May June 2010 v.2 - GSSD Blogs - Good Spirit School Division

F O C U S O N L I T E R A C YM A Y / J U N E , 2 0 1 0I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :S U M M E R1 -R E A D I N G2S U M M E R R E A D I N GThings I Do to Invite Summer ReadingAre you wondering about how to engage your students in reading over thesummer? Here are some suggestions from Franki Sibberson.S R CA D M I N I S T R A -T O R ’ S A W A R D1 0 0 A C T I V I T E SF O R P A R E N T SA N D K I D S T O D OO V E R T H E S U M -M E RS U M M E R C A NS E T K I D S O N T H ER I G H T — O RW R O N G C O U R S ES U M M E RR E A D I N G34 -67 -91 0In mid-May, we usually do a class Book Share. Every student chooses a book that theydon't think many people in the class know much about--a book that they think otherswould enjoy. We go around and share books. Everyone comes to the circle with a penciland paper, jotting down titles of books that they might want to look at in the future. Ialso encourage them to put down the name of the classmate who recommended a bookthey notice, so that they can ask more questions if they need to.Every year, the librarian from the public library comes to share information about theSummer Reading Program. She always shares information about the program, prizesstudents can earn for reading, and new books at the library. Since I am not a big fan ofprizes for reading, I always ask my students to carry sticky notes and pencils to jot downthe new books that she shares. Our conversation when we return from the visit focuseson the books they saw that they might want to look for when they visit the library.W I L L O W A W A R D SG A L AP R O F E S S I O N A LD E V E L O P M E N TO P P O R T U N I T I E S2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 11 11 2Literacy Coach ContactJan Niebergalljniebergall@mail.gssd.ca621.1393Andrea Hnatiukahnatiuk@mail.gssd.ca621.8382Students have a place in their reading notebooks for keeping track of books theywant to read. I usually have a minilesson where students go back to this list todetermine whether any of those books on their list would make good summerreading.I invite students to make a written plan for their summer reading. Giving themtime to think through the kinds of reading they hope to do is usually very effectivein building interest in and enthusiasm for summer reading. I ask questionslike:Is there a series that you've started that you'd like to read more of?Is there an author that you really like right now?What type of books are you in the mood for?Is there a book you've heard of from someone else that you've been wanting toread?Is there a longer-than-usual book that you've been wanting to read when youhad extra time?Are you going on a long plane or car trip that will give you extra time to read?Where do you think you'll do most of your reading this summer?

Page 2S U M M E R R E A D I N GStudents can write responses to these questions, and then use them in our discussions.I share some books on tapes reminding students of the value of this type of reading for long car trips thissummer. I share some of the books I've listened to on tape when I've driven long distances.I encourage students to talk to others who like to read similar things, and to set up some times to chatabout books they are reading over the summer. These informal social meetings often keep kids reading allsummer long.I usually do a minilesson with students titled Sharing My Own Plan for Summer Reading. I share the stackof books I have been collecting to read, as well as book reviews or advertisements of books I've heardabout that I want to read. This year, I will share books like Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier because she isan author I love and this is her new book. I'll also share Study Driven by Katie Wood Ray, a professionalbook I've read but want to reread this summer. I tell my students that I don't hold myself to these books.Who knows? I may find something that moves to the top of my piles as I visit bookstores and libraries. But Ido share my expectations of my reading life this summer. I expect to catch up a bit on books I have notbeen able to fit in during the school year.Celebrating Summer ReadingInstead of giving stickers or candy to students who return in the fall with completed reading logs, I like tofind ways to celebrate our summer reading as a school. Students aren't sharing their logs to "prove" to methat they read. Instead they are sharing their reading because they know how powerful it is to talk to otherreaders.Some years, I have created whole class or whole school boards to celebrate our summer reading. Sendinghome a page asking students to take a picture of themselves reading somewhere over the summer and towrite a few sentences about their summer reading becomes a great bulletin board for the entrance of theschool early in the year. It also starts conversations about books and reading right away when school begins.What did you read this summer?Where did you read this summer?I usually write to my students once or twice during the summer months. I make sure to include informationabout my family, things I've been up to and the books I've been reading. After sharing a bit about my ownreading, I then take some time to share new children's books I've found that they might enjoy.Summer Reading PlansAs teachers, most of us look forward to the summer, when we have more time to catch up on our ownreading. We may be a bit more relaxed. For our students, summer offers similar opportunities. By treatingsummer reading as an opportunity instead of an assignment, we can help kids read more and build a habitof summer reading.

