Pride Month Display & Events

Pride Week & Month!

Book Display • Books • Resources • Events

Come to the MHMS Library Media Center and Check Out Our Book Display & Get ‘Em Now While You Can!

Pride Month Book Display! Last Day to Check out Books – Friday, May 27 – All Books Due June 3

Grab a copy of our Top 25 LGBTQIA+ List of Fiction Books (Links to an external site.)   Or come to the Library Media Center for a paper version on display.  We’re featuring both fiction and nonfiction books!

From our Instagram Posts:

Hey #MHMSMd Mountain Lions come check out our #MHMSPride 🏳️‍🌈 book display! You still have another week or so to check out a book & these are awesome! We have always been and hope will always be a #SafeSpace for all our kids! #LGBTQIA+ #Ally We’re featuring both fiction and nonfiction books! #NOCensorship here!

🏳️‍🌈One of my students checked out a book from this display right after I finished setting it up and asked – “Do my parents know what books I check out from here?” To which I replied, “Nope. Not this year. You have the right to read whatever you want with full belief of confidentiality. We would never out you. But Politics can change things. “

Yes, sadly, there are some school districts and states that want to notify parents of the books they check out!”   HORROR! 

Why does it seem like we’re going backwards and not forwards? i’d like to hear what you think of the comments. It scares me!

This is the full pyramid display! 🏳️‍🌈 #MHMSMd Mountain Lions come on in & check out our #MHMSPride book display!

We have always been, and hope to always be, a #SafeSpace for all our kids! #LGBTQIA+ #Ally

MISSING!!! Update FOUND!


Sad true story though, my rainbow Narwhal stuffed animal pictured above has gone missing! Just hoping some middle school kid needed it more than we did. If not, I hope it’s brought back. Can you help him find his way home?

 

HCPSS Pride Week Events!

From Ms. DuPuis of HHS:

Join us for HCPSS Pride Week June 6 – 12, 2022!

Visit: bit.ly/HCPSSRainbow to learn more about our HCPSS Pride week activities and to register for one or more of our events.

Monday, June 6th – Rainbow Vision Reception at Busboys and Poets 

Poetry slam combined with a meet and greet in a special reception for our middle and high school students who were published in our third volume of Rainbow Vision. Registration required.

Tuesday, June 7th – Read the Rainbow Virtual Event/Shake Shack Fundraiser 

Authors JR and Vanessa Ford will join us for a special reading and discussion of their book, Calvin.

Open to all. Registration required.

Also, join us at Shake Shack at The Mall in Columbia any time today and mention code GIVEBACK and HCPSS Pride.

Wednesday, June 8th – Family Hikes @ Howard County Conservancy 

Join us at either 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 o’clock pm for a family-friendly hike.

Registration required and space is limited.

Thursday, June 9th – Main Event Fundraiser 

Join us from 6:00-9:00pm at Main Event at The Mall in Columbia for a fundraiser!

Be sure to drop your receipt at the HCPSS Pride table before you exit.

Friday, June 10th – Movie Night 

Join us for one of two different movies tonight!

The Half of It (PG-13) will be showing at 7pm at Long Reach High School

The Mitchells VS the Machines (PG) will be showing at 7pm at Oakland Mills High School

Popcorn donated by E.C.Pops. Registration required.

Saturday, June 11th – Centennial Park Clean-Up 

Open to middle and high school students and adult volunteers. Earn 3 hours of community service doing one of several service activities with Howard County Recreation and Parks.

Registration and a waiver are required for participation.

On Friday, June 10th,  

we invite all HCPSS students, staff, and community members to wear rainbows in allyship of the LGBTQ+ Community. 

HCPSS Pride Week – Elementary

HCPSS Pride Flyer

Shared by:

Danielle DuPuis, NBCT
pronouns: she/her/hersLibrarian/Media Specialist/Video Production Teacher
SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Alliance) Co-sponsor
Rainbow Conference Coordinator

 

Calling all Creatives – Rainbow Vision!

