The second marking period consisted of four weeks, and it went by very quickly! Even so, we are continuing to find ways to stay connected as a Ford family, until we can be together again in person.

Our top readers for the 2020 PSJA Summer Reads program were honored at a virtual celebration on Wednesday, November 4. Each student received a certificate, a plaque, and a set of books to enjoy! Way to go, Mustang readers! If you have not received the prizes, please call the school for information regarding pick-up, or email rachel.alvarez@psjaisd.us.

Pre-K: Isette (Teacher: M. Robles)

Kinder: Noah Lee (Teacher: G. Alanis)

1st Grade: Luis (Teacher: S. Arciniega)

2nd Grade: Leilani (Teacher: M. Martinez)

3rd Grade: Sienna (Teacher: A. Alanis)

4th Grade: Abigail (Teacher: M. Garza)

5th Grade: David (Teacher: H. Ramos)

Below, you can view the video from the entire event, and also the video portion recognizing our Ford Mustang readers!

TX Library Standards: 3.2- The school library program supports, supplements, and elevates literacy instruction through research-based strategies and participation in national, state, and local reading initiatives.

Our Mustang students made twenty-nine incredible pumpkins based on their favorite book characters! Thank you to all those families who participated. And congratulations to our top three winners, as determined by the scores from our panel of PSJA ISD judges. The top three students were awarded prizes, and all participants received a goody bag. If you did not receive your prize or goody bag during the materials distribution, please call the front office to see when you can pick it up, or email rachel.alvarez@psjaisd.us.

TX Library Standards: 5.3- The school library program extends library-based learning opportunities for families through community-centered activities.

We were able to visit with Ms. Adrianna Cuevas, author of The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez, on Wednesday, November 4. Close to thirty students were in attendance. Ms. Cuevas discussed her writing process, her influences, and her upcoming books. She also shared recommendations for books to read, and answered many questions from our students. Third grader Sienna said this about the event: "I really liked the visit. The author was very nice and answered all our questions. I liked that she likes scary stories like me."

We had a couple of questions that were not answered during our session, due to time constraints, but Ms. Cuevas graciously emailed her responses:

Aria asked what Ms. Cuevas would do if she wasn't an author. "If I wasn’t an author, I would actually be a graphic designer. I had to take a couple of art classes when I was in college studying to become a teacher and they were my favorite classes. I would’ve loved to study that more."

Naylah asked which of Ms. Cuevas's books is her favorite. "My favorite book I’ve written is my second book, Cuba in My Pocket, because it tells my dad’s story. I strongly believe that we can use the stories we tell to preserve our family history and I try to do that with every story I write, even if it’s a fantasy story. But Cuba in My Pocket is the closest I’ve gotten to telling my family’s story directly."

Thank you for your thoughtful questions, students!

Congratulations to our raffle winners, who attended our author visit. They will each receive a copy of The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez with a signed bookplate! Mrs. Alvarez will be in touch regarding pick-up of the books.

-Ximena O.

-Hector M.

-Melany M.

-Cyomara G.

TX Library Standards: 5.3- The school library program extends library-based learning opportunities for families through community-centered activities.

These students and classes have been the top users of myON and have been earning points from their AR quizzes! Keep up the great work, Mustangs! More information is available below regarding myON and AR.

TX Library Standards: 6.4- The school library program activities are evaluated

using data analysis in order to improve student outcomes.

Jason, a 2nd grader, is enjoying his prizes for reading and participating in library activities!

For the Battle of the Books, a team of students will compete to show off their knowledge of five Texas Bluebonnet Award books. This competition is open to students in 4th and 5th grade, and will take place virtually this year. If you are interested in joining our Battle of the Bluebonnet Books team, please contact Mrs. Alvarez at rachel.alvarez@psjaisd.us. All books are available to read on MackinVIA.

TX Library Standards: 3.2- The school library program supports, supplements, and elevates literacy instruction through research-based strategies and participation in national, state, and local reading initiatives.