Saskatchewan Reading Council Administrator’s Award: Darran TeneyckePage 3On April 24, 2010 the Saskatchewan Reading Council held its annual conference, Guiding the Way with Literacy . Many teachers and acouple of administrators from Good Spirit School Division attended this valuable professional development opportunity. The SaskatchewanReading Council awards an Administrator’s Award annually. The purpose of this awards is to recognize and foster school based, professionaland academic literacy support given by a Saskatchewan educational administrator. In order to qualify, the nominee must have made a significantcontribution to the growth, support, and development of school-based literacy in Saskatchewan through active participation or innovativeideas and/or directive organization in an administrative role. Administrators are nominated by their staff. It was with great pleasurethat Juniata Brown, GSSD Assistant Superintendant of Learning, in her role as International Reading Association Coordinator with the SRCpresented Darran Tenycke with this award. The following presentation was delivered by Juanita to Darran:There are two things we currently know for sure in education. The first is that the most important variable in a child’s learningis not the program or the resources but the classroom teacher. The second is that we can only have effective teachers if wehave knowledgeable and supportive principals. Darran is one of these principals.Darran has been an educator for 20 years. For the first 12 years of his teaching career Darran was an accomplished middleyears Phys Ed teacher and coach. Since becoming an Administrator Darran 8 years ago Darran has used these same coachingskills to build a collaborative team focused on literacy development What does this demonstrate? I think it shows that everyonecan see and has an abiding interest in supporting literacy. Perhaps the best way to explain Darran’s professional journeycan be summed up quite simply in these words: from SPEA to SRC in 7 short years.From the first day Darran walked through the doors at Columbia School he has led, developed and supported a number ofschool based literacy initiatives. Darran’s first interest when he became principal was in the library. He felt that there were anumber of things that could be done to encourage students’ interest in the library and in reading. He put his beliefs into actionby taking on some of the teacher librarian duties in his school. This involvement has resulted in extensive weeding of the librarycollection, the beginning of collection mapping, and physical rearrangement of the library to provide for small group instructionand interaction. The purchasing of new furniture and reorganizing of shelves to optimize interest, usage and learninghas also been part of Darran’s plan. In addition substantial funds were budgeted to re-establish the library collection. Darran’snew favourite store is now McNally Robinson.Darran is a true instructional leader. He motivates, he leads, he listens, he responds,and he supports. Darran led a smallgroup of interested teachers to explore a number of strategies for teaching math and reading. When the teachers decided thatthey wanted to implement guided reading instruction across grade levels he found ways to support them He provided all hisprimary teachers with extensive professional development opportunities in this area. In addition Darran provided funding formaterials, resources and personnel. He also timetabled the guided reading groups for all grade 1 and grade 2 students at thesame time, allowing for cross grade and classroom groupings and to provide extra instructional support. However, his supportdid not stop there. Darran continues to provide ongoing support by meeting and talking with his teachers about their readinginstruction and both their successes and their challenges. He shares selected professional readings with particular teachersand then takes the time to sit down and chat with them about what they have read.Before our school division allotted time for PLCs Darran used his creative timetabling skills to create a time table that allowedfor collaborative planning for his teachers. They used this time to plan for the teaching of effective strategies and to developcommon assessments. I think the last words in today’s acknowledgement belong to the teachers on Darran’s staff. Whenasked to describe him the words they used were: honourable, supportive, dedicated, consistent, ethical, proficient, inspirational,driven, encouraging, devoted, and exceptional.Congratualtions Darran for your outstanding support of literacy in Good Spirit School Division.

