants exclusively and do not promote organic practices
• Projects (or portions thereof) completed before the application is reviewed
• Construction and excavation contractor costs
• Technical or scientific reports and studies
• Projects developed on land belonging to a school board. School ground greening and food garden projects are only eligible for funding through the Toyota Evergreen School Ground Greening Grants program

For a full list of what's eligible and what's not, please see our Application Guide below.

How to Apply

Please review the Application Guide and our Proposal Writing Tips for essential information on completing your application.

• 2012 Application Guide (PDF, 512 kB)
• 2012 Application Form (Word Doc, 1,622 kB)

Fill out the application, attach all required materials, and send it in by mail or courier. Faxed or emailed applications will not be accepted. Applications must be received at the Evergreen office by May 25, 2012.

Grant Recipient Responsibilities

If your project is selected, you will be asked to sign a Grant Recipient Contract indicating your commitment to:

• Organize a tree planting event in September 2012 (this can be an event that your organization has already planned)
• Certify that you will obtain all necessary regulatory permits and approvals
• Submit "before-and-after" photos, photos of community planting events using the Canon PowerShot camera awarded with each grant
• Submit a final report to Evergreen by November 30, 2012
• Agree to participate, if requested, in the promotion of your project (e.g. press releases or other media event) locally and/or nationally, in conjunction with Evergreen and Canon
• Submit photocopies of relevant receipts, if requested

Each year, Evergreen receives more eligible applications than we are able to fund. While we would like to support all eligible projects, please note that we may not have sufficient funds to do so.

Questions

If you have further questions, please contact:
Celeste Longhurst, Grant Program Coordinator
clonghurst@evergreen.ca
Toll-free: 1-888-426-3138 x320
In Toronto: 416-596-1495 x320

 

 

http://www.evergreen.ca/en/funding/grants/canon.sn

Avengers Comic Teaches Mad Money Skills

Join Spider-Man and the Avengers in this exciting educational comic about saving money and saving the day. The heroes team up to defeat the villain Mole Man and his evil army, all the while learning important financial skills. The action-packed comic features a budgeting worksheet, finance terms and more.

http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/avengers/

Mind Readers: Thinking Out Loud Can Raise Children’s Comprehension Skills

Janie begins to read one of her favorite books, Owl Babies (Candlewick, 1996) by Martin Waddell.

When she reads on the second page, “Owl Mother was GONE,” all eyes turn toward the book. The owls’ faces may not show much in the way of feelings, but a baby bird’s plea of “I want my mommy!” conveys an emotion that toddlers can easily relate to. “Oh, my. I wonder where Owl Mother went,” says Janie. “Why did she fly away? Do you think she’ll come back?”

Like you, we use many techniques to help children understand a story. One of the most powerful methods is thinking out loud while reading. Thinking out loud—in this case, talking about the owls’ emotions, actions, and motives—encourages children to think about the story.

“Reading is thinking” is a central principle for Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis, the authors of Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement (Stenhouse, 2007), who work mainly with primary and middle school readers and teachers. They’ve created a toolkit to help educators construct active learning environments that are aimed at boosting children’s reading comprehension.

While thinking out loud is a technique frequently used to help students in the elementary grades, reading researchers Lea McGee and Judith Schickendanz have adapted this method for much younger children. Their approach is called repeated interactive read-alouds. How does it work? A storybook is read three times in slightly different ways in order to increase children’s engagement with the text. In the first reading, children are introduced to the story. In the second, they’re encouraged to get to know the characters and their challenges more deeply. And in the final reading, young listeners are invited to pinpoint the characters’ problems and to respond to analytical questions such as, “Who remembers what will happen next?” (To learn more, see “Repeated Interactive Read-Alouds in Preschool and Kindergarten” in the May 2007 issue of The Reading Teacher.) The main idea is to create an active learning environment that promotes interaction with the text and thinking for children of all ages.

Successful readers need to do two things well. They need to learn the code and, most importantly, they need to understand its meaning. Librarians like Janie help children clear those hurdles.

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/newsletters/newsletterbucketextrahelping2/894164-477/mind_readers_by_thinking_out.html.csp

Author renamed the book for the school visit

In preparation for his visit to the school Tuesday, author Daryl Cobb had transformed his book "Do Pirates Go to School?" into "Do Pirates Go to Halethorpe?"

Though the story remained the same, students who purchased a copy of the book could find the names of the faculty and staff among the book's illustrations of mailboxes and the roster for pirate school.

Cobb, the author of 14 children's books, spoke to the students about writing and the process that writers go through when producing a story.    Cobb played a slide show of illustrations and pictures of his family and performed original songs, read from his books and told anecdotes about writing, editing, working with an illustrator and developing ideas.

