SEPTEMBER 2019

CPCSC READS
NEWS
The Monthly Newsletter of the Clark Plesant
Community Schools Library Media Centers

THE IMPORTANCE OF AUTHOR VISITS

by Stacey Kern and Rain Smith
Recently, a report out of the UK found that author visits to schools positively
affect children's relationship to reading and literacy. Students in schools where
In this newsletter: an author visits within each academic school year showed high responses in
personal confidence in reading and enjoyment of reading. There is some early
data that also suggests that these same students are reading well above level.
The sad part of this study is that only 1 in 4 students were in a school that had
a yearly author visit. That number is 0 in 4 when you look at students in poverty.
The Importance of Author There has not been a large study yet here in the U.S., but we know author visits
are less accessible and less frequent in schools here. Author visits can be
Visits
expensive and difficult to coordinate, and it is often "one more thing" to do in a
Page 01 busy school year.
We value the importance of author visits here in CPCSC. In the past 6 years,
CPMS has had 12 of authors visit in person and 6 more by Skype. This year,
Reading the Rosies Jason Reynolds will be at CPMS in November, and each of our elementaries were
Page 02 offered seats for this visit. Last year, WCHS hosted Annie Sullivan and is excited
to have Mindy McGinnis this month. Both CPMS & WCHS have already
scheduled author visits for next year, and we are continually looking for more
Spotlight on SMART authors and opportunities including those for our elementaries.
Page 03 In addition, we have the added help of our location to see more authors. Our
local indiependant book sellers Wild Geese Inc. and Kids Ink both host authors.
JCPL has an author's series which includes adult, YA and children's authors
Banned Books Week multiple times a year. Even the GPL and Indy PL have free and low cost author
Page 03 visits available for our students to attend.
We are always diligently looking for more opportunities for our students K-12
to be exposed to, meet and know authors locally and worldwide. If you would
CPCSC Reads Reminders like to know more about author visits OR know a group or orgnization that would
love to sponsor one, please let Stacey or Rain know.
Page 04
CPCSC Reads News| page 01
 READING THE ROSIES
by Brooke Fuentes

The Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Rosie Award) is chosen annually by students across Indiana in grades 9
through 12. Students at participating high schools, public libraries, or homeschoolers who read any of approximately 20
nominated books are eligible to rate each book they've read. The votes are tabulated each May, and the winner is announced.
The purpose of the Rosie Award is to encourage independent reading among high school students. It also promotes
cooperation between school administrators, media specialists, teachers and public librarians in broadening reading programs.
Rosie promotes reading across the curriculum.

The idea of lists has always intrigued me. I like to have lists of options when making a decision. I feel more accomplished
during the day when even the most simple of tasks goes onto my to-do list so that I can check it off. I’m constantly making lists
of books to read, movies to watch, restaurants to try, apps/extensions to start using, etc. So obviously when I was in our media
center last month and saw the new Eliot Rosewater nominees list complete with checklist bookmark, I immediately made the
commitment to read them all.
This isn’t my first year seeing the list or the enticing posters around the media center, but this year my mindset about reading
is different. In past years, the only reading I do for me has been in the summer. I would voraciously read all summer, and as soon
as school would start, no more. This year is different. For 2019, I made the resolution to focus a little more energy on my self-
care, and reading for fun is my self-care.
Besides the fun checklist and nice poster, I was drawn to the list because I had already read and enjoyed four of the titles
listed (The Hate U Give, Long Way Down, One of Us is Lying, and Turtles All the Way Down). It was even more intriguing that two
books that I knew were on my “to read” list were Rosewater books (The 57 Bus and Born a Crime). I’m also an audiobook junky,
and I immediately found that I could read seven of the books aurally.
Reading the books on this list has been interesting thus far. I’ve completed five more books since I started, and while I’ve
liked most of them, I don’t think I would’ve read any of them if it weren’t for the list. I hadn’t realized until I started reading and
seeking out the books what a wide variety is represented on the list. I’ve read a graphic novel, two romances, a science fiction,
and a “sports book.” There are one or two that I probably wouldn’t have finished if I wasn’t trying to complete the list, but they
certainly weren’t awful. My favorite of the books I hadn’t already read when starting this venture is Backfield Boys. It’s about two
boys who go to a private high school on football scholarships, and they uncover much more than sports going on at the school.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.

CPSCS Reads News | page 02

SPOTLIGHT ON SMART: RBDigital
by Stacey Kern
RBDigital offers some phenomenal resources that make it possible for CPCSC students
and staff to delve into self-paced musical and artistic instruction, to take a shot at picking up
a new language, and to relax with a plethora of audiobooks and digital magazines. It is
easiest for users of the platforms to create an account in the RBDigital gateway to get started.
Each platform also boasts their own apps for ease of use. Students under the age of 13 do
need to have a parent or guardian grant them permission to use ArtistWorks and Transparent
Language Online. Take a look at what RBDigital offers: Click Icons
for Links
ArtistWorks for Libraries
Provides world-class instruction through self-paced video lessons from Grammy Award-
winning music and artistic professionals.
Transparent Language Online
The most comprehensive, effective, and engaging way to learn over 120 languages,
including Arabic, Chinese, ESL, French, Hindi, Japanese, Punjabi, Spanish and many more!
RBDigital Audiobooks
Listen to thousands of downloadable audiobooks on a mobile device or transfer to a portable
device with the RBdigital app. Only available to 10-12 grade students and adults.
RBDigital Magazines
Check out and download popular magazines on your computer and mobile devices with the
RBdigital app. Only available to 10-12 grade students and adults.

CELEBRATE BANNED BOOKS WEEK

by Rain Smith
Banned Books Week (September 22-28, 2019) is an annual event
celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of
September, it spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in
libraries and schools. It brings together the entire book community —
librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all
types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas,
even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

This year's theme for Banned Books Week is:

Censorship Leaves Us In The Dark: Keep A Light On

Let's celebrate the freedom and right to read for everyone.

For more information visit: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks

or https://bannedbooksweek.org/

If you have questions on how to deal with censorship or challenging

materials, please ask your professional school library media specialists!

CPSCS Reads News | page 03

 CPCSC READS REMINDERS
WE LOVE READING! And we love hearing about and seeing your reading. Leaders are Readers!

Be sure you are posting your books on your CPCSC Reads Poster. Need one? Ask in your LMC. Want
a moji one? Email Rain Smith.

Record a book recommendation! Ask Stacey Kern how.

Be sure you are reading and passing on our Pass It On Book: For Everyone by Jason Reynolds .

Wear your CPCSC Reads Bracelet.

Use our hashtag on all your social media. #CPCSCReads

There is no such thing as a child who hates to read.

There are only children who have not found the right book.

-Frank Serafini

Contact Us:
CPCSC Reads News is a publication of the Clark Pleasant Community School Corporation Library Media Centers.
For questions or more information please contact School Library Media Specialists Stacey Kern, CPMS
skern@cpcsc.k12.in.us or Raenell M. Smith, WCHS, rsmith@cpcsc.k12.in.us

Clark Pleasant Community Schools

Patrick Spray, Superintendent
50 Center Street
Whiteland, IN 46184

CPCSC Reads News | page 04