Page 41 0 0 I D E A S F O R P A R E N T S A N D K I D S T O D O O V E R T H E S U M M E R1. Write numbers from 1 to 100.2. Find an object in your house that begins with each letter of the alphabet.3. Write 10 sentences. Use a number word in each sentence.4. Make something in the kitchen involving the use of measuring cups.5. Go outside and find things for every colour of the rainbow.6. Write a story about your pet or a pet you would like to have.7. Write a letter to someone.8. Write the names of five friends, now make as many words using the letters of their names as you can.9. Write the long vowels on a sheet of paper. Think of four words for each vowel sound.10. Make a scrapbook of animal pictures. You might want to choose a animal you like. See if you can findsome old magazines or calendars to look for the pictures.11. Read a story to someone.12. Count the money in your wallet or ask mom or dad to give you some coins to count.13. Keep a journal of what you do during the Summer. Write in it at least 2 times each week.14. Write numbers from 101 to 300.15. Write the alphabet three times in your best printing or cursive writing.16. Go outside. Find things for the sense of touch, things that are smooth, rough, prickly, sharp, hard, soft,dry, wet, etc. Make a log book of what you discover.17. Correctly spell as many color words as you can, try some of the harder ones too like turquoise and burgundy.18. Write numbers by 5’s to 100 and then to 1000.19. Make little signs to name things in your room. Put them up in your room.20. Draw a picture of something outside. Write 5 or more sentences about it.21. Write all the number facts that will add to 10. (6 + 4 = 10, etc. )22. Go on a nature hike. Collect things and put them in a picture.23. Pretend you are a giant. Write a short story about it.24. Write numbers from 301 to 500.25. Cut out words from the newspaper - one for each letter of the alphabet26. Use the letters in the word SASKATCHEWAN to write as many words as you can.27. Write all the number facts that will add to eighteen.28. Find a recipe that uses a colour word in it's title and help your mom or dad make it.29. Count out loud to 100030. Write 10 sentences. Use a color word in each sentence.31. Write numbers by 2’s to 100 (2, 4, 6...)32. Have your mom or dad register you in a day camp program with your community league, library or achurch.33. Write a fairy tale. Then read it to someone younger than you.34. Write the short vowels on a sheet of paper. Think of a five words for each vowel sound.35. Write a poem about the weather, an animal or a plant.36. Plant something outside or help take care of a garden.37. Imagine that you have an alligator as a pet. Write a story about it.38. Cut apart the squares of a comic strip. Mix them up. Rearrange them in the correct order and then rearrangethem into a funny mixed up story.39. Compare your bike with a friend’s bike. How are the alike? How are they different? Then do a safetycheck on both bikes.40. Make a sandwich. Cut it in half and then in fourths, see if you can cut it into eighths too.41. Make a list of everything you can find that is orange.