Rainbow Vision Literary Magazine

ISO student submissions!

“Rainbow Vision is specifically looking for material for our literary magazine that has an LGBTQIA+ theme, is written by LGBTQIA+ authors AND their allies, and/or is written for an LGBTQIA+ audience. We are currently accepting short stories, poetry, art work, song lyrics, personal narratives, essay, film/video, music/audio, photography, script/play/manuscript, drawing, etc.” – Ms. Danielle DuPuis

The deadline to submit is April 1st.

Click HERE to submit your creative products   

Please Note: Only open to HCPSS Students

Questions? Contact Ms. Danielle DuPuis, Library Media Specialist at Hammond High School – danielle_dupuis@hcpss.org

View Last year’s Magazine! 

Our May 2020 issue of Rainbow Vision received an “Excellent” rating from NCTE’s REALM. (Links to an external site.)

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“Teachers and students are encouraged to share this magazine. However, we’d ask that you not reprint or repost content publicly without permission. If you’d like a hard copy of this magazine or would like permission to post on your site, please email pride@hcpss.org for more details.”

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Students & Families: The MHMS Daring School Library Media Center has always been a Safe Space for ALL of our Students!  READ: Our School Library is a Safe Space 

 

Got Curbside Books?

Our MHMS Curbside Library Media Book

Pick Up Program is Going Strong!

HOW This Works:

Hey Murray Hillers!

As I’ve mentioned in my many Canvas messages and grade level Student Resource Course announcements (you’ve read all those, right?) Our Curbside Book Pick-Up Program is going strong!  The only snag has been our PAC system sometimes goes down for maintenance. If you try to shop for books and the page won’t load let me know ASAP so I can get on the phone to yell at them to fix it.  Errr… I mean, so I can gently alert them to the problem. 

  • Follow the directions & fill out the Curbside Book Pick Up Google Form
  • Submit the form before 1pm by TUESDAY (late requests get filled the following week)
  • Only 1 Graphic Novel Per Kid at a Time – because they’re so dang popular!  Get a chapter or non-fiction book to go with instead!
  • Come to MHMS starting Wednesday from 10:00am to pick up your requested books on the cart in the front vestibule of the school. (That area between the two set of front doors)  Look for your name on the paper bag or post-it note.
  • If you miss the Wednesday pick up time, the Curbside Book Pickup Media Cart will be in the school front vestibule open M-F during school hours 8am-3:30pm. If you request a book but don’t pick it up after 3 weeks we’ll most likely bring it back in & put it back on the shelf so another student can check it out. Please only take the book with your name on it! No rando shopping! lol

How To Directions Slideshow

Please place returning or overdue books on the bottom shelf!

Can’t get out of the house? Prefer reading an eBook? Check out my presentation Doggone Clever Stuff for info about eBooks from MackinVia, how to read an eBook in the presentation above,  read books on Actively Learn, and the Howard County Public Library. 

~Ms. Gwyneth Jones – Library Media Specialist & Ms. Kathi Bell – Media Assistant

Not sure if you have an overdue book? Check your Office365 Email (link on bottom of hcpss.me) to see if you’ve received a notice that you’re OVERDUE! — Your Email address is: yournamelogin#@inst.hcpss.org – You may have to designate that we’re EASTERN STANDARD Time – NYC or Washington DC. Canvas inbox or email me if you have questions.

Questions?

Problems?

Message Ms. Gwyneth Jones through Canvas Inbox.

See my INSTAGRAM post @TheDaringLibrarian for pics of our NEW BOOKS!

Hey there, still reading? Cool.

Are you a Sixth Grader?

We REALLY need the 310 (Eep!) HCPSS Media Books that some of you still have checked out belonging to your former elementary schools to be returned ASAP.

Some kids have up to 5 books each – that’s a LOT of books!

If you could please drop them off to your previous Elementary school that would be great! They’ll be SO happy!

