Elementary Library by Librarian Jeanine Carthey
The goal of the library program is to encourage students to read for pleasure and develop an appreciation of excellent children’s literature. As the CCS Librarian, I am available throughout the week to help accomplish that goal.
Elementary Students
The elementary library is designed for students to check out books once a week, meet with the librarian for a lesson time, and enjoy a storytime. Throughout the year library activities will include special events such as the Book Fair, Cookies and Milk in the Library (for Kindergarten students), Children’s Book Week and other reading incentive programs. Fourth and fifth grade students also participate in the Accelerated Reader program. With the help of such characters as “Skoob the Shelf Elf” and “King Dewey,” the elementary library is a fun place for students to regularly visit.
Elementary Parents
We also have a collection of books for parent check out. These are located on a bookshelf next to the receptionist’s desk in the front of the elementary building.
Thank you, parents, for working so hard to instill a love of reading in your children. Trips to the public library are one of the best ways to bring an appreciation of literature into your home.
Birthday Book Program
The Birthday Book Program is now in full swing! Parents and students may stop by the library to select a book from the Birthday Book shelf. A donation of $10.00 is asked, and your child’s name and birth date will be on a nameplate in the front of the book. This is a special way to support our library. Students enjoy seeing their name in a book – especially years later when they open a book and see that they had donated it to the library.
Public Libraries
I strongly recommend that each family visit their local libraries regularly. The Harris County libraries are the most convenient for most of us, but the Houston Public Library has many sites nearby. Getting a library card is so easy. All you need to do is fill out a short form and show your driver’s license and you will get your card! Students are amazed when I tell them that there is no limit to the books they may check out!
2010-2011 Library News
The elementary library at CCS has been very busy this fall with K-5 grade levels reading diligently to complete their library reading incentive pages. Particularly challenging this fall is the Children’s Crown Award reading list for 4th and 5th grades. This is a list of books approved by Christian teachers and librarians for each grade level. We have a Crown Book shelf in the library with a gold star on each spine to identify it. Parents may view the book lists at the website, www.childrenscrownaward.org. The second and third graders will begin the Crown Award list after Thanksgiving.
One of our most interesting book studies has been the life of Thomas Alva Edison. Students have enjoyed learning that Edison’s curiosity as a boy often got him into trouble, but nothing deterred him from pursuing his experiments and discoveries. The “Edison Display” in the library is growing as we find things that Edison had a part in inventing.
A Scholastic Book Fair is planned for April in the elementary library. This is an exciting week for all library patrons. Please bring your family to this event!
Did you know?
- Parents may visit the library at any time and check out books. There is a special “Parent Resource” shelf in the front foyer of the elementary building for parents only. This is a self-check shelf and all are welcome.
- Middle school and high students occasionally use our library. What fun it is to visit with former students!
- Mrs. Carthey is a member of the Houston Area Independent School Librarians Network. Through meeting with other area librarians, she is able to bring new ideas to her students at CCS. The HAISLN also has a recommended reading list. Mrs. Carthey is participating in the development of the 2010-2011 list.
- Our school subscribes to an internet research data base called Gale Infotrac. Students and parents may use this site from their home computers. www.galeinfotrac.com. Please email Mrs. Carthey at Jeanine.Carthey@CypressChristian.org for our school’s password.
December Notes
Everyone gather around the warm fire in the library, light the Christmas tree, and join us for a cozy time of Christmas stories. One of our favorites is the classic story of the Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter. Students appreciate the detailed illustrations that Ms. Potter used in her books as they listen to the sweet tale of an old tailor who met good fortune one Christmas Day long, long ago. The high quality of the vocabulary of this little book requires that we learn the meanings of many of the words before the book is read. Ms. Potter's writing style is classic - It never loses its charm for children.
November Notes
Have a blessed Thanksgiving !
Listed below are a few books that will make great Thanksgiving traditions:
- Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas (4th Grade Teacher Ms. Shelby’s favorite!)
- Thanksgiving A Harvest Celebration by Julie Stiegemeyer
- An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott
- Mary’s First Thanksgiving by Kathy Jo Wargin
- Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’ by Eileen Spinelli
2009-2010 Special Events
Library Week
"Take a Book on Vacation” was the theme for Library Week in the CCS Elementary building. CCS Elementary students celebrated National Library Week with the theme “Take a Book on Vacation!” Each day meant a different way to celebrate books and vacations! All K-5 students tried to guess a mystery vacation spot with clues given each morning. Many students guessed the spot: Pike’s Peak. A Vacation Museum was on display in the library hallway with souvenirs students brought from past vacations. A faculty Read -a -Thon lasted all day on Tuesday with many teachers and principals doing their part to read all day! On Wednesday teachers took their classes outside for Beach Blanket Reading time – and the weather was great for a vacation book! On Thursday the entire school sang “This Land is Your Land” as we celebrated our greatest vacation spot: The United States. On Friday, we headed home from our vacation and celebrated by wearing cool and relaxing vacation clothes. This summer, we will all "Take Our Books On Vacation!"
Bedtime Stories with Cookies and Milk for Kindergarten Students and Families
Kindergarten students joined together for a delightful library get together: Bedtime Stories with Cookies and Milk. As the students and their families enjoyed their snacks, they were treated to stories and songs by the teachers and staff of CCS. Mr. Novotny, Head of School, headlined the evening with his reading of Leo the Late Bloomer – surprising us all in his Veggie Tale costume. Mr. Mason, our Music Teacher, read The Little Engine that Could. Mrs. Angie Ramirez, our Admissions Director, dressed as a princess and entertained us with her reading of The True Princess. Mrs. Caroline Young, elementary teacher, read and sang She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain dressed in her western wear. Our evening closed with a puppet performance of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Beam. We hardly knew her in her pig costume!!
The students and parents had a wonderful hour of good stories, great snacks, and fun music. We hope to see more Kindergarten families next year at our Bedtime Stories night!
Black History Month
All library classes learned about people in United States history who made contributions through music, literature, government, science and technology. One of our favorites was the story of opera singer Marian Anderson (studied in 4th grade classes) and her perseverance to be a part of music history.
King Dewey
This year we have had assistance from a little finger puppet known as “King Dewey.” He has guided the library classes through the different dewey decimal sections of the library. Students are learning to use these numbers as a helping tool in finding just the right book. One of our recent searches led us to the 636.7 shelf: Dogs!
Thank you, parents, for working so hard to instill a love of reading in your children. Trips to the public library are one of the best ways to bring an appreciation of literature into your home. See you there!