Page 542. Cut out words from a magazine. Make sentences out of them.43. Video tape your neighborhood and any holidays you go on to share with your friends when you go back to schoolin the Fall.44. With your parent's permission, find one person on your block who is elderly and offer to help them with their yardwork one afternoon.45. Write any ten numbers between 1 to 100. Cut them out and mix them up. Arrange them again from smallest tolargest.46. Cut out a picture from an old calendar. Cut it into puzzle pieces and then put it back together.47. Take your dog or your neighbor's dog for a walk, read a book about dogs and try to teach it a new trick.48. Choose a flower out of your garden, learn everything you can about that flower.49. Make price tags for several objects in your room. Make some play money and use it to buy the things in your “playstore.”50. What would you do if you lived during the time of dinosaurs? Write a story about it.51. Write numbers from 501 to 700.52. Draw a map of your neighborhood, put a treasure (a small box with a few treats) somewhere in your neighborhoodand mark it on your map. Invite your friends to try to find the treasure.53. Find objects around your home that begin with the sound SH . Draw a picture of each of them or have someonehelp you write them down. (sheets, shoe, etc.)54. Look at a B.C. map. Find Vancouver, Victoria, Prince George, Kelowna, Nelson.55. Write your name. Cut out each letter. Arrange the letters in A,B,C, order.56. Pick anywhere in the world and find out more about that place by going to the library or searching on the internet.57. Read 26 books, starting with a book in which the authors last name begins with A, and then B until you get to Z.58. Write numbers by 10’s to 500.59. Look at an Alberta map. Find Calgary, Edmonton, High Level, Drumheller, Edson, Camrose and Lethbridge.60. Go to the library and check out some books about space.61. Go outside and find 3 different kinds of leaves. How are they alike and different? Try to find out what types ofleaves they are.62. Write numbers from 701 to 1000.63. Go outside. Learn which direction is north, south, east, and west. Walk 10 steps north and then 5 steps west.Where are you? (Stay out of the street!)64. Volunteer - ask your mom or dad to help you find someplace in your community where you can volunteer once ortwice a week to help (places like the library, a veterinarian clinic, a senior's home).65. Collect bottles from your neighborhood and donate the money to a local charity.66. Write all the names of animals you know and have a friend do the same thing. Who can write the most names in 5minutes. Have your mom time you.67. Find pictures of objects that when matched will make a compound word. Suggestions: a horse and a shoe: a nutand a shell; a tree and a house; a cow and a boy. etc.. Then have a younger relative try to match all the pictures.68. Look for rocks in your neighborhood. See if you can find 10 unusual rocks.69. Find out something new about your pet. See if you can teach it one new trick.70. Visit 3 tourist spots in your hometown or area.71. Make a picture journal of your Summer. Each week take 3 or 4 pictures of some of the things you are doing andwhen you develop the film, put your photos into your journal and write a description about each picture.72. Find out if any of your local museums or libraries have any summer programs just for kids.73. Memorize a poem and recite it for your family, or have everyone in your family memorize a poem and have a familypoetry night.74. Count out loud from 400 to 500.75. Have a game night each week with your family, try some indoor and outdoor games.76. Make a list of everything you can find that is the color red.77. Make kites with your friends out of newspaper.78. Play the “What’s Missing?” game with someone. Find 5-10 objects inside your home. Arrange them on a tray.Have someone look at them for 5 seconds and then cover eyes while you take one of the items away. Can theyguess what is missing? Then let your friend remove an item and you try to guess what is missing.

Page 61 0 0 I D E A S F O R P A R E N T S A N D K I D S T O D O O V E R T H E S U M M E R79. Have a paper airplane contest, who can make a paper airplane that flies the furthest.80. Find a neat recipe for a dessert and have your mom or dad help you make it.81. Write a thank you letter to someone who has done a great job or helped you in some way.82. Plan a picnic with your family, make up the list of items you want to take and games to play while on your picnic.Then help your mom and dad get things ready for the special day.83. Think about a job you might like to do when you grow up. Write a letter to someone who works in that job andask them questions about their job.84. This is the year 2007. Write down 2007 words you can spell or read. You might want to work at this over afew days.85. Cut out food pictures from magazines. Make 4 category cards - Dairy Products, Meat, Fruit and Vegetable,and Bread and Cereal. Arrange the pictures under the correct category.86. Draw a map of your house and label all the exits you would use in case of a fire. Plan a meeting place withyour family in case there ever was a fire and what talk about what you should do as well.87. Measure things in your house. Make up a chart. Measure the items by the length of your finger, hand andarm. Then try measuring using a ruler. Record the results.88. Play the “Direction Game.” Have someone tell you three directions and see if you can do them correctly and inthe right order. Example: Clap your hands 5 times. Go look out the window. Write your name on a piece ofpaper.89. Make up some bubble solution and find some objects around the house to blow bubbles with, try some uniquethings using straws, string, and other objects.90. Practice the times table. Day 1 do the 1 times table, Day 2 do the 2 times table and go as many days as youcan.91. Take your mom or dad to a baseball game or other sports game.92. Go to the library or look on the internet for a neat craft you could make. Ask your mom or dad to help you findall the materials.93. Sign up at your local library for their Summer Reading Program.94. Get a book about birds and spend one afternoon seeing how many birds you can identify that live in yourbackyard.95. Ask your mom or dad to take you to a Nursing Home or Senior's Home with 2 of your friends so that you canread a story to someone who stays there.96. With your mom or dad's help, go through your old books and donate them to a hospital for sick kids to be ableto read.97. With your mom or dad's help find some "good" old toys and clothes and donate them to a shelter in yourtown.98. On a piece of paper write the dates for 20 days during the Summer months. Beside each date write the nameof a fruit or vegetable you ate on that date. See if you can have 20 different fruits or vegetables on your list.99. Choose a sport you like. Either find a way you can play that sport or write a list of new things you havelearned about it.100. Write a letter to your last teacher. Tell your teacher the best things about your class last year. Give yourteacher one new idea you think next year's class would like to learn. Take the letter to school on your first dayback to give to your "old" teacher. If they have moved away, ask the school's secretary if they could send theletter to your "old" teacher for you.

