Mums the Word

The saying in Texas- Everything is Bigger.  During Homecoming Season- the big thing is the mums!

Just take a moment to search up Homecoming Mums on Instagram and you will see what I mean.

Lots of pictures in this blog to share how I did the Mum station.

I mean- check out our own Big Vik ready for homecoming this weekend.

This is my first year at a new school.. and I wasn't going to do anything except have a station on Thursday that would have hot glue and safety pins for students to use.... but then I saw the TikTok for the Croc Mum.. and then the Stanley Cup Mum.. and I knew that I had to make it happen.

Background on my school:

-we are one of 5 high schools

-there are over 2300 students from 9-12

Background on this program:

-although I have some budget money-it is only available at certain times so I did not use library budget for this program

-Although we have 2300 students- my goal was to have 200 come through

-I was able to get materials by purchasing myself and also I had an Amazon list that I shared so I had donors help

-I am running this program only from 8:00am-8:35am before school starts

Being a Girl Scout leader and some experience under my belt- I create different spaces to pick up materials.  Thanks to my amazing clerk Franco and the yearbook advisor Robison I had plenty of ribbon that was cut out!

When students enter the library I usually have a Google Form for them to fill out.  But, I wanted to capture a little bit more information this time (and also prepare for future programs)

I had students sign in on paper with their Name/Grade Level and then check off if they wanted to do a Stanley Mum or a Croc Mum

Each area had a bucket with certain materials in it.  I also counted and have a spreadsheet of materials so I can keep track (and also document who donated)

Buckets:

-3 inch and 2 inch flowers

-cardstock circles cut to about 1 1/2 inch to 2 1/2 inch depending on which flower was chosen

-blue ribbon in various widths cut to 5 inches

-white ribbon in various widths cut to 5 inches

-specialty ribbon in various widths cut to 5 inches

-chains cut to 5 inches

-various charms

AMAZON LIST

Not everything was purchased and my parents also purchased some things from Hobby Lobby

At each bucket was also a sign for how much materials you needed.  I would LOVE to provide so much more.. but I want to get as many students as I can.  Students can of course take their mum home and add more to it.

Materials

-1 flower

-1 cardstock circle

-2 blue ribbons

-2 white ribbons

-1 specialty ribbon

-1 chain

-1 charm

-1 ribbon for loop or one button for croc

Once students had their materials they headed to the creation station where there was hot glue and also staplers.

Students stapled the ribbon to the cardstock first and then hotglued the flower (I did have them cut a slit in the cardstock for the flower)

They then either added the croc button or the loop for the straw.

Also I had one friend make our logo out of shrinky dinks!

The below Canva designs are what I used for intros and also station signs.

Homecoming Mums 2024 by ANDREA KELLER

Our first day I only had 8 students.. but it is also my first program and kiddos are warming up to me.  I also had some students try to come in at 8:37am which would have made them late for class.  On Wednesday I will also open up to staff.  Today I also had another parent stop by and bring more ribbon... AND cut it for me! 

This week I am also having the Senior LIFE students to come and create their own mini mum.  They will follow the same directions as the students but will have Student Council support them.

I am in love with how they look.. and they don't take that much material!

I have also shared on Reels and Tiktok how to make these under @akbusybee

Rocking Around the Library Books

December brings a super busy month in most areas.. and the Lamar Middle School Library was super active this month! I LOVE working in middle school, but I am still learning the things that interest students. I am a member of several Librarian Facebook groups, and I love this idea that Jennifer Warren shared on Learning Librarians about Cardboard Gingerbread House competition!
I took her ideas and created a Canva document that I could then put into Library Aware and promote the picture through Twitter and Instagram. I only had 6 entries.. BUT.. I love each and every one of them! I already have students asking me when I am doing the next contest.

Rules that I adapted from Jennifer Warren

 Because there were only 6 entries, I am rewarding all entries with 1st place prizes.. and did a Peoples Choice Award for an extra gift certificate.

This month I also had a chance to pair up with our art teacher and read Silent Night. Students in her art class then created silhouettes that I used to decorate the library.

Some of the finished products

 I also had several activities available for teachers. With the 7 days of Holiday Programming that I was able to help organize, I had 2 crafts available in the library and festive photo booths.

Selfie station where participants stood behind the glass and became an Elf.

Painted wood blocks for snowmen and books for book trees

 I was able to have some great decorations!  Every week I have the 18+3C program come in and help me with various activities in the library. This includes finding books, deleting books, organizing books and creating bulletin boards. The 18+3C program is a work based program that helps train students that have various disabilities to get jobs after high school. I LOVE working with these guys!

 I also have some wonderful Library LINKS students.  These are 8th grade students that spend a class period with me daily doing all different items and they created this beautiful book tree this year!

Finished book tree

One of my goals this year was to have 2 Late Night in the Library events.  I was going for one in the fall and one in the spring.  With middle schoolers being a little different in their needs and expectations, I scheduled it for after school-6pm.  I was going to have ornament making, card making, a coding activity, the public library would be there and photo booth.  About a week before the event was to take place, I was volunteering at our feeder elementary school (of course it is also my FAVORITE elementary school.. because it is Elliott) Several middle schoolers were also volunteering and mentioned how they wanted to do a Breakfast with Santa too.  After chatting with them, I realized I needed to add a Santa.

I put it out to Facebook that I needed a Santa and I had Lee and Lisa step up! I also had my awesome friend Rachel volunteer her time!