For Veterans Day, Mrs. Alvarez created and shared a choice board of books from myON and Epic!, as well as a video showcasing veterans who are special to our Mustang Family.

TEKS K.1A: Identify national patriotic holidays such as Veterans Day.

TEKS 1.1A: Describe the origins of customs, holidays, and celebrations of the community, state, and nation such as Constitution Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day

TEKS 2.1A: Explain the significance of various community, state, and national celebrations such as Veterans Day,

TX Library Standards: 3.1- The library encourages students to read a variety of literature for information and pleasure. The library provides access to physical and virtual collections of high quality, current resources in a variety of formats (print, audio, electronic) and platforms (readable on most devices) which reflect input from stakeholders.

Mrs. Alvarez always loves to learn new things! This past month, she had the opportunity to participate in professional development sessions and conferences to learn best practices in librarianship and technology.

TX Library Standards: 6.1- The school library program incorporates leadership activities, best practices, and professional development across campus, district, and professional communities. The program includes opportunities for collaboration among members of the

learning community and opportunities to help learners become independent users and producers of ideas and information.

Our Mustang Book Club will be meeting Friday, November 20 and Friday, December 11 at 2:00 p.m. via Google Meet. If any 3rd-5th graders are interested in joining, but haven't signed up yet, they can email Mrs. Alvarez for more information about how to get involved.

TX Library Standards: 5.3- The school library program extends library-based learning opportunities for families through community-centered activities.

Check out some of the new titles that Mrs. Alvarez ordered for our library! Some physical books have been ordered for when students return to campus and ebooks were also added to our collection, including informational texts about COVID-19 and graphic novels for students to enjoy! These books can be found via Destiny Discover. See details below regarding how to log in and access these books.

TX Library Standards: 6.7- The school library program budgets are used to

purchase and update print and digital resources.

To take AR quizzes, students visit https://global-zone08.renaissance-go.com/welcomeportal/239158 and utilize the user name and password provided by their teacher. If you need assistance, please email rachel.alvarez@psjaisd.us.

First through fifth grade students have been taking the Star Reading assessments in English, and some students are also taking the Star Reading in Spanish. These assessments are taken three times each school year, and provide information regarding the student's reading level. This data helps us determine individualized goals for AR testing, suggest books the students will enjoy at their reading level in myON, and assist them in growing as readers.

TX Library Standards: 4.1- The library program effectively uses and promotes the use of technology applications and tools across all content areas for discovery, collaboration, critical analysis, creation, and presentation of learning.

TX Library Standards: 4.2- The library program utilizes a variety of engaging technology tools that demonstrate learning in a measurable way.

TX Library Standards: 6.4- The school library program activities are evaluated

using data analysis in order to improve student outcomes.

1) Download the Open eBooks app from the Apple store or Google Play store.

2) Choose to connect using First Book.

3) Input the PIN and code (email Mrs. Alvarez at rachel.alvarez@psjaisd.us for this information).

4) Search for books.

5) Click "Get" and the book will be available to you immediately in the "My Books" section.

Books are simultaneous use, meaning the books will be available, even with many people reading the same book at the same time! The book will remain available for two months on your device.

TX Library Standards: 4.3- The library program actively provides an equitable, diverse, and open collection of digital and print resources, including open educational resources (OER), which support the academic and personal needs of students. Virtual library materials are available

at point of need.

Always feel free to reach out with any questions! I am here to support our students, families, teachers, and staff in any way that I can. Let's continue reading and using our digital literacy skills.

Click here to see what Mrs. Alvarez is reading, and what's next on her list! https://app.edu.buncee.com/buncee/5a6e5179409941748e69752b18b3ca4c

Email: rachel.alvarez@psjaisd.us
Website: https://www.psjaisd.us/domain/2809
Location: 1110 East Polk Avenue, Pharr, TX, USA
Phone: (956) 354-2770
Facebook: facebook.com/HenryFordElementary
Twitter: @librarian_alva