Summer Can Set Kids on the Right—or Wrong—CoursePage 7Study Links a Lack of Academic Achievement, High Dropout Rate, to Summertime Learning LossWhen school doors close for the summer, what do kids face? For some, it’s a world of interesting vacations,music lessons, and library trips. For others without enriching summertime opportunities, the break can leadto serious academic consequences—and the disparity can be dramatic.Research conducted by Johns Hopkins sociology Professor Karl Alexander and his colleagues shows that lowincomeyouth suffer significantly from a loss of academic skills over the summertime. And the losses pile up,contributing to an achievement gap that can make the difference between whether students set out on a pathfor college or decide to drop out of high school. We talked to Alexander about the research, what it means foryoung people, and the need for a strategic and focused response.What led you to look into the relationship between summer learning opportunities and academic success?Initially, my colleagues and I weren’t particularly interested in summer learning. That came about in a roundaboutway. We were interested in early schooling and patterns of social inequality. For example, we wanted tocompare the school experiences of lower with higher income kids and minority with majority youngsters.What did you find?We discovered that about two-thirds of the ninth-grade academic achievement gap between disadvantagedyoungsters and their more advantaged peers can be explained by what happens over the summer during theelementary school years. I also want to point out that the higher performing group isn’t necessarily high income,but simply better off. In the context of the Baltimore City school system, that usually means solidlymiddle class, with parents who are likely to have gone to college versus dropping out. Statistically, lower incomechildren begin school with lower achievement scores, but during the school year, they progressat about the same rate as their peers. Over the summer, it’s a dramatically different story. During the summermonths, disadvantaged children tread water at best or even fall behind. It’s what we call “summer slide” or“summer setback.” But better off children build their skills steadily over the summer months. The pattern wasdefinite and dramatic. It was quite a revelation.What method did you use to make this discovery?We launched a study in 1982 where we recruited almost 800 children in Baltimore City and monitored theiracademic progress from first grade well into adulthood. Achievement tests were administered in the spring andfall over an extended period of time, and we tracked and analyzed those achievement test patterns. We alsoconducted interviews with the children and their parents.

Page 8How do you explain the achievement gap’s relationship to income? What do higher income children getover the summer that lower income children don’t?We didn’t look at specific programs, but we did explore some possible explanations, and we foundsome definite differences. I don’t want to break it down into a checklist, but some differences seemedrelevant. For example, better-off children were more likely to go to the library over the summertime andtake books home. They were more likely to engage in a variety of enrichment experiences such as attendingmuseums, concerts and field trips. They were more likely to take out-of-town vacations, be involvedin organized sports activities, or take lessons, such as swimming or gymnastics lessons. Overall,they had a more expansive realm of experiences.What are the implications of this research?It helps us to realize how important summer learning—or the lack of it—is to academic achievement.And it helps us to recognize that this often breaks down along social lines. In the more recent work, wewere able to pose questions about the consequences of this achievement gap. We found that summerlearning loss accounts for about two-thirds of the difference in the likelihood of pursuing a college preparatorypath in high school. And that matters a great deal in terms of what happens later on. Forty percentof the children we picked up as first graders left high school without diplomas. It’s a problem ofmonumental proportions. So these early patterns of out-of-school learning have profoundly importantrepercussions that echo throughout the years.Can summer programs help?We need to provide children with strategically planned, structured summer experiences, and that’s especiallytrue for those who don’t have access to enriching, home-based learning. And, of course, summerprograms can be an important part of that strategy by providing a variety of experiences that challengechildren, develop their talents, keep them engaged, and expand their horizons.

