Wow, last blog post of 2015-2016! It's been a big, ambitious, successful, fun year!

Thanks to all the PK students, families, teachers, and staff for your support of the library. I get to be the "face" of the library, but it's very much a cooperative endeavor! Thanks specifically to the Pennekamp PTA for generously funding the library every year. We are all quite lucky, I think, to be part of this school and community.

It's time to return ALL library materials. District policy requires that I put a hold on the report card of any student who has materials still checked out on the last day of school; the same goes for materials checked out by a parent--I have to hold the library card of that parent's son or daughter. If a book has been lost or damaged beyond repair, please make payment for it in exact change or a check payable to MBUSD. Thank you to all the people who have already returned everything!

I will be at the library all week, but I would appreciate it if families and students could pretty much leave the collection alone as I and the library volunteers try to put all the books in order. The library will not be open to students during snack and lunch recesses this week. I'm sorry, there's just an awful lot to get done in these last few days. Also, I will be off campus Tuesday, June 14, from noon on. I have to attend a district meeting.

Happy summer, everyone! See you next fall.

We had a great time with our public librarians this past week! Michael Mackavoy and Regina Ochoa, the children's librarians from the Manhattan Beach public library, presented great assemblies for grades TK, K, 1, 2, and 3. Regina also met after school with parents and students, especially those from grades 4 and 5. I encourage you to involve your sons and daughters in the public library's summer reading program. Sign up on June 22, at the kickoff event with balloon storyteller Annie Banannie! There are really a lot of cool events always going on at our public library, for children, teens, and adults. Follow this link and look at the long list of events at the right of the page.  

This is the last week of class visits to the library. We will be reading books about adventure, travel, and summer. Some 4th grade classes may watch The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, which you can watch below (bearing in mind that YouTube content is often accompanied by comments and sidebars that are not age-appropriate for children).

The last day to check out books from the Pennekamp library this year was Friday, June 3. There will be no more checkouts this school year.

All library items are due no later than Friday, June 10. Parents, please help your students find and return everything from our library--and please return materials borrowed in your own name. District policy requires that I put a hold on the report card of any student who has materials still checked out on the last day of school; the same goes for materials checked out by a parent--I have to hold the library card of that parent's son or daughter. If a book has been lost or damaged beyond repair, please make payment for it in exact change or a check payable to MBUSD. The sooner we can clear this all up, the better! Thanks very much for supporting the library by returning your materials promptly.

Book club for grade 5 meets this Thursday, June 9. It's our last meeting of the year. What a pleasure it has been to discuss excellent books with these perceptive, thoughtul readers. If you are looking for good novels for your 5th- or soon-to-be-6th-grader, any of the books we've done with book club over the years would be good choices. Of course, there are also the district summer reading lists.