For Laurel Woods – there’s a Return Book Drop bucket avail from 8am-4pm 

For Gorman Crossing – there’s a Gator Drop Off box from avail 8am-4pm

These are either out front of the building or just inside the vestibule – no need to enter the building. YAY!  Please wear your masks. Any other HCPSS school just call the front office & find out the drop off spot & the hours! 

If you can’t manage that, you can drop them off at MHMS and we’ll make every effort to get them back to the right Library Media Collection.

Back To School – Yes, We’re Virtually Awesome!

Virtual Learning Fall 2020 

Welcome Back to School!

Well, hello! I’m so happy you’re here! This is a start of a school year unlike any we’ve ever experienced before. Duh! I know, right? But still, I have to say it because we’re all learning how to navigate this virtual landscape together. (Would that it could look like Second Life or Minecraft! LOL) 

But I do know, is that we are determined, as a community, to make this work as best we can for everybody and that I’m here for you!

For the first few weeks of school Ms. Bell and I will be busy helping kids & teachers with technology challenges, issues, & questions. If you’re experiencing issues you would like to discuss, please stop by we’ll help you – first come, first serve! Or, we can set up an appointment. Either way, we’ve got you!

Bitmoji RecessMHMS Media Virtual Recess for all grades will start in a few weeks!

I’ll be sending out an announcement to let you know where & when! Until then, we’ll be totally busy with our Tech Help Desk.

Be Your Own Tech Ninja!

Are you good at Canvas? Submitting Google Cloud Canvas assignments?  When things go wrong with your device or technology do you find ways to fix it? Are you unafraid to update your Chrome browser or Chromebook? Do you look for answers on Google or YouTube when you get an error message? If so, you are your own Tech Ninja! Be as proactive and daring to persevere and solve your tech snags as you are when playing a video game!  Go Ninja Go!

If you’re looking for tech help be sure to visit our MHMS website and the page:

Tech Help for Students & Families.


Now for some Doggone Clever Stuff!

Summer Reading 2020

It’s Summer Reading Time!

Here’s the Howard County Middle School Summer Reading List!

 

Download the PDF and look for these titles!

Middle School

High School

Don’t forget, there are 100+ eBooks available to ALL MHMS kids through our Clever & Mackin account!

From our friendly neighborhood Howard County Public Library Savage Branch Teen Librarian:

Summer Reading: Imagine Your Story (Ages 11-17) (Jun 01 – Aug 31)

SUMMER READING: IMAGINE YOUR STORY!  

Track your reading, play fun educational mini-games, and find missions full of activities! 

Earn points and unlock badges as you go. A new Mission will be added every Monday.  

Earn 1 point for each Mission you complete or book you log. Missions may be completed in any order.  

Each book logged as part of a mission earns 1 bonus point.  

When you have reached a total of 10 points, you have officially completed Summer Reading 2020! 

 

What happens after you earn 10 points? Keep on reading! Continue reading, logging books and completing Missions to earn up to an additional 4 points and 4 badges! 

PRIZES FOR COMPLETING SUMMER READING  

When you complete Summer Reading, you will earn a donation to the Community Action Council of Howard County!*  

 

* Friends & Foundation of Howard County Library System will make a donation of up to $5000 in food and goods to the Community Action Council of Howard County after Summer Reading ends. Donations earned by each reader will have a variable value.  

If you are interested in donating directly to CAC or learning more about their services in Howard county, please visit cac-hc.org. 

Sponsored by Friends & Foundation of Howard County Library System. 

HCPSS Kids: Stay Connected!

Here are some ways to stay connected during the summer, including enrichment activities, reading lists and programs, the free summer meal program and more.

Keep Calm & Read On!

Hello, kids, parents, our community!

I’m not gonna lie, it’s kinda weird out there right now but I truly believe we’re going to be OK. Things will get back to normal. They always do. #History. I don’t know when, but they will. Practicing positivity is important and good for you! That, and washing your hands! In the meantime, HCPSS and our education partners have some cool and FREE resources for you!