Learning to write is important for children to learn because it allows them to flex creative muscles that they lose in an era where imagination is stunted by technology, Cobb said.

Ronnenburg, an organizer of the Tuesday morning event, said the goal was "getting (the students) excited about reading, about writing their own stories, even music."

Fourth-grader Lauren Martin drew from Cobb's experiences as a musician, actor and writer.

"I learned that you can be at least a few things at once," she said. "And that songs can incorporate to writing books." http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/baltimorecounty/news/ph-at-author-halethorpees-0523-20120516,0,7678844.story

Tech-Savvy School Librarians Win AASL's Pathfinder Award

The $1,500 honor recognizes two school librarians—one in elementary and another in secondary school—for demonstrating vision and leadership while using information technology to build lifelong learners. It is sponsored by Follett Software Company.

The goals of Kahn's library program are to help students develop a love of reading and to teach them how to access accurate and reliable information. She [Librarian Mays] uses a Shelfari bookshelf embedded on the library's website and sends email blasts to announce any new titles in her library.
To further entice students, her website includes book trailers (some made by students), and a series of digital book talks called, "Get Reading."

Mays also sought free resources such as Google Apps, EasyBIB, and Type to Learn 4.

Mays admits that the biggest obstacle was teaching herself how to use the new tools. But once that hurdle was overcome, the librarian came up with Terrific Tuesday and Wacky Wednesday to provide students and teachers with tutorials on how to use them. Mays provides formal training sessions at least twice a month, on-the-spot training as needed, and structured professional development when requested by the staff or administration. She also collaborates with colleagues to teach kids basic computer skills, how to conduct research, and the principles of cyber safety.

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/894540-312/tech-savvy_school_librarians_win_aasls.html.csp

SCiP Internership

The Serving Communities Internship Program (SCiP) gives your organization three gifts:

• People
• Capacity Building
• Growth for the Sector - illustrating why working in this sector is a rewarding career choice for Albertan students

So, how does SCiP work? Start by signing up at joinscip.ca

Then, post your internship position. Students apply to SCiP and will contact organizations with positions of interest to them. From there, interview applicants and hire your intern! If you need any help going through these steps, contact Volunteer Alberta.

As an Alberta nonprofit/voluntary sector organization, SCiP is free for you to participate! You will also help students explore new experiences, meet new contacts and develop new skills, plus they receive $1000 from SCiP and the Government of Alberta (upon successful completion of their internship).

Thousands of students are awaiting your posting! It’s simple. Sign up today.

For more information contact Volunteer Alberta:

Phone: 780-482-3300 ext. 223

Email: scip@volunteeralberta.ab.ca

Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Call for Nominations

How did Christopher Plummer, Clémence DesRochers, William Shatner, Margie Gillis and Michel Pagliaro become laureates of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards?

They were nominated by people like you—members of the public.
Your nomination could determine the next recipient of Canada’s most prestigious award in the performing arts!

Nominations for the 2013 awards are being accepted until September 21, 2012.
The nomination process is simple and straightforward!
For complete details, please visit http://www.ggpaa.ca/.

School a big winner in milk contest

According to the California Milk Advisory Board, great milk comes from happy cows.
And that milk made for happy students as 32 fifth-graders at Elsinore Elementary School were awarded their own Nintendo Wii Fit unit Friday as a prize in a contest hosted by the dairy group.
"It's awesome," Renee Holton, 11, said of her prize. "I was surprised."

The fitness game was only a part of what the school received. Elsinore Elementary also won $23,500 and 500 books for its library.

All were part of a contest hosted by the Milk Advisory Board where schoolchildren in 10 counties were encouraged to cut the "Real California Milk" logo off products such as milk, cheese and ice cream and turn them in to their teacher.

Elsinore students collected 949 seals, each serving as a separate entry.

A seal from the classroom of Sarah Murillo was selected as a $10,000 prize winner. The rest of the money came from separate $500 drawings, where the classrooms of Glen Rhea and Janis Walker also won.

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/lake-elsinore/lake-elsinore-school-a-big-winner-in-milk-contest/article_4e590c51-f047-54de-8ec7-09beddbfd69d.html

Legacy of Hope Foundation

The Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF) was established in March 1998, for a ten-year period, to manage the distribution of a one-time $350 million grant from the Government of Canada to support community-based healing projects that addressed the legacy of physical and sexual abuse at residential schools. This healing fund was a component of Gathering Strength: Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan.

