Rensselaer Jr/Sr Library

The library has been flocked!

We are kicking off the school year with our 1st quarter reading competition "Rock and Read"! It's 6th vs 7th vs 8th and 9th vs 10th vs 11th vs 12th. Whatever grade reads the most books and fills out book review forms wins bragging rights for the next quarter and a trophy! Who will win first quarter?

Rensselaer's 8th Grade kicked off our "Rock and Read" competition 🎤🎸📖📚, more information to come, with some intense games of book musical chairs! I haven't had a chance to look at the circulation stats but I have a feeling that more than 3/4 of the grade checked out a book! Are you ready to "Rock and Read"?!

Day 3 of "Unplugged Week" was another hit! Not many pictures, we were too busy unraveling string, chasing beads, and melting creatures! We had a blast though!

Day 2 of "Unplugged Week" was so much fun! What will tomorrow bring?

Day 1 of "Unplugged Week" was a hit! Thanks to all who came and joined us!

Ms. Herrick's 10th graders weren't just reading "Punching the Air" by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, the story of a teen in juvie ignited a firestorm of burning questions about incarceration's harsh reality. Sparking a raw discussion, our guest speaker shared his experience. The impact? Undeniable. Students, captivated, learned the true cost of a single mistake. One mistake. One life forever altered. This is the power of literature, of facing uncomfortable truths.

We hosted our first ever "Book Dating Game" in the library today. Students entered the library and drew a number to be paired up with their first book bachelor/bachelorette. They then rotated through 6 tables; all different genres, and answered some questions that hopefully sounded like they belonged on "The Dating Game" TV show from the 1960's. At the end of the activity they not only had a list of potential "dates" for the future but also could leave with a date and a Hershey's "kiss" at the circulation desk.

Happy Valentines Day from the RJSHS Library!

Who doesn't love new books!

Check out what happened in the library during the month of October!

Check out some of the things that happened in the library this month!

September 2023 Newsletter Check out this US Letter designed by Heather Jenner.

So much fun in the library!

What an awesome collaboration with Ms. Herrick's 10th graders! These students read either "The Poet X" by Elizabeth Acevedo or "Punching the Air" by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam for their literature circles. Not only were the group discussions about each individual book amazing but at the end our students made comparisons and connections between the two texts as well as the the world itself. Below are just some images of the work our students created throughout this collaboration. Ms. Herrick and I are looking to create BookTok's with them to tie it all up! Rensselaer City School District

I have always been passionate about helping young people discover the power of telling their own stories. Today, I am thrilled to share that Penguin Random House and We Need Diverse Books are launching the Michelle Obama Award for Memoir, a new creative writing award focused on memoir writing for public high school students.

Apply today for the $10,000 scholarship and the opportunity to learn more about the publishing industry at michelleobamabooks.com/scholarship.

I want young people everywhere to know that their voices and stories matter!

Here's a collection for any future Humanities majors out there!
Link: https://bit.ly/3fWgrhj

Tomorrow is Pink Out Day!

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