Summer Checkout

It's time for summer book checkout! If you are returning to Galloway next year and you will be in Middle or Upper Learning, you are welcome to come by and check out up to 25 books to read over the summer. If you have outstanding books or fines from this school year you will need to take care of them before checking out books for the summer. We will be checking out books starting today until the end of the school year. If you want book suggestions, be sure to check with Ms. Kochel or Mrs. Zupancic. And don't forget that summer reading assignments can be found here: http://www.gallowayschool.org/reading/

ML Summer Reading

This summer all Galloway Middle Learning students will read the same book for summer reading. Wonder by R.J. Palacio is a funny, sad, uplifting book about courage, hope, and kindness.  Today at assembly we gave the book to all the 5th-7th graders and listened to some teachers read the first few chapters out loud. ML students—see the summer reading webpage for more details about what to do with Wonder and what other books to read.

Skyping with Roland Smith

Galloway seventh graders are Skyping with author Roland Smith right now and asking him questions about his book Peak.

Poetry, the Read In, and Summer Book Clubs

The Upper Learning Poetry Reading was a big success. Thanks to everyone who came and to those who read poems. We will definitely have more poetry readings in the library! See the photo gallery here.

We had 43 middle learning students spend the night in the library Friday night. It was a blast as usual. Click here to see our photos.

And last but not least, sign ups for the all new Upper Learning Summer Book Clubs start this Thursday, April 25 at 3 p.m. See the website here. UL students, look for the registration code in your e-mail on Thursday afternoon.

All Night Read In

It is 5:00 a.m. on Saturday and most of us are still awake. The 3rd annual All Night Read In has been lots of fun. We had 43 kids, four teachers, and one high school chaperone here in the library all night. I think only about six of us are asleep. We've done a lot of reading and a lot of other activities, too. A huge thank you to Ms. Starkman, Mr. Dyer, Mr. Emmons, and Darya for volunteering.

Nutella and Poetry

Used under a Creative Commons License
from Wikimedia Commons

Come to the library this Friday morning from 8:30-9:00 for our National Poetry Month poetry reading. UL students are invited to read poems or just listen to other students and teachers reading their favorite poems. You won't want to miss hearing poems read by Mr. Mathis, Mr. McCandless, and Mrs. Klein (reading poems she wrote when she was in eleventh grade!) Thanks to the Creative Writing Club for helping us get organized and for suggesting that we serve lots of Nutella.

April is the Busiest Month

Author Neal Shusterman talking about Unbound and Unwholly

It has been such a busy week! We are planning a poetry reading for Friday, April 19. Eleventh grade CTR Reports were due on Monday. We had a pizza party for the 22 Middle Learning students who read at least 5 of the Georgia Children's Book Award Nominees. Unbound Book Club had some great discussions about The View from Saturday, The Westing Game, and Tangerine. Ms. Lander's eighth graders took on the characters of Civil Rights leaders and had dinner parties to discuss their lives. Ms. Salter's students are giving their presidential briefings about African countries. The sixth graders had a beautiful day for their Field of Streams field trip. And the UL book club is meeting to talk about Starters by Lissa Price on Thursday. We also had a fantastic Google+ call with author Neal Shusterman and all of our eighth graders. The kids asked such excellent questions that the conversation went on for an hour and twenty minutes and Neal wrote this to me via e-mail: "Glad it all worked out!  I really enjoyed speaking with your students today.  I was actually feeling a little under the weather this morning, but chatting with your students really energized me -- now I feel great,and ready to get out there and write!"