 The Idea:
1 Have stations set up that were fairly self sufficient
2 Have Rachel at the photo stations to help maneuver people through
3 Have another volunteer at the hot chocolate and cookie station
4 I would continue to walk around monitor all students

I did not ask for volunteers this time, as I had NO idea how many students would come (my hope is always at least 4) and I also had to see how it would run (I LOVE volunteers, but sometimes for the first time around.. it is a little more work because I have to train them!)

I created all my station signs in Canva and set up stations. Keep reading for the reality.

The Reality:

1- The stations were fairly self sufficient.  The one where paint was involved did require me to use my teacher voice and explain how to take care of items (as in.. we had to close down part of this station) Let me preface this with- I am totally fine with various craft/messy items in the library.. well except glitter! So, I had no problem with paint. Students were doing fine until several chose to make poor decisions.

2- GREAT idea to have another adult volunteer at the photo booth station.  It was an extra set of eyes.

3- SO glad I had a volunteer at the hot chocolate station!!! I filled up a 60 cup percolator 2 times, and we had 2 other pitchers of hot water available. We went through 120 cookies and that much hot chocolate.  

4-I did monitor students, but I am thankful that I had some teachers come up and help monitor as well.  

I of course always hope for at least 4 kids. I didn't know how this event would run. I had over 120 students show up!

What I would do different:

-Volunteers- although we have some great student council/NJHS students on campus- when I do this again, I am going to ask for high school volunteers.  They can get hours, and I can have extra eyes on stations to help keep things going and restock.

-Time- Since Late Night in the Library is a come and go event, I don't think I will have it until 6pm.  By 5:30pm, most everything had been gone through.

-Backpacks- Since kids were coming in right after school, we had a ton of backpacks that I didn't even think about planning for.

Late Night in the Library in elementary I really focused on parents working with their students.  I know there are a TON of great parents out there of middle schoolers.. but I have also found that middle schoolers don't always want to be seen with their parents.  So, this Late Night in the Library was really focused on the students.  I did have a few families show up.

Things coming in the new year:

Reaching parents- I am going to try a Toddler Time and also a crafting/creating time

Focusing on siblings- I am beginning to see the drop of books checked out.. so I am going to focus on students reading to their younger siblings

Another Late Night in the Library

A couple of more contests

Sleep?

What activities do you do in your library to bring in students?

SO thankful for this lady right here!!

For Ugly Sweater I was the resident Elf on the Bookshelf.  You can't really see, but the elf is playing a ukulele and there are books on the tshirt bookshelf.  Each book is labeled with a different club/organization I am involved in.

Have I mentioned that I wouldn't be able to do any of this without some amazing support from my team, my administrators.. and my awesome clerk?  Not only that.. but being a first year middle school librarian I am SUPER thankful for my middle school librarian team, librarian mentors both in district and out of district, and the previous librarian Cindi Rockett for already creating such a great program for me to walk into! I know I have lots of growing to do, and I know I surround myself with the best.

Who I Am

I know that TLA ended last Saturday.. but the thoughts have been swirling in my head.

I recently had a friend post that what happened to 90's country music? I grew up in a small town (Canyon, Texas) and lived out in the country.  I had the same thought and my Spotify playlist became 90's country.  I digress.. this post really is about TLA.. but this song came up in my feed today, and it reminded me that no matter where I am.. I am lucky enough to have people that surround me to push me to be Who I Am (check out the lyrics here) (really.. this song does tie in with the blog!)

Thursday started a little later, because I was being more of a turtle than the rest of the time!  I went to a FANTASTIC session over Sribblers: Creative Writing in the Community.  These 2 ladies had a fantastic idea about creating spaces for creative writing outside of the library.. and using the community.  I will be incorporating this into Late Night in the Library next year!

I also attended the session where the Irving Public Librarians shared how they started working together using Pixar's ideas.  I even won the book Creativity Inc.  I am super lucky to work in a district that collaborates with public libraries and community members.  I ended the day with a lovely group of women with Scholastic Trueflix..so many great resources!

Friday I was up and moving a little bit faster!  Oh my goodness.. each day was amazing and  I learned so much.. but guys.. Friday was AMAZING!!!!!
It started with a session from Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell over Building Blocks of Language Learning.  I can't wait to check their books out of my own library and use them!

Of course the next session I had to make it to was with Peter Reynolds.. and an amazing panel that included Melissa Sweet, Bob Shea, Peter Reynolds, Isabel Quintero, and Patrick McDonnell.  Such great books to share with students.

My brain sort of exploded with Tiffany Whitehead (aka.. Mighty Little Librarian.. and I can't believe that I failed to get a selfie with her!)  Although I LOVE technology.. and it is my first masters, this is an area that I struggle with in my own library.

The end of the day came with a keynote that had me laughing.. and then crying.. and then laughing again.  I could sit and listen to a good storyteller, and Carmen Agra Deedy was just that.  She spoke of her own journey and her library experience.  Now, the video here is not her exact speech.. because I was able to listen to her amazing storytelling for almost an hour.

During this keynote, I looked around at all the librarians that are changing the world.  I looked around and saw that the people in this room are making a difference.  Every educator whether in a private or public school has a hard job.. but guys.. being a Librarian is one of the toughest and most amazing jobs I have ever had.  As she said "Did you know the moment you were born, somewhere in a dusty corner of the world a book was written just for you."  As a librarian I have the chance to touch lives of hundreds of students every day... help them find stories and adventures in the pages of a book.  The library is a place where all are welcome no matter the background, social status or beliefs.

I am thankful for each adventure I have had to get me to library land.  I know that I have so much to learn.. and so much to do.  But.. I am a spitting image of my father and my mom is my biggest fan.. and I have friends that love me for Who I Am.

I do have one more TLA blog coming up over Life Lessons in the Library!