LIBRARY MEDIA & TECH REPORT FALL 2021
Table of Contents Gurney Elementary................ Page 3 Intermediate School.............. Page 4 Middle School..........................Page 5 High School............................. Page 7 Innovation Center..................Page 9 About Us................................. Page 12
Fall 2021
GURNEY ELEMENTARY
Above: Mrs. Czerr performs a readaloud for students during the first week of school.
LIBRARY STATS
VOLUNTEERS
Gurney Elementary has amazing physical checkout statistics. Between August 2021 and December 2021, 4,929 books were checked out to our readers!
A huge thank you to our volunteers for all of the help with check ins and check outs. We could not manage without you!
MR. DALE TSCHAPPAT Mr. Tschappat joins Mrs. Czerr in library class to teach social emotional wellness lessons for our students.
TECH CORNER WITH MRS. KLODOR New technology, new tools! Gurney Elementary students and teachers have been busy with lots of new technology and tools! The K-2 students have new touchscreen Chromebooks which help students bridge the learning curve between their tapping skills and their typing skills. Gurney teachers are introducing students to new technology tools. Students are using SeeSaw to practice Fundations, Google Slides to write narratives, and Blooket to practice vocabulary! Students in Spanish class used Blooket to study vocabulary words.
Fall 2021
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
Above: Fifth grade students travel to learn about Mayan ruins with Mrs. Klodor.
RESEARCH In library classes, using engaging texts and resources, students have researched adventure and horror fiction genre elements. Students also completed three webquests that consisted of information about seven holidays around the world.
READING
VIRTUAL REALITY
Our three-story library has a wide range of text sections for our students. In addition, our 4th-6th graders have high usage in Sora, our digital platform for eBooks and audiobooks.
Students at the Intermediate School have travelled over space and time, all within their classsrooms, with our virtual reality headsets!
STEM CONNECTION TO TEXTS Our students did a fabulous job creating balloons for Thanksgiving. They used their critical thinking and creativity to create devices that allowed the balloons to stand upright. We paired this activity with the 2011 picture book Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet to help students make connections to the STEM activity.
Fall 2021
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Above: Eighth grade students created mixed media recommendations for ELA.
READING
RESEARCH
With the expansion of our Lucy Calkins reading curriculum, students have increased their reading volume significantly. In addition to our vast digital collection, we house a current collection of fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels for student use.
We aim to prepare students for high school level research endeavors, including our AP Capstone program that students can enter sophomore year. Our library media specialist collaborates with a range of teachers across the curriculum to build these skills in middle school.
IPADS INCREASE ENGAGEMENT FOR 7-12 STUDENTS We are so grateful to the Educational Foundation for approving our grant to add five iPad Pros, Apple Pencils, and Procreate licenses to the Innovation Center offerings. Since the start of the year, the iPads have been checked out over 400 times for both academic and leisure use. We've had one successful design contest, and many students have enjoyed the freedom and creativity the software brings. Even novice artists have bloomed using this equipment. We've had a seventh grade ELA class, tenth grade ELA class, and marketing class use the iPads specifically for curriculum needs, and we look forward to expanding our curricular reach next semester.
CRITICAL THINKING In the Innovation Center, we offer a number of maker activities and leadership opportunities. We provide a space for students to have down-time, but we want to push them to be lifelong learners.
RESEARCH ACROSS THE CURRICULUM Over the past four years, we have built research into the middle school curriculum in as many classrooms as possible. So far this year, we've taught students critical thinking, source evaluation, citation management, and research writing skills in seventh grade science, seventh and eighth grade Spanish, and seventh and eighth grade social studies. We look forward to working with the ELA and music departments next semester as we continue to refine our students' research skills to prepare them for high school and beyond.
CRITICAL THINKING IN THE IC Students practice communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking through EDU challenges Our middle school students have the opportunity to visit the Innovation Center during study halls, recess, and class visits. During the unstructured time when content area teachers aren't leading classes, the staff in the Innovation Center plan a range of programming for student engagement. The Breakout EDU boxes, generously funded by our PTO, draw tons of students into the IC. We plan weekly challenges for students to complete, drawing on district, seasonal, and curricular themes. Students work independently or in small groups to solve challenging puzzles and break into the boxes. Communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity are driving skills for this educational activity. Many teachers enjoy using the Breakout EDU boxes, as we can plan challenges tied to curriculum for them, and our 7-12 teachers typically run class in the Innovation Center for the activity.
INTERNSHIPS The IC hosts middle school students to intern in the space to create displays to promote reading, plan programs, and help out with any projects that come up.
Fall 2021
Fall 2021
HIGH SCHOOL
High school book club draws a large community of readers for weekly meetings.
CAMERON'S COLLECTION Cameron's Collection is a compilation of nearly 100 eBooks dedicated to mental wellness for teens. Books range from topics of stress to mindfulness. Email Angie Jameson for access password.
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AVAILABLE 24/7
MARKETING CLASS PROMOTES LIBRARY PROGRAMMING AND RESOURCES Students in Mr. Bakalar's marketing class explored the various library programs, resources, and created promotional materials for students in grades nine through twelve. Students created videos to inform students of resources like Playaway audiobooks. In addition, students used Google Sites to create portfolios of projects, including fliers to promote our school's mental wellness collection, digital reading app, display ideas, and contest ideas. Some students created t-shirt designs and stickers promoting various resources and opportunities.
TEEN HEALTH AND WELLNESS Students can access a research database with nonjudgmental, straightforward, curricular and self-help support. Topics range from diseases, nutrition, and green living.