Don’t forget we’re all in this together — even if we’re physically apart right now. I will try and update this post as I stay at home and help my community and to take care of my family. Starting with scrubbing all floors and not letting anyone inside with shoes on. It’s a slipper & sock zone only! I so heart fuzzy socks!

FREE Grab-N-Go Meals in the parking lot of Laurel Woods Elementary and 8 other locations throughout the county.

HCPSS Continuity of Learning

From a recent email to all HCPSS educators from our amazing Superintendent Dr. Michael J. Martirano:

“I’ve had the opportunity to check in at a few of our meal distribution sites, where I have been proud to observe our Food Services staff members hard at work ensuring children continue to have access to nutritious meals while schools are closed. Today on our second day of distribution, 5,304 meals were served at our nine sites. I am grateful that HCPSS is able to provide this service and I’m even more pleased that we have been able to expand our typical meal offerings to include three meals each day. I encourage all families to take advantage of this service.” ….also from Dr. M 

“On Friday, all students went home with a document that detailed ideas for engaging students in learning activities while schools are closed. These resources are posted online and have been translated into multiple languages. While the activity ideas do not represent the same level of instruction that occurs in our schools, they are intended to help keep our students stay intellectually active while they are at home during this closure.” 

I have to confess, I’m an unabashed fangirl for our Sup! And it’s not to curry favor or kiss butt, I’m retiring in 3 or 4 years! He’s just all that, has his heart in the right place, and he brought back our School Library Media Assistants after they were cut by she who will not be named!

Oh and I gotta warn you, if you’re new to this blog or my Daring Librarian professional blog — I write in a conversational style and I use a lot of exclamation marks. Kinda like Elaine Bennis. Just. Like. That!

Got Books? 

The last day before we left for this unexpected early spring break, I checked out a LOT OF BOOKS! There were no limits on how many books our readers could check out. From one book to 10, I encouraged our students to take as many home as they could hold! I even offered string bags to carry them in. Did I check out enough books? NEVER! lol

But if you didn’t get a chance to come by the Library Media Center and get some books, it’s OK….you have other resources!  Keep reading!

 

ALL HCPSS kids can access great stuff using their school login.
Every HCPSS kid can log into hcpss.me – from there you can get to all kinds of great resources! FREE eBooks from MackinVia and more! The kid has to remember his/her Active Directory or school login & password. Outside our school server they may need to add @inst.hcpss.org to their regular login – see below.

example regular login: dvader9644
another way to login: dvader9644@inst.hcpss.org

3/30/2020 — NEW! Students now have the ability to reset their Active Directory HCPSS Network (Canvas, GSuite, & Synergy) passwords without intervention from HCPSS staff – please direct parents & students to this new resource:

 From Dr. Martirano’s HCPSS Update:

Advanced Placement (AP) Online Review
Beginning on Wednesday, March 25, the College Board will provide free, online, live AP review courses, delivered by AP teachers from across the country. These courses are optional, mobile-friendly and available on-demand, so they can be accessed at any time. The focus is on reviewing skills and concepts from the first 75% of the AP course, with some supplementary lessons covering the final 25% of the course. Access course schedules on the AP Students website.

Digital Resources for Elementary Students
Elementary Students can log on through hcpss.me to use:

  • Wixie: an online publishing and creativity platform that lets students share what they know through their writing, their voice, and their art.
  • Type to Learn: an online, research-based keyboard curriculum that includes pre-tests, lessons, assessments, and typing games and activities tailored to grades 3-5.

Naviance Resources for Middle and High School Students
Naviance is a comprehensive college, career and life readiness program that allows students to explore career interests, begin their post-secondary exploration and discover careers matched to their interests. Find more details online. Students can log in through hcpss.me, then click Naviance.


DISCLAIMER: I am sharing these resources in good faith that at the time I curated this list the offers, logins, and sites were active. However,  at any time, the companies listed could change their permissions. Access problems? Please contact the companies directly. I’m sorry I can’t troubleshoot for you. Mostly because I’m lazy. For the record: I have not NOT been sponsored or compensated (not even a cool T-shirt or swag!) for any inclusion on this list.


