It's been a busy start to the new year in the Learning Center! Check out our latest updates:

The day before Winter Break, we had our first ever Readapalooza! Each classroom chose a book-related theme, decorated, and spent the afternoon traveling to different rooms for new reading experiences. Our incredible and generous PTO hosted a hot chocolate bar in the Eagle's Nest Café (aka the gym)! Representatives from the Northfield-Winnetka Public Library were here to sign up students and staff for new library cards and promote Winter Reading. SLAB planned book trivia, and many students walked away with brand new books as prizes.

It was amazing to see our entire school community come together to celebrate and enjoy a relaxing afternoon of reading. Thank you to everyone for making Readapalooza such a success!

It's a new year, so there are many new clubs in the works! Stay tuned for more updates next month as we get new clubs up and running.

For now, check out the clubs that are currently scheduled:

Maker Club

Maker Club is open to 4th and 5th, and 6th graders. We meet in the Learning Center on Wednesdays during recess! This month, we'll be starting some textile projects including weaving and crochet.

SLAB

SLAB stands for Student Library Advisory Board. We meet on Thursday mornings before school at 7:30 in the Learning Center. Any student can join SLAB! So far this year, we've decided on a new mascot for the LC, created some book displays, learned about taking care of library shelves, and started planning for this year's Battle of the Books. SLAB was also a huge help in planning and running Readapalooza. SLAB is a great club for any students who love spending time in the Learning Center!

Harry Potter Club (4th grade)

Harry Potter club is open to 4th graders and meets on Fridays during recess. We've sorted into houses, made our own wands, and played Harry Potter jeopardy. Any 4th graders interested in Harry Potter are more than welcome to join!

SLAB has been working all year to prepare for Battle of the Books. Starting in February, students will be able to sign up for Battle of the Books.

The official book list and more information is coming soon! If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Gray!

We have a couple of very exciting author visits coming up this Spring! Save the date for...

• Megan Freeman on March 5th
• Jennifer Nielsen on April 23rd

Click on the links below to check out these authors' websites!

We would love to see more Sunset Ridge students at public library events! Check out these awesome upcoming opportunities:

If you have any questions or concerns about the Learning Center, please reach out! I am always happy to collaborate with you. My email is grayl@srd29.org and my phone number is 847-881-9449.