KRC Update

by Director of Library and Information Services, Ms Leonie Darken

The library continues to be a busy hub with many staff and students passing through our doors daily.

A new initiative we have developed as part of our WIRED reading program is our “Reading Challenges”.  Each year level (Years 7, 8 & 9) is given a Bingo like challenge sheet and as each student completes a challenge they are rewarded with points.  To gain points the challenge must be ratified by a library teacher or their English teacher.  Along the way, boys may receive spot prizes for completion of individual challenges.  At the end of the term the boys’ progressive scores are accumulated, class individual winners announced, and class totals tallied to then decide a leading class.  At the end of the year, the winning year level’s class will receive a Pizza Lunch.

There continues to be a clear expectation that boys are reading at home to further develop their reading as well as their general learning capabilities.  We expect that boys are reading at home a minimum of three times a week and that this reading is logged in their digital reading log.  This gives both parents and teachers data to support the student’s continued development of their lifelong reading habit.  The Challenge is designed to reward enthusiastic readers and to ignite enthusiasm for reading in our boys.

This week has seen the beginning of our annual partnership with the Courier, our SHOUT program for budding writers, artists, and keen media buffs.  Boys are welcomed to attend weekly meetings facilitated by Rachel Bryant, library staff and other interested staff.  They are encouraged to try their hand at creating suitable content that may be published in the paper.  Meetings are held every Thursday in the KRC and any boy is welcome to attend.  This year we have the bonus of having live online meetings with Courier staff who are keen to share their expertise.