What should I read next?

If you are having trouble figuring out what to read next, try this new site!  All you do is type in the title of a book you enjoyed, and the database will bring up titles of similar books.

Don't forget that if there is a book you wish our library had, you can request it by on the link to the right called "recommend books for our library."  I want to buy books for our library that you want to read!

Click the link below for help figuring out what to read next.
What Should I Read Next?

December Birthday Books

Thank You and Happy Holidays!

I want to say thank you to everyone for helping make our first book fair this year a success!  Thank you to all of the teachers for creating banners for display.  Our Library Helpers were a big help with creating wish lists.  Thank you to the Stony Point football and baseball players for coming to read with students during our family night.  Thank you to our office staff for volunteering their time.  Thank you to all of the parents who came to help set up and take down the fair, and help with registers.  Thank you to our PTA for selling hot dog meals.  And of course, thank you to everyone who shopped at our fair! 

Mrs. Manibusan, a Kindergarten teacher at our school wrote this fabulous poem which she displayed on her class' banner.

READ TO SUCCEED!

Everything is in a book,
All you have to do is look, 
If you can read, then you'll succeed...
Books have the info that you'll need!

There's cook books, repair books,
coloring books & hair books,
Text books and song books,
Manuals and long books!

Books with information and fun!
Books to share & books for one.
Books with all the things you'll need.
Just open a book & read to succeed!

I hope everyone has a relaxing winter break and a happy holiday!  Hopefully you can find the time to pick up a book and read!
~Mrs. Stenulson

November Birthday Book Club

Book Fair is Coming!!!

We need your help!  There are a lot of ways that you can help out with the Book Fair.  We will be setting up the fair on November 30th.  On Monday, December 3rd students will get to come with their classes to preview the selection, then sales will begin on Tuesday.  Tuesday night we will be having an All Star Tailgating event (more information will be coming home about this).  Please email/call Mrs. Stenulson if you are interested in helping out.

You can find out more information about our Book Fair and order books on our website below:

http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/unionhillelem2

October Birthday Book Club

Coins for Coats Update

WOW!!!

Union Hill Wolves have done amazing bringing in coins for coats!  Our bucket was full on the first day, so we have been using the box below to collect coins in.  I feel so honored to work with teachers and students who are this giving to others.  I'm not sure how much money we raised yet, but I will let you all know when I find out.  Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this great cause!

The last day to donate coins is this Friday, October 26th.

Speak Up Survey 2012

Invitation to Participate: Speak Up 2012

Calling all K-12 Students, Teachers, Administrators & Parents

to share their ideas about the use of technology for learning

Since 2003, over 2.6 million K-12 education stakeholders have participated in the annual
Speak Up National Research Project which collects and reports on the authentic, unfiltered views
and opinions of K-12 students, parents and educators on critical 21 st century education issues.

About Speak Up 2012

Online surveys will be open from October 3rd through December 14th.

• Surveys available this year for: K-12 students, teachers, librarians, principals, district administrators and parents.

• Every K-12 school and district is eligible to participate in Speak Up. Surveys and reports are available to participating schools and districts free of charge. All information is 100% confidential and there is no limit to the number of surveys you can submit.

• Survey question topics include: learning and teaching with technology, 21st century skills, science/math instruction, career exploration, emerging technologies (such as online learning, mobile devices and digital content), professional development, school-to-home communications, digital citizenship and investment recommendations for 21st century schools.

How to participate?

Click on this URL:  http://www.speakup4schools.org/speakup2012

Click on the appropriate category (Students, Educators, Parents (English/Spanish)

Select State from drop down list, type in School name and click 'find school'

Enter secret word click 'log in' to complete survey

September Birthday Book Club

Library Evening Hours... Tomorrow night!

REMINDER!

Tuesday, September 25th, our library will be open from 5-7pm.  Parents can come switch out new books or set up accounts if they still need to.  We will have bookmarks out to decorate, and will be teaching parents how to use BookFlix from home.  We hope to see you tomorrow evening!!

2012-2013 Library Helpers

We are so excited to have 20 Library Helpers this year!  So far they have been a huge help.  Each Library Helper has "adopted a shelf" in the nonfiction section of the library that they are responsible for.  These Helpers give up at least one day of recess per week to come help make sure our Union Hill Library is looking good.

