Trevor R Wood Library

MS DEB SCHINCKEL teacher librarian

The library collection continues to be updated and relevant to the boys’ interests and supports the requirements of the Australian curriculum. New series which have enticed the boys to read widely include Jake Maddox, Hot Dog, Time Machine Magazine, Aussie Sparklers series and more titles from favourite authors like David Walliams, Andy Griffith and Ahn Do. New titles with a science, STEM focus including digital technologies, engineering, science experiments and information have been eagerly borrowed by the boys.

I have continued to support teachers through collaborative planning in english, history and geography and resourcing all curriculum and interest areas.

FOP chose to again support author/ illustrator visits this year so we were able hold workshops. Chris Collin sang, danced and read his way through entertaining sessions with Years 1 and 2 boys. Frané Lessac work-shopped with Years 3 and 4. Frané writes and illustrates and shared her writing process and illustration techniques with the boys. They worked with “Patakina’s Pumpkin”, a multi-cultural story, and the book A to Z of Australian Animals. The activity involved drawing their own Australian animal. Mark Greenwood worked with the Year 5 and 5/6 H boys, focusing on his knowledge of Australian history. He engaged the boys with artifacts and mystery and had them creating their own mystery stories after discussing his research for the new series History Mysteries. Brian Falkner worked with Year 6 in Term Three and had them writing their own story outlines focusing on the writing process that Brian uses. Unfortunately, Dave Hackett was unable to meet his commitment with Preschool and Reception due to illness. I sincerely thank FOP for their support in this literacy program which encourages the boys to enjoy reading widely and to improve their writing skills.

Paul Craft has again worked with Years 2 and 4 classes sharing Aboriginal facts, dreaming stories, cultural awareness and informing the boys of the amazing array of food and medicines the native plants in our school grounds offer.

In March, Mrs Jasna Poeszus and I took 20 Year 6 boys to Somerset Celebration of Literature. The boys were involved in sessions with Chris Collin, Tim Harris and Will Kostakis. From discussions with the boys they found the day interesting, fun and worthwhile, with many purchasing books and collecting autographs. The annual Reader’s Cup was held in July. Nine TSS teams participated, (each comprised of four Year 6 boys) and 15 teams from Year 6 at St Hilda’s competed in the quiz. The participants were required to read three books (Ugly by Robert Hoge, The Rabbits by John Marsden, Cyclone Tracy by Alan Tucker) prior to the quiz. They were then asked eight questions about each book and ten general book knowledge questions. There was a first time draw for overall winners. TSS team TF 2 Clan: Daniel Matheson, Declan Carl, Angus Ayre and Benedykt Dominikowski (They drew with St Hilda’s Squad Goals: Nell Ryan, Luci-Jill Seabrook, Ava Manton, Portia Cunningham and Jessica Morey). These boys are joint holders of the overall Reader’s Cup Championship and the TSS Reader’s Cup Champions titles for 2018. Thank you to all the boys who participated and provided afternoon tea, and to St. Hilda’s teams for their enthusiasm and participation.

The Reading Challenge was again taken up by boys in Years R-6, who were required to read at least 20 books from a suggested list of titles. Library staff were kept busy assisting boys and parents in book selection and encouraging them to meet the challenge. This year the boys were again directed to a wide variety of genres and formats, which provides them with a wide range of formats, topics and genres they may not usually choose.

Find Your Treasure was this year’s Book Week theme. There was a focus on this theme during Term Three displays, book sharing and discussions relating to the CBCA short listed books. Winners included Book of the Year: Early Childhood: Rodney Loses it (Michael Gerard Bauer), Book of the Year: Younger Readers: How to Bee (Ben MacDibble) Eve Pownell Award for Information Books: Do not lick this book (Idan Ben-Barak), Picture Book of the Year: A walk in the Bush (Gwyn Perkins). The Art department again focused lessons on the short listed books and shared the boys’ fabulous work for display in the Resource Centre and Art rooms, especially popular were the Rodney rabbits created by Year 1.

Thank you to Mrs S Rogers from the Art department for creating our most fabulous Noisy Bear chair, a partner to The Cat in the hat chair. A fantastic addition to the library.

In September we again held a Great Book Swap. We raised $130 for the Indigenous Book Foundation to purchase books for remote Indigenous children. Boys were able to swap and donate $1 per book to assist Indigenous communities. Thank you to everyone who donated, swapped or purchased books.

This year the Book Fair was held in Week 2 of Term Four, with a Race into the Book Fair theme to fit with GC600. We sold good quality books to the value of $1,900, which provided the library with $470 to purchase new titles from Pegi Williams Book Shop. (Book Fair suppliers) Classes from Preschool to Year 2 have visited for stories and borrowing on a weekly basis and we enjoy their enthusiasm, encourage their love of books and continue to promote reading with them, through displays, discussions and recommendations. Some Years 3-6 classes have had a literature skills focus, and books relating to a weekly skill are chosen for class reading and discussion. I have also worked with classes on literature units, HASS and science topics and assisted in planning and attending incursions and excursions to various locations relating to these curriculum areas.

Thank you to Mrs Jenny Bramwell, Mrs Lyn Hanley and Ms Emily Salis for their continued assistance and support. Thank you also to Mr Stephen Robinson for his prompt and efficient assistance with all things ICT as required in the resource centre.

I sincerely thank the leadership team for their ongoing support of all things related to learning and teaching in the resource centre and TRW Library.