INTERNSHIPS We have a number of interns who support library programming, readers advisory, and display creation. Students can count library internships towards graduation service hours, and the group of students have done an array of projects. One of our students created a podcast website to promote various young adult podcasts, while other students have aided in creating displays to promote reading from a range of authors.
COLLEGE LEVEL RESEARCH Students leverage Innovation Center and library resources to succeed in AP Capstone program.
LIBRARY WELLNESS TO GO BAGS Audrey Holmes and Fraya Brattebo plan, organize, and assemble our Library Wellness To-Go bags. The Library Wellness To-Go Bags are funded by our PTO and include crafts, recipes, books, and reading recommendation lists. In October, the girls presented at the state library conference and filled an entire room.
120 BAGS DISTRIBUTED
Fall 2021
AP Seminar and AP Research students rely on the library databases and access to university, state, and local libraries to succeed in their AP Capstone experience. In AP Seminar, students learn how to conduct high-level research and present the findings in groups and individually. Students in the program use Jstor, EBSCOhost, Gale, and other scholarly resources to build arguments and present solutions. Presentations and practice presentations for AP Seminar take place in the Innovation Center using a range of our equipment to present, evaluate, and film for submission to the College Board.
Fall 2021
INNOVATION CENTER
Students prepare Ofrendas to celebrate Day of the Dead.
3,991 STUDENT VISITS Students can spend time researching, reading, creating, building, and thinking critically.
EQUIPMENT
217 CLASS VISITS
Roland VS 540 Printer Epiloq Zing Laser machine Makerbot Mini 3D printer Makerbot replicator 3D printer Forms Lab 2 3D printer Peopoly 3D printer Baby Lock Enterprise Embroidery machine Singer Heavy Duty sewing machine Sawgrass SG800
A diverse range of teachers have held class in the Innovation Center during the fall 2021 semester, including English, science, social studies, business, and many, many more!
MARKETING STUDENTS LEVERAGE EQUIPMENT TO CREATE REAL-LIFE BUSINESS EXPERIENCES During Mr. John Bakalar's marketing class visits, the students used the Baby Lock Enterprise Embroidery Machine along with the Floriani Embroidery software. This combination allowed them to digitize and convert their design into stitching used for hats and bomber jackets. Students also took advantage of the Roland VS 540 Printer and Sawgrass SG800 to heat press sweatshirts. Using these methods, students learned the process and difference between vinyl applications and sublimation applications. Students also used the Roland VS 540 Printer for posters they designed in Canva to market their products.
COLLABORATION WITH SPANISH CLASSES IN THE CREATION LAB Eighth grade students in Mrs. Aranavage's Spanish classes learned about how to use the laser cutter to create Papel decorations to create Ofrendas for Day of the Dead.
PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IN THE CREATION LAB As pictured above, Ms. Polly Mitchell's seventh grade social studies class spent time in the Creation Lab to design and build creative representations of Ancient Roman and Greek figures. Students learned about the research process, wrote biographies, and proposed a visual representation for the figure. Some students worked with TinkerCad to design 3D models while others used the sewing machines to create clothing that their figures would have worn.
A SPACE FOR STUDENTS TO TINKER AND LEARN
Our high school CAD class, led by Ms. Libby Harrold, utilized the laser cutter in the Creation Lab to learn how to use Rhino software, artistic elements, and different materials. Students designed lanterns, received feedback from Ms. Harrold, then printed files in the Creation Lab with the support of Mr. Kimball. Then, students stained the lanterns and set them up with lighting. Fall 2021
During unstructured time like study hall and recess, students and staff have an opportunity to visit the Creation Lab to learn about different programs and machines to bring their ideas to life.
BY THE NUMBERS
Fall 2021
Database Usage
Physical Library Books
Gale eBooks: 184 Gale academic journals: 5,860 Gale search sessions: 6,102 Gale search minutes: 77,868 Gale full text retrievals: 9,137 Jstor Searches: 5,492 Teen Health and Wellness: 293
Checkouts: 6,298
Research Tools NoodleTools projects: 1,395
Sora Usage Books opened: 4,767 Number of hours read: 3,446
THANK YOU District Administration
Board of Education
Dr. Jennifer Penczarski Mr. Chris Woofter Mrs. Jennifer Bencko Mrs. Becky Quinn Mr. Mike Daugherty Dr. Rachel Jones Mrs. Sarah Read Mr. Curtis Howell Mrs. Laila Discenza Ms. Monica Asher Ms. Amanda Rassi
Mrs. Sharon Broz Mrs. Lori Bendall Mrs. Kathryn Garvey Mrs. Lauren Miller Mr. Robert E. Schleper Jr.
Chagrin Falls Community Thank you to the Chagrin Falls community for your support. Without support from our school organizations such as PTO and the Education Foundation, we could not run successful programming and curriculum. We are so grateful to our volunteers for aiding in Gurney's library for checkout, and we couldn't have a successful book fair without our parent volunteers!
Meet Our Team
EMILY GODENSCHWAGER
MARY JO CZERR GURNEY LIBRARY MEDIA AIDE
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA AIDE
MEGHAN BANDO
DAVID KIMBALL
MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA AIDE
MAKERSPACE TECH
MOLLY KLODOR
ANGIE JAMESON
TECHNOLOGY COACH
LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST
SUPPORT STAFF
MEREDITH BEESING MARIA HOENIGMAN COLLEEN LINDERMAN JILL SCHROEDER BETH SONNHALTER ALLISON WOUTERS