Page 9What are the next steps?I’d like to see the work we’ve done motivate others to carry the torch forward and try to help us understandwhat sorts of summer experiences best support year-round learning for all children— and there’s aparticular need to help understand the conditions that will help disadvantaged children. We need a detailed,on-the-ground perspective. We know that children need enriching summertime experiences, butwe need to know what makes up the best mix of experiences. Then we need to act, develop resources,and move ahead.Any final words?I’d like to thank my colleagues and co-workersDoris Entwisle and Linda Olson, as well as the familiesand children who participated in the study.They indulged our inquiries over many years, andwithout their cooperation, this study would not havebeen possible.DID YOU KNOW?• During the school year, lower income children’sskills improve at close to the same rate as those oftheir more advantaged peers.• Over the summer, middle- and upper-income children’sskills continue to improve, while lower incomechildren’s skills do not.• Summer learning shortfall experienced by lowincomechildren over the elementary grades has consequencesthat reverberate throughout children’s schooling,and can impact whether a child ultimately earns ahigh school diploma and continues on to college(Alexander, Entwisle, & Olson, 2007a).REFERENCESAlexander, K. L., Entwisle D. R., & Olson L. S. (2007a). Lasting consequences of the summer learning gap. American Sociological Review, 72, 167-180.Alexander, K. L., Entwisle D. R., & Olson L. S. (2007b). Summer learning and its implications: Insights from the Beginning School Study. New Directions for Youth Development, 114, 11-32.This article was written by Karl Alexander and published by the National Summer Learning Association: www.summerlearning.org.

Page 10Literacy CoachesSummer Reading Suggestions Professional List• Daily 5• Reading with Meaning• Strategies that Work• Comprehension ConnectionsGail Boushey and Joan MoserDebbie MillerStephanie Harvey and Anne GoudvisTanny McGregor• Reality Checks: Teaching Reading Comprehension with Nonfiction K-5KTony Stead• Is That A Fact: Teaching Nonfiction Writing K-3KTony Stead• Good Choice: Supporting Independent Reading and Responses K—6KTony Stead• Readicide: How Schools are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About ItKelly Gallagher• Mosaic of Thought• Beyond Leveled Books• Preventing Misguided ReadingEllin KeeneKaren SzymusiakJan Miller Burkins & Melody CroftSPECIAL RECOGNITIONSpecial recognition and congratulations to Jan Niebergall, co-chair of the SRC Annual Conference,Guiding the Way with Literacy, for organizing a fabulous conference. Teachers from the followingGSSD schools were in attendance and were provided with incredible professional development: Dr.Brass School, Canora Junior Elementary School, Churchbridge Public School, Columbia School, DavisonSchool, Fort Livingstone School, Grayson School, Invermay School, Langenburg High School,M.C. Knoll School, Norquay School, Preeceville School, P.J. Gillen School, Saltcoats School, YorkdaleCentral School.Congratulations to Debbie Ivanochko from Yorkdale Central School and Laurie Koval from DavisonSchool who presented on Enhancing Learning in You Primary Classroom Through the Use of SMART-Boards at the SRC Conference. Many GSSD teachers attended an after school ECEC presentation byDebbie and Laurie on the same topic. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and practice with others.

