Welcome to Southside LMC!
I'm Susan Quale (rhymes with pauley). I've been at Sparta High School LMC for 10 years and before that taught high school Spanish in Illinois. I have four children, all grown up and on their own! My oldest son lives in San Francisco, my younger daughter in Aspen, CO, my older daughter and her husband in Madison, and my youngest son and his wife in Manhattan. I am enjoying this opportunity to share books, libraries, and learning with your children!
Each class visits the LMC weekly for a 30 minute library activity, lesson and/or story time. Lessons will often be based on classroom learning topics and themes. Library instruction includes book location and selection, card catalog use, parts of a book, and research skills and strategies using print and online sources.
Teachers may also send individual students or small groups during the day to select books or work on special projects.
Book Checkout Policies:
Southside LMC allows books to be checked out for two weeks for students in First, Second and Third grade. Kindergartners check out books for one week. Students are able to check out books from 7:45 to 8:30 AM every day. Books may also be checked out from 2:30 until the end of the school day or while in the LMC with the classroom teacher for a library lesson.
Check out limits are determined by grade level.
Kindergarten: 1 book
First and Second grade: 2 books
Third Grade: 3 books
The LMC Director may change these check-out limits on an individual basis based on the student's past responsibility or need for a class research project.
Book Care
Students will learn or review book care during library class time. It is helpful if parents
talk about book care with their student and follow these guidelines at home:
1. Wash your hands and handle the book carefully. Clean hands are a must!
2. Use a bookmark. Don't bend page corners or write in library books.
3. Turn pages carefully using the corner of the page.
4. Keep books in a safe place at home.
5. Keep books away from babies and pets.
6. Protect books from rain and snow. A plastic bag in your child's school bag is helpful.
7. Let the librarian mend or repair books. Your child should report repair concerns to
the librarian.
Damaged books:
Book checkout is a privilege. Students are expected to be responsible for library books and to return them in good condition. Accidental damage to a book should be reported to the librarian for repair. However, it is the responsibility of the parent to monitor the care of the book while it is at home and to return the book in good condition.
If a book is returned damaged a fine may be charged based on the type and amount of damage.
Overdue Books:
If a book is not returned, an overdue notice will be sent home. Students may not check out another book until the overdue book is returned. Southside LMC does not assess overdue fines. However, if a late book is not returned, it is considered lost. It is then the responsibility of the parent or guardian to pay the replacement cost of the book.
Southside LMC needs you!
Volunteer opportunities include help with shelving books, processing new books, dusting and straightening shelves, decorating for holidays, and other library tasks. If you have some time available, please contact me at squale@spartan.org or call Susan Quale at 269-8186 ext 4026.
Your volunteer time does not have to be of great length or regularly scheduled. After some "basic training", drop-in times would work well, too. Your assistance will be very welcome and greatly appreciated!
Reading is Power
From Richard W. Riley
U.S. Secretary of Education (1997)
Seven Good Practices for Families
Read together. It's the starting point for all learning.
Stay in regular contact with your child's teacher. Check homework everyday.
Talk directly to your children about the values you want them to have and about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, tobacco.
Take the time – those moments talking at meals and visiting the library, museum, or zoo do make a difference.
Use TV wisely. Limit viewing to no more than two hours on a school day.
Join with your child's teachers and principal to compare your school program with high standards of excellence so your children can reach their full potential.
Know where your children are. Support community efforts to keep children safe and off the streets after hours.
Good Web Resources For Kids
Kindergarten Websites
http://www.cssd.org/hmes/library/kindergarten.htm
Learning Games Websites
http://www.earobics.com/gamegoo/gooey/html
http://www.ala.org/gwstemplate.cfm?section=greatwebsites&template=/cfapps/gws/default.cfm
English and Spanish
http://www.literacycenter.net
Science
http://www.learningscience.org/
