Library

We had a very exciting time in the library on Open Day, showcasing our new resources and furniture. Parents and visitors were pleased to see the various programs we have implemented to encourage reading among our students, and our library monitors ably explained all the features of this special space.

Just two weeks later, additional furniture was delivered, and the study booths are now in place. This has made the library an even more welcoming and comfortable environment. We have continued to expand our collection, and each section of the school has its favourites. 

Popular picture fiction titles include Claris: The Chicest Mouse in Paris, The Pigeon series by Mo Willems, and many classes have enjoyed Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Moving into middle primary, Zac Power and Ella and Olivia remain favourites, along with Dead Sea Squirrels and the Real Pigeons series. We have also expanded our collection of The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey and added the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary.

In the Secondary School, Percy Jackson continues to be a favourite, along with the City Spies series by James Ponti. In non-fiction, sporting biographies are always popular, and topics such as Minecraft and specialised atlases—such as Indescribable Earth and The Atlas of Cats—are well-loved in the Junior School section.

Please encourage your children to read as much as they can and model a love of reading with them. And as Albert Einstein said “The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.” Please encourage your children to find us.

Mrs Jenelle Coote

Library Manager

The Importance of Teens Reading for Pleasure

As teenagers become increasingly busy in their schoolwork and extracurricular demands, reading for pleasure can fall to the bottom of the priority list. Teens may feel that they have less encouragement to read from their parents or teachers as they move through Secondary School compared to Junior School. Yet, we know students will be faced with increasingly difficult texts with complex structures and sophisticated vocabulary choices. The reality is, reading has never been more important.

The pivotal role of reading in education was eloquently articulated by Jacqueline Manel, Associate Professor for English Education at the University of Sydney, “What we know from the research is that a student’s level of accomplishment in reading directly influences the quality and nature of his or her entire school life." The Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found there is a significant correlation between the quantity and quality of students’ reading for pleasure and their level of achievement in reading assessments.

These findings suggest that students who derive pleasure from reading in their leisure time are more likely to perform well at school. It seems self-evident that teachers and parents should be encouraging teens to read for pleasure and build margin for unhurried reading into their daily routines. Teenagers who immerse themselves in literary worlds build nuanced reading skills as they reflect, wonder and question text, developing an ‘internal voice’ that talks back to the text.

The key is finding the right book that sparks the teen’s interest, so they are more likely to keep reading. Students are encouraged to seek book recommendations from peers, their English teachers and our Library Manager. The upcoming winter school holidays present the perfect opportunity to curl up with a book in a quiet, cosy place. Let’s encourage our teenagers to put reading for pleasure back to the top of their priority lists.

Mrs Rebekah Paul

Literacy Coordinator (Secondary School)