Page 112010 SaskEnergy Willow Awards GalaSaltcoats School Hosts the 2010 LaunchThe winning authors, organizers of the Saltcoats Gala and the Willow board. Back row, left to right: Marilyn Herron,Merle Wiley, Margaret Steger, Wilfred Burton, Ann Atchison, Val Gerrard, Charlotte Raine. Front row, left to right: RuthGarnett, Christina Kilbourne, Chris Tougas, Donna Koch, Florence Barton, Naomi Kral, Carlene Walter.Congratulations to Saltcoats School for being awarded and hosting the 2010 SaskEnergy Wil-low Awards Gala on April 30, 2010. The gala afternoon was a celebration of the promotion ofliteracy Saltcoats students and staff ventured together. The afternoon was comprised of studentpresentations highlighting the award nominees and student entertainment. Masters ofCeremonies were Jenelle Hutchings, Sara Hunt and Tyson Sass, Saltcoats School students. TheKindergarten class sang a welcome song. Jessica and Katelyn Farquharson, accompanied bytheir grandfather Walter, Mayor of Saltcoats, performed a play based on the Shining Willownominee Rosie and Buttercup. A special treat was a performance by student and guest fiddlerScott Cornelius. His performance had everyone’s toes tapping. The Shining Willow Award waspresented by the Grade 3 class. The envelope was opened and the winner announced.Mechanimals by Chris Tougas was the winner. The Snow Willow envelope was opened and thewinner announced – Dear Jo by Christina Kilbourne. Delegates addressed the students, family,community members, teachers, and guests. His Honour The Honourable Dr. Gordon Barnhardtshared his journey of being a reader and his return to Saltcoats School. GSSD Board Member,Lois Smandych, Mayor Farquharson, and Florence Barton, President of Saskatchewan YoungReaders Choice Awards also addressed the attendees. Donna Koch, a SYRCA Director, presenteda basket filled with the new Willow nominees and a plaque for the school. LeslieGosselin presented a willow tree to the school on behalf of the gala sponsor, SaskEnergy.Congratulations Saltcoats School

Page 12Mark Your Calendars!Professional Development Opportunities 2010– 2011October14, 15, & 16 Early Childhood Education Council ConferenceSaskatoonNancy Carlson: Author and illustratorDr. Jean Feldman: Consultant, author, and singerApril7 & 8 Saskatchewan Reading Council ConferenceSaskatoonEllin Oliver Keene: Classroom teacher, staff developer and adjunct professor of readingand writing. Ellin is the author of To Understand, co-author of Mosaic of Thought and Assessing Comprehension Thinking StrategiesJacquie McTaggart: IRA Conference Speaker. Jaquie is the author of From the Teacher’sDesk and If They Don’t Learn the Way You Teach, Teach the Way They LearnJacqueline Guest: Children’s book author, strong advocate of literacy. Jacqueline is aMétis author of 16 novels including award winning Belle of Batoche, and Wild Ride.Visit www.saskreading.org/conference for more information.May8—11 International Reading Association Annual Convention Orlando, FLVisit www.iraconvention.org for more information.

Page 13Thank You for a fantastic year. It has been a pleasure being your GSSD Literacy Coaches. We look for-ward to another exciting year as we work with you in supporting literacy in Good Spirit School Division.Information on the Literacy Coaches fall schedule of activities will be sent out in the first newsletterof the 2010-2011 2011 school year in August.Keep us in mind as you plan your new school year. We are available to :• Co-plan units.• Assist with your year plan.• Set up classroom literacy initiatives and instruction such as Independent Reading, smallgroup instruction, and Guided Reading.• Engage you and colleagues in a book club.• Demonstrate or co-teach strategy lessons.• Support you in you professional development goals• Provide in-services/workshops for individual, small group, or staff on a variety of topics in-cluding:- Independent Reading- Fountas and Pinnell Assessment- Guided Reading- Reading Strategies- Fountas and Pinnell Refresher- Guided Reading Refresher- Reading with MeaningPlease continue to visit the Literacy Coaches website regularly as updates are continualwww.gssd.ca/literacy.