Library News

Volunteer Spotlight

It takes a significant amount of coordination and time to manage the shelves, order new titles, maintain older books, and handle the constant task of book covering. Frankly, without the help of our amazing library volunteers, Ms. Lee and Mr. Matthews would not be able to maintain the library’s high standards. Over the next few weeks, I would like to shine a spotlight on these members so you can get to know a little more about them.

This week, we are focusing on Ms. Suu Ann Yan. Suu Ann began volunteering in 2025 and has since become an integral part of our library team. She started by covering books for our P&C-sponsored classroom library initiative. From there, she stepped up to help with returning, shelving, and assisting with borrowing for several classes.

In 2026, Suu Ann is now a permanent fixture in the library, often giving up her own time to help Ms. Lee cover new books and prepare them for the shelves. Her help is truly invaluable, which is why the volunteer spotlight is shining on her this week!

Reading At Home With Your Children 

Research consistently shows that the "Home Learning Environment" is one of the strongest predictors of a child's success. In Australia, the findings are quite striking. 

Over the next few weeks we will be sharing some important information from the Australia Reads website. This weeks article focuses on the benefits of parents reading with their children. 

A recent article by Australia Reads highlights the incredible short- and long-term benefits of reading aloud with children, noting that even simple daily reading routines have a massive impact on a child's development.

Why Reading Together Matters:

• Boosts Brain Development: A child’s brain undergoes up to 85% of its development in the first three years. The natural rhythms, rhymes, and predictable structures of stories help "nudge" the developing brain into recognizing language patterns and meaning.
• The Vocabulary Boost: Researchers estimate that reading just one book a day to a child in their early years exposes them to roughly 290,000 more words by the time they start kindergarten than children who aren't read to.
• Stronger Emotional Bonds: Reading together is proven to literally "bond" caregivers and children by synchronizing brainwaves, breathing, and heart rates. It creates a comforting space that fosters deep emotional connection and open conversation.

Top Tips for Reading at Home:

1. Let Children Lead: Allow your child to be the "co-pilot" of the story. It’s completely fine if they want to slow down, speed up, skip pages, or just look at the pictures.
2. Embrace Re-reading: If your child wants to read the exact same book over and over, don’t fight it! Repetition builds familiarity with text structures and provides immense emotional comfort.
3. Involve Them in Selection: Children are far more likely to engage with a book they’ve chosen themselves. Bringing them to the school or public library to pick their own titles is a fantastic way to build excitement.
4. Build a Routine: Life gets busy, but making a regularly scheduled time—like the classic bedtime story,ensures reading becomes a natural, comforting part of their day.

For more articles like this feel free to visit https://australiareads.org.au/ for more ways to enhance your childs reading at home. 

Until next week. Keep on Reading