The first semester of the 2023-24 school year is nearly behind us - just hang in there a little bit longer. Dig deep into your reserves and get ready for some well deserved down time with family and friends. Read on to learn about....

• The DCHS Winter Break Reading Challenge (Do you have your Beanstack app ready?)
• Semester II Support
• Book and Bake Club highlights
• Book Notes
• IndyPL holiday hours

Take your own mental journey over the winter break and get swept away by reading a great book! Read what you love and track your reading minutes in our Beanstack app! This challenge will be for ebooks and print books only. Don't worry, an audio book challenge is coming during semester two!

The Beanstack app is where you will track reading minutes to earn badges. Those who earn all of the challenge badges will be entered into drawings for treats. This reading challenge is open to DCHS staff and students.

HOW TO ACCESS DCHS BEANSTACK:

Please download the Beanstack app from the app store.

1. Upon opening the app, tap "Let's Go" and then "At my library, school, or bookstore."
2. Tap "Find a Site" and enter Decatur Central in the search box.
3. Choose our school from the search result to be taken to the login page.

• Students will sign in with their student username - see your email for the password students will use.
• Staff will sign in with their first part of their district email and you can see your email for the password to use.

Sign into the web platform using the same credentials. Here you should see the teacher admin side. Adults may toggle from the teacher admin side to their own reader side by using the buttons on the far right edge of the screen.

I.C.Y.M.I: The April volume of Beecher Feature (below) contains video support as well.

Do you need a source for ebooks? Remember the SORA and Libby apps are great! Reach out if you need assistance in setting up your account. We love free things! I'm sure most of you have the Libby app - but have you added SORA yet? Why am I asking? Because when you add resources that are targeting our teens, then you'll know more about how to support them! The SORA app (the platform is on our DCHS MC website, too), houses a collection specifically for YA but you can add a library to widen the net. Learn how here!

Review information about SORA from the Beecher Feature Fall 2023 edition.

What is something that can raise one's blood pressure, push anxiety levels to the limit, and increase desire to curl up in a ball under a desk? Well for me it is going to the dentist. For many, it is trying something new, and outside the comfort zone with a class of 30 teens. I get it.

We're here to help. Next semester, as part of our PD schedule, your DCHS library will be offering support in designing BreakOutEDU activities. If this is something you would like to try, next semester would be the ideal time since you will have dedicated days/time to work on whatever PD activity you choose. The format of the PD will be the same as first semester. You'll have four sessions with the goal of walking away with a lesson/activity ready to go! Erica Sanders and Hannah Karl will be sharing information regarding other PD topics so stay tuned!

Our final session of 2023 was full of holiday cheer along with great discussion around our book, A Wrinkle in Time. There are so many great lessons to be gleaned from Madeleine L'Engle's famous work. Most of our readers opted for the graphic novel version; I had a few extra on hand since I'd hoped we would do a graphic novel book anyway. So, DC teachers, if you're looking for a lit circle title, consider this one - the Lexile may be below grade level but I assure you that you'll draw themes from the content that are very relevant to our kids today.

Now, enjoy some Book & Bake Club shenanigans - Mr. Bodine, I could not resist sharing this! (#sorrynotsorry)

Back by popular demand (and yes, they demanded it) was the Christmas crack. Was it my first choice, perhaps not, but how can I deny these awesome readers and eaters their favorite holiday treat this time of year? To go along with the obvious sugar rush, Ms. Krell and I taught the students how to make their own hot chocolate mix. It was a huge hit. This particular recipe was one given to me by one of my oldest friends who's mother would make this for us all winter long after hours of frolicking in the snow. Her hot chocolate was legendary in our neighborhood so it was a special treat for me, personally to revisit that memory and be able to share it with another generation. Now....we just need a few more lessons on proper measuring, right Ms. Krell? 😉

I would like to give a shout-out to the adults who were especially supportive with our Book & Bake Club this semester. These adults are deeply appreciated by Ms. Krell, and me. From offering to "sponsor" an ingredient (grant funding does not cover consumables) to showing up and participating after a loooooong day in the trenches (err....classroom).

Mr. Lewis, Ms. Burks, Mr. Bodine, Mr. Shanzel, and Ms. Swanson....you have no idea how much your participation matters. Ms. Krell and I are so thankful for your time and dedication!! 🥰

Come on.....you're curious, right? You want to know what folks love to read - even our littles! For those with younger children, you know what a treat it is to see their eyes light up with excitement during family read aloud time. The power of a story is magical. The images one can conjure in their mind's eye is much better than what Hollywood can produce. So, without anymore yammering from me, here are the top picks of 2023 from my favorite professional journal, School Library Journal.