Bluebonnet Pep Rallies

Last week 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students attended Bluebonnet Pep Rallies in the library.  They learned all about the 20 books on this year's Bluebonnet list, the prizes they can earn by reading and completing book reports, book clubs they can join, and best of all... they got to watch me jump around and try to act like a cheerleader!

Students are now pumped up and excited to start reading Bluebonnet books!  They learned about how we will have a campus "Battle of the Bluebonnets" sometime in March, and then the top 5 students will go on to compete in the district competition.  Stay tuned for some book trailers on this year's books.  You can also click on the link to the right that says "2012-2013 Bluebonnet Books" to see all 20 books.

Pictures are due THIS FRIDAY

Photos for the Special Reading Spot Contest are due THIS Friday.  To participate students must turn in an application with an attached picture.  A digital picture must also be sent to unionhill_library@roundrockisd.org.

I can't wait to see everyone's pictures!  I know students will enjoy seeing their pictures displayed in the library and it will definitely change the feel of our library.

Please email me at Vanessa_Stenulson@roundrockisd.org if you have any questions!

Congratulations!

We were able to choose 10 fourth graders, and 10 fifth graders to be UHE Library Helpers for the 2012-2013 year!  We will have our first after school meeting NEXT Monday, 9/17, in the library where students will get training in shelving books and creating book displays.

I am so excited about working with the 20 students who were chosen, and I truly look forward to their help! It's going to be a great year!

Library Helper Applications due THIS Friday

Library Helper applications are due to Mrs. Stenulson THIS Friday, September 7th,  by the end of the day.  Please make sure that all parts of the application are complete.  She will be announcing on the broadcast the following Monday morning (Sep. 10th) which applicants were chosen.

The first after school mandatory training will be on 9/17/2012 from 2:45-4:00.  We are so excited about having our first group of Library Helpers!

When do students get to start checking out books?

All students at Union Hill must go through library orientation before they are able to check out library books.  Orientations begin on Wednesday, August 29^th, with 5^th grade.  After students go through orientation they will be allowed to check out books that day. 

If you want to know when your child comes for orientation, you can click on the “Library Calendar” on the right side of the page. 

How many books can students check out at a time?

Pre-K/Kinder= 1 book

1^st grade=2 books

2^nd-3^rd grade= 3 books

Students in grades 4^th-5^th are allowed to check out Playaways (audio books) but only one at a time, and they must have a signed parent permission form on file.  

Success in the Library on Meet the Teacher Night!

     On meet the teacher night we had the library open so that parents could register for parent library accounts and start to check out books.  In case you missed it, parents can check out up to 5 books at a time!  Taking advantage of this provides a great variety of books for parents to read with their children at home.

     That night we opened up 63 new parent accounts and 113 books were checked out!  This year our library has the goal of increasing the amount of time that parents and children read together at home.  Therefore, we will also be staying open late once a month from 5:00-7:00 so that parents can check out books.  We hope to see you September 25^th in the library checking out books!  Check out the Library Calendar to the right side of the page to see the other nights we will be open late (more info. will also be coming home in Thursday folders).

Visit the Library on Meet the Teacher Night

Please stop by the library August 23rd to meet the new librarian while you are meeting your new teachers.  Parents, you can also sign up for your library accounts at that time.  Parents can check out up to 5 library books at a time!

I hope to see you then!    

Favorite Reading Spot Contest Reminder

As the end of summer approaches, don't forget to take a picture of yourself reading in your favorite spot! We will be choosing pictures to blow up and hang up in our library.  Pictures will be due in early September.  Watch for more information here and in your folders.
I can't wait to see your pictures!  Here's one of mine.

Hello!


I am super excited to be joining the Union Hill community.  I have worked for RRISD for five years, and this will be my second year as a librarian.  I can not wait to meet everyone in the fall!  In the meantime, I hope everyone is enjoying their summer break, and reading tons of books!



Don't forget to take creative pictures to enter in to the special reading spot contest when we return to school.  I can not wait to see your pictures!  


Also, don't forget to visit the Round Rock public library.  All RRISD students are able to get library cards and participate in their awesome reading programs.
Follow this link for more information:
http://www.roundrocktexas.gov/home/index.asp?page=162

Stay tuned for more information from me!