LRC Weekly Update

This week in the library, we are celebrating a heartwarming Icelandic tradition perfect for the holidays: Jólabókaflóð (pronounced roughly Yo-la-boh-ka-flot), or the "Christmas Book Flood."

This beloved custom is central to the Icelandic holiday season. Because most books are published in the weeks leading up to Christmas, Icelanders exchange books on Christmas Eve and then spend the evening reading them, often while enjoying a cup of hot cocoa. It’s a wonderful tradition that emphasizes reading, cozy comfort, and thoughtful gifting.

🎁 How We'll Celebrate in the Library

We are bringing the spirit of Jólabókaflóð to our library lessons this week with a gift exchange focused on the joy of reading! Also, students will check-in books, but there will be no check-out this week. :)

1. The Draw: Each student will reach into a Santa hat and draw the name of a classmate they will be gifting books to.

2. The Flood: Students will then head to a special section of the library where hundreds of books are available.

3. The Gift: Each student will thoughtfully select two books for the person whose name they drew.

4. The Assembly: To complete the Jólabókaflóð gift, students will put their chosen books into a winter gift bag along with:

   • A hot cocoa packet (for that cozy reading experience!)

   • A name tag to write their recipient's name.

   • A special bookmark explaining the tradition of the Icelandic Book Flood.

5. The Exchange: Before the end of their library time that day, students will personally deliver their completed Jólabókaflóð gift to their designated classmate!

This lesson encourages empathy, thoughtful selection, and fosters a love of reading by making books the center of a beautiful, global holiday tradition!

As we continue using our school-issued devices, we’ve recently observed an increase in unusual wear and tear on our student chromebooks, leading to higher repair costs and downtime. We would appreciate your support in reinforcing these critical care reminders with your students:

Key Areas of Concern

• Careful Handling: We've seen an uptick in damage from how devices are handled. Please remind students to be extra careful when carrying and moving their chromebooks around the classroom and building. Two hands are always best!

• Physical Damage: We are seeing instances of keys being taken off the keyboard and the fascia (bezel) coming apart from the screen. This is often due to picking at the device or dropping it.

Please take a moment to review basic care expectations with your class. Consistent reminders about keeping food and drinks away from devices and placing them gently into storage will help ensure these learning tools last for the rest of the year.

Thank you for helping us maintain our technology resources!

Chromebook Troubleshooting Tips

Here's a how-to slideshow with some basic troubleshooting tips for chromebooks. It includes information on how to fix a sideways screen, clearing your cache and turning off accessibility mode.

Vivi Updates - Extended Screen

For those who wanted to extend their desktops instead of mirror your screen you now can! Using the desktop vivi app you can set up multiple screens. Here's a quick how-to from microsoft or please reach out to Kristine to help!

YouTube Update

Elementary students cannot access YouTube as of June 2025. While this has its good points it may create a wrinkle in your teaching if you want students to utilize secondary video sources. But fear not! there is a workaround.

If you want to continue to use YouTube videos and have students access them you can embed them in google slides. If you have any questions about how to embed videos in your slides please reach out to Kristine. :)

Daily Sub Tech Capabilities

New this year, daily subs will use a chromebook issued from the LRC. These devices can connect to Vivi using classlink, however, daily subs do not have the ability to print.

They also do not have access to many Classlink and instructional apps. Please keep this in mind when you are planning an absence.

Below is a snapshot of what you're daily substitute will see in classlink.

• Helpdesk Ticket Portal

• Vivi Connect Directions (Windows+K DOES NOT WORK)

• How to Pin a Website to Task Bar

• How to add a printer

• 2025-26 List - D303 Approved Instructional Technology

• SOPPA reference

• Schoology Commitments 25-26

• share your story here - D303 News

• How to import content from old course - Schoology Support