The Legacy of Hope Foundation is a national Aboriginal charitable organization whose purposes are to educate, raise awareness and understanding of the legacy of residential schools, including the effects and intergenerational impacts on First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and to support the ongoing healing process of Residential School Survivors. Fulfilling this mandate contributes towards reconciliation among generations of Aboriginal peoples, and between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people  in Canada. Learn More About Us »

Curriculum

Over 2007-2008 the LHF worked with First Nations curriculum developers to create curricula on the history and legacy of the residential school system in Canada for grades 9-10 and 11-12, as well as for post-secondary students and lifelong learners. The curriculum can be found in the Bookshelf section of http://www.wherearethechildren.ca/

Since the launch of the website, LHF has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from teachers using the curriculum. Based, in part, on the success of the curriculum, and as a response to requests by educators and communities, LHF has expanded into the areas of museum education and is developing a range of in-class resources.

Legacy of Hope Foundation
75 Albert Street, Suite 801
Ottawa, ON  K1P 5E7

T: 613-237-4806 or toll-free: 877-553-7177
info@legacyofhope.ca

http://www.legacyofhope.ca

Storybook Ball

Fairytales can come true, thanks to you.

 

Our magical evening of fun and whimsy could not have happened without the dedication and support of our sponsors and volunteers and the generosity of everyone that attended.

 

You are the heroes of this story.

 

The sponsors that made the Storybook Ball a reality are:

 

McDonald's | Cenovus Energy | Rotary International | Delta Edmonton South

Servus Credit Union | Koch Ford Lincoln Sales Ltd. | Canadian Western Bank |

McMatt Investments Ltd. | Kiewit | Chandos | McLean & Shaw Insurance Inc. | Canadian Natural Resources Limited

 

FC Edmonton | Timeless Edge Photography | Boller Media Productions |

Studio Post | Go Logowear | Elegant Touches | Memories Through Story

 

For more information on the event, its sponsors or to contribute to the next Storybook Ball, please contact Jessica Moyes at 780.439.5437 ext. 203.

Helping others in need is one of the more noble acts in life. It is an opportunity for generous people to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Ronald McDonald House^® Northern Alberta offers you the opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of families with seriously ill children.

The House accepts donations of many types and sizes from used DVD's for the families to watch, to the gift of time in volunteering. From planning a fundraising event for the House to simply collecting your pull-tabs from pop cans, every contribution helps us support our families.

There is still an opportunity to leave an enduring legacy while making a meaningful difference in the lives of families with sick children. We are currently undergoing a major expansion and several areas are still available for naming. To find out more, please click here... 

Ronald McDonald House Northern Alberta is planning to raise $2,000,000 this year on fund-raising campaigns.  It will cost our organization approximately $300,000 to raise this.  The money raised will be going to run the Ronald McDonald House in Edmonton to provide a home away from home for families of critically ill children undergoing medical treatment in Edmonton.

For further information, please contact Martin Dugas at 780-439-5437.  Our address is 7726 107 St., Edmonton, Alberta, T6E 4K3, and we have been incorporated under the Alberta Societies Act since January 20, 1983.

Read more at http://rmhnorthernalberta.org

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Information for Grant Seekers

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we partner with people and organizations worldwide to tackle critical problems in three program areas. We set clear grant-making priorities based on each program's areas of focus.

The Global Development Program explores the best opportunities to help the world's poorest people lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. Please note: The Global Development Program does not accept unsolicited proposals.

The Global Health Program aims to harness advances in science and technology to save lives in developing countries.

The United States Program focuses on providing greater opportunity by improving U.S. high school and postsecondary education, access to information, and stable housing. Please note: The United States Program only accepts unsolicited proposals for Pacific Northwest Community Grants. We do not accept unsolicited proposals for our work in education and libraries.

 

 

Values

Optimism
We are impatient optimists by nature: we see the glass as 'half full' and are motivated to confront problems that others consider impossible to solve. We believe that we have a unique role to play as catalysts for change and that the most intractable challenges are exactly those we are best equipped to tackle. Tenacious in the face of adversity and focusing on the future, we persevere with an understanding that our success will be measured over years and decades - not days and months.

Collaboration
We recognize that our resources and abilities are only a small part of what is needed to achieve our goals, so we hold strong the belief that our ability to achieve impact is greater when we work with others. We are self-aware, working to listen and learn with humility while mindful that we do not have all the answers. We treat others with respect and strive to conduct our work in the spirit of transparency and openness. Whether seeking to build or to challenge consensus, we value our partners, understanding that collaborative solutions best lead to sustainable change.

Rigor
We pursue our mission with focus, discipline and rigor in order to maximize our impact. The challenges we seek to overcome demand thoughtful analysis, intellectual dialogue and commitment to data integrity, although not to the point of paralysis. We hold ourselves to the highest standards and expect that others do the same, as the stakes are too high to pursue anything but excellence. Our conversations are open, honest and sometimes tough for all concerned. We take responsibility for our actions and seek to rectify our mistakes, acknowledging our accountability to the communities where we work.

