LIBRARY NEWS
Week 6 in the Library
Hello everyone, and welcome to Week 6 in the library. It's been a busy couple of weeks!
Primary students have been diving deep into their Term 4 units of work, while the Secondary students have been busy studying for exams during their breaks.
I want to extend a big thank you to Mrs Monica Durmisevic and Mrs Amanda White, who so capably stepped in to work in the library while I filled in for Mrs Koch during her leave. I’m delighted to report that they both had a wonderful time working in the library, enjoying the chance to read fantastic books with our students. We are truly lucky to have such capable and enthusiastic people ready to fill this role.
Reading Roundup
Kindergarten: Our littlest readers are still soaking up the sun with their beach and summer-themed books. They had a giggle with Anemone is Not the Enemy by Anna McGregor and are currently enjoying The Unwilling Twin by Freya Blackwood. Kindy enjoyed drawing a new disguise on Chip the Lifeguard.
Stage 1 has been exploring the cosmos with fantastic space stories. Last week, they travelled back in time through beautiful Aboriginal Dreamtime stories that explain the creation of the sun and moon. This week, we've jumped aboard with When You’re Going to the Moon by Sasha Beekman & Vivienne To, learning all about the essential (and sometimes silly!) things astronauts pack. What would you pack to take to the moon? 2M created sun and moon artworks in the library after reading last week’s story.
Stage 2 has been busy continuing their genre exploration. Last week, we cheered on exciting sports stories (including a very timely peek at Mighty Mitch and the Aussies v England—go, Mitch Starc!) and are now putting on our detective hats to dive into the mystery genre with classics like Nancy Drew and the hilarious Friday Barnes. Next up, they'll be showing off their expert skills by sorting books into their correct genres!
Stage 3 has been tapping into their inner artists by learning about the awesome literary and artistic tricks used in graphic novels. Last week was all about dramatic effects—foreshadowing, different points of view, and the satisfying sound of onomatopoeia! They even created some cool pop art sound effects. In the coming weeks, Year 6 students will also be tackling the crucial (if slightly less glamorous) skills of avoiding plagiarism and writing a bibliography. These are the super-skills they'll need for essay writing success in Secondary!
More Stage 3 book trailers to enjoy
More Stage 3 book trailers to enjoy
New Look for Primary Fiction!
Great news for our younger readers! Following the fantastic success of the genre stickers in the Secondary Library, we are now rolling out these helpful genre spine labels for Primary fiction as well. These bright, easy-to-spot labels will help students quickly identify their favourite genres and locate other books they know they will enjoy. This simple change has