Don’t have eBooks, a Kindle device, or other Digital Reader

Hello YouTube!

You can listen to loads of books read aloud on YouTube! Search for audiobooks & your favorite author, title, or subject. Here’s a great example from one of my favorite authors Neil Gaiman.

The 6 Best Audio Books You Can Listen to For Free on YouTube 

Here’s my Curated YouTube Playlist of 30+ FULL Audiobooks (I will be adding to this, would love suggestions!) of FREE Audiobooks – You know Harry Potter had to be #1!

ALL HCPSS Kids can get to these FREE digital eBooks & audiobooks from MackinVia.

Free Online Events and Activities for Kids at Home

by our friends at Common Sense Media – Including LIVE Virtual Storytimes!  Provide some structure and schedule to your family’s day (updated regularly).

SMUSD Library at Home from my Californian friends 
From Katie Boone: Here’s a free access and resource from our partners Capstone and PeppbleGo  “You have been set up with free remote access to PebbleGo and Capstone Interactive eBooks. This access is valid through June 30, 2020 (The majority of you already subscribed to PebbleGo can of course continue to use your school’s login credentials). We hope these resources are helpful to your school and your students during this sensitive time.” 

Student Access Instructions

  • PebbleGo:
    • Visit www.pebblego.com and click “Sign In”
    • Username: engaged
    • Password: learning

Additionally, the following resources may be helpful for community communication and usage:

Super Resources from Scholastic! 

Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing.

“Even when schools are closed, you can keep the learning going with these special cross-curricular journeys. Every day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a thrilling, meaningful story or video. Kids can do them on their own, with their families, or with their teachers. Just find your grade level and let the learning begin! -The Editors of Scholastic Classroom Magazines.”

From PBS Learning Works:PreK-12 Resources for Emergency Closings

“As teachers, students, and families deal with school closures, PBS LearningMedia producers and educators have come together to curate a special collection of resources organized by grade and subject area. Find videos, lesson plans, and activities that support learning at home. Create a free account to save and organize content.”

From our partners in learning Follett School Solutions (PreK-12)

“Follett has created a resource page outlining the array of eLearning solutions, including Collections by Destiny, Follett Destiny Discover, WebPath Express, and more. Video tutorials, forums and instructions for accessing these solutions also are available.

To help schools with eLearning during the closures, Follett announced March 11 it is waiving the cost for current Destiny customers through June 30 for its Classroom Ready Collections (CRC), which are standards-aligned, educator-curated Open Educational Resources (OER) that include lesson plans, activities, videos and worksheets. More than 2,300 free CRC licenses have been activated in less than a week.”

UPDATE:

“To help make eLearning easier, we are providing free access to eBooks from Lightbox™ and AV2 World Languages through June 30, 2020. You can register for access here.

Lightbox™ offers over 1000 PreK-12 titles in science, social studies, language arts, math and more. AV2 World Languages features high-interest titles in 10 different languages with full audio support.

Parents and students will find these resources interactive, easy to use and a great way for students to independently explore a new topic. We hope that you, your students and their families find this helpful during this challenging time.

Visit Follett Community for more details on this offer and other free eLearning resources available through Follett Destiny Discover®

 

 

Musical Bookcases

The last couple weeks (before testing starts again!) we’ve had a LOT of fun with a new book selection activity I’m calling #MusicalBookcases.  It was a little crazy, super fun, & very kinesthetic! I really need to beef up our circulation numbers, aka, getting more books into the hands of kids. 

 

Here’s a sneak peek at how it was in action!


For Librarians and Teachers looking for how to do this in your school, more info coming soon on my professional blog!
Below is my eye-rolling & somewhat cringeworthy YouTube instruction “how to” directions for the kiddos. Even with that, I still lost my voice by the end the day today! Think about the “flipping the classroom” or library type of addition to the activity.

 

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