Innovation
We believe that many of the most intractable problems can only be solved through creative and innovative solutions. In pursuit of these, we embrace risk and learn from failure, helping others to avoid the same pitfalls in future. We strive to remain focused, strategic and calculated in our risk-taking, as we challenge convention, question assumptions and confront stereotypes.

 

School To Explore What Summer Has To Offer

A first time event at Mark Twain Elementary School in Niles aims to promote summer reading and fun, informative ways to keep kids busy during the summer.

The East Maine Dist. 63 school's Family Literacy Night and Community Fair is scheduled for Wednesday, May 23 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the school gym at 9401 Hamlin Ave. It will feature representatives from local businesses and organizations promoting activities for students during the summer.

"The literacy end of it will feature guest readers, like the mayor of Niles, someone from the Niles Public Library and Mark Twain's Principal, Nickki Gross," said Dettloff. "We also are having a 'make and take' session. The students will be making a journal and a bookmark."

Fifty families have made their reservations so far. Every student that attends will receive goodie bag promotions from businesses and get to select a free book.

http://www.journal-topics.com/lifestyles/article_d811aa72-9f5d-11e1-853d-001a4bcf6878.html

 

To foster reading during Summer 2012, multiple community partners created One Jackson...Many Readers

Research shows that students who read throughout the summer continue to grow academically. Those who do not read can lose up to three months of academic growth. To foster reading during Summer 2012, multiple community partners created One Jackson...Many Readers with the following goals:

• Engage 30,000 readers with 100,000 books
• Create a culture of reading across the City of Jackson
• Bring students back to school in August with academic gains 
  
  

See guidelines for more details. A required title for each grade level.

Read more http://www.jackson.k12.ms.us/content.aspx?url=/page/summerreadingprogram

Elementary's storybook parade turns 'Fancy'

No one asked "Where's Waldo?" on Monday.

He was spotted amid an echoing gymnasium of costumed Industrial Elementary West students, wearing his famed red-and-white-striped shirt and circular black spectacles.

Following closely behind him, Little Red Riding Hood, Pippi Longstockings, Smokey the Bear, Winnie the Pooh and about 100 other children's storybook characters paraded through the room before a cheering student body.

The costumed event wasn't intended to be educational, but, instead, sought to engage students in book reading and gives them a connection to the characters, Moyer said.

http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2012/may/14/jp_bookparade_051512_176376/?features&education

The Indigo Love of Reading Foundation Donates its Millionth Book

Indigo Books & Music Inc. IDG

5/14/2012 3:29:00 PM

The Indigo Love of Reading Foundation Donates its Millionth Book

- Indigo's Support Reaches $13 Million, Among the Largest Contributions to School Libraries -

TORONTO, May 14, 2012 /CNW/ - The Indigo Love of Reading Foundation marked the announcement of its 2012 Literacy Grants with a significant milestone. The Foundation has now funded 1,000,000 books for high-need school libraries across the country. The 20 elementary schools who are the recipients of this year's $1.5 million allocation will receive individual grants of up to $195,000 over the next three years, with the common purpose of stocking the schools' libraries with new books so that the young students can reap the life-long benefits of reading.

The Indigo Love of Reading Foundation was established to ensure all elementary school children have easy access through their very own school library to the most essential learning tool, books. Since its inception in 2004, the Foundation has donated $13 million to schools in need across the country, providing access to more than 1,000,000 books for 36,000 children.

All 20 new schools receiving 2012 Literacy Fund grants from the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation demonstrated in their applications a clear commitment to nurturing a well-grounded future generation through advancing children's literacy. Based on school populations, grants of up to $195,000 have been awarded to each school. This year's recipient schools are:

British Columbia: Barrowtown Elementary, Abbotsford Cedar Hills Elementary, Surrey Thornhill Elementary, Terrace	Prince Edward Island: Eliot River Elementary, Cornwall
Alberta: Balwin School, Edmonton John A. McDougall School, Edmonton Sherwood School, Edmonton	New Brunswick: Glen Falls Elementary, Saint John
Saskatchewan: Riverside Community School, Prince Albert St. Catherine Community School, Regina	Newfoundland: Helen Tulk Elementary School, Bishop's Falls Jakeman All Grade, Trout River
Manitoba: King George School, Brandon	Nova Scotia: Nelson Whynder Elementary School, Dartmouth
Ontario: Central Public School, Brantford Delhi Public School, Delhi Sherbrooke Public School, Thunder Bay Blessed John XXIII Catholic Elementary School, Toronto Parkdale Junior and Senior Public School, Toronto William G. Davis, Windsor

Schools interested in applying for 2013 Indigo Love of Reading Foundation Literacy Fund Grants can download an application at loveofreading.org. A new application will be available for download in the Fall of 2012

http://www.stockhouse.com/News/CanadianReleasesDetail.aspx?n=8511913