December

GRACIOUS

synonyms: kind, courteous, polite, compassionate, generous

(If you use any of these words correctly in a sentence you can earn a free bookmark! Drop by the library and give it a try.)

This year, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate was chosen for our "One School One Book" program. Our entire school read this fictional book in their classrooms and have learned about the real Ivan's story. You can view the book's trailer here. To find out what our students are doing and learning about Ivan's story, go to http://www.campreadsmore.com/ and click on The One and Only Ivan page. You will be amazed by what's been happening beyond the pages of this beautiful book.

Be sure to scroll down to the October link at the bottom of the page as Katherine Applegate is featured in October's author spotlight.

On December 6th, 2013, NEW Academy Canoga Park welcomed their first author, the 2013 Newbery Medal winner and author of The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate.

Katherine Applegate signed our new author's wall at Camp Read Smore! She is the first, but the first of many to come. We look forward to filling this wall with many author's signatures in the future and are so thrilled that Katherine Applegate was the one to start it off!

What does a cell phone have to do with a gorilla? Cell phones and other electronics contain a number of hazardous substances that can have a serious impact on the environment. Ivan was from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Coltan is a substance in cell phones that is found in the Congo forests of Africa, right in the middle of the gorilla's habitat. As a result of mining for coltan, gorillas have been displaced or even worse, they have been found by poachers. Donating your phone and having it recycled will ensure that they are being reused or recycled properly AND it helps to prevent further deforestation of the gorilla's habitat. Click here to watch a video that helps to explain the connection and then ask one of our TK students how you can help. Please visit the "One and Only Ivan" tab at the top of http://www.campreadsmore.com/ for more information. (above photo: AP/Amy Sancetta)

UPDATE: The fabulous Mrs. Potts, our transitional kindergarten teacher, just shared this great news from Zoo Atlanta. Ivan comes full circle! http://www.zooatlanta.org/cell_recycling_partners#t4gKv I must echo Mrs. Pott's words and say, "Way to go NEW Academy for helping TK make their project make a difference globally!"