Back to School

Tiffani Roltgen brings a fresh perspective to the YSS Blog. With blogs from the school library side of things in Verona, WI, we are always excited to hear from Tiffani!

Dear Youth Librarians,

My name is Tiffani Roltgen, and I am the library director/teacher librarian at New Century School and Verona Area International School in Verona, WI. I love my local public library and am thrilled to share some suggestions to help build partnerships between schools and libraries.  

Back to School season brings with it a variety of emotions. Here are some simple and engaging ways to help families with the transition. 

• Set up a Back to School paper chain countdown craft station. Support math and fine motor skills with a simple passive activity that allows students and families to create a way to count down the days until school begins.

Photo by Tiffani Roltgen

• Display Back to School books featuring a wide variety of characters and families. Include titles about the range of feelings students may experience from excitement and anticipation to nervousness and sadness that summer is coming to an end. Be sure to include Your Name is a Song, The Magical Yet, First Day Around the World, The Proudest Blue, and The Day You Begin.

• Create an interactive “Summer Memories” board where students and families can post their favorite activities and stories from the summer months. This will jump start those narrative writing skills and help mark and celebrate the transition from summer to school.

• Offer helpful handouts for caregivers such as information about ways to ease the school transition, how to adjust bedtimes, or laminated morning routine or backpack checklists for families to post and use during busy mornings. Consider hosting a freezer meals or lunchbox workshop to inspire quick and creative nutrition.

• Don’t forget the teachers and staff! Help reacquaint them with public library resources including classroom library cards that allow them to check out materials without worries about charges for lost items, time saving services like placing holds on multiple copies of a book, field trip opportunities, or kits that support classroom activities such as science or mindfulness. 

Photo by Krista Brinkmeier Photography

But until that first bell, enjoy these last days of summer sun! 

Tiffani Roltgen

roltgent@verona.k12.wi.us

Supporting Relationship Building Through Storytime

Thanks to the 7/21/23 WLA Newsletter for this resource:

Recently, YSS chair Alison Loewen wrote an article "Reimaging Relationships in Storytime" for the Fred Rogers Institute. She shares the ways that thinking in terms of how to support relationship building within programs has opened up important conversations and engagement.

Alison has been part of the Institute's Educators’ Neighborhood community since 2021, participating in the All Educator Cohort (2021-22), Episode Study Group (2022-23), and Inquiry Educator (2023-24). She’s a Youth Services Librarian at the Mead Public Library in Wisconsin. Her goal is to inspire joy, curiosity, and wonder in children through storytimes and family engagement programming. She currently serves as the Chair of the Wisconsin Library Association Youth Services Section, and is a member of the CLEL Bell Picture Book Award Committee.  She loves geeking out about Early Literacy with others who love doing the same. You can reach Alison at <alison.loewen@meadpl.org>.

Developmental Relationships Help Young People Thrive

As seen in the WRLS Weekly Newsletter, December 22,2022. Thanks to Cole Zrostlik for the link!

New Paper on Developmental Relationships— Perfect for after-school coordinators.

Developmental Relationships Help Young People Thrive | Search Institute

Developmental relationships are essential to help young people discover how to become their best selves.

Through the benefits of developmental relationships, young people move beyond surviving to thriving. Strong developmental relationships help young people of every age, race, and socioeconomic background discover who they are, cultivate the ability to shape their own lives and destinies, and learn how to positively contribute to the world.

What are developmental relationships, and how can we intentionally create them in our schools, programs, families, and communities?

To read more and access (via web or PDF) the 12-page paper, stop here.

Libraries Rock! How to be a Rock Star in Your Community

There's still time to register for this workshop coming up Tuesday, January 16 from 1-4 pm at the Jack Russell Memorial Library, 100 Park Avenue in Hartford.

Sue Abrahamson, Children’s Librarian (Waupaca Public Library) & Youth Services Liaison (Outagamie Waupaca Library System) will share stories and strategies for rejuvenating library reading programs.  Participants will leave with…

• A clear sense of purpose along with tips on communicating to library stakeholders
• Relationship building techniques for staff and patrons
• Understand how partnerships can help you work more effectively
• A plan to refocus energies on programs year-round
• Courage and willingness to change

Be open · Say “Yes!” · Connect 

This program is sponsored by the Southeastern Wisconsin public library systems: Arrowhead Library System, Bridges Library System, Kenosha County Library System, Lakeshores Library System, Milwaukee County Federated Library System, and Monarch Library System.

Gimme a C (for Collaboration!): Let’s Talk

We know school collaboration and outreach to schools are both important.  But how often do we take the time to stop and talk about the specifics? Why is it a priority and how are we building these important relationships?

The Youth Services staff at the Sacramento Public Library spent the month of February exploring outreach to schools and what to prioritize with their outreach efforts.  The topic at the heart of the discussion was "building relationship with schools."

Why not take a moment in the lead-up to summer to talk with your colleagues about your strategy for building relationships with schools?  Read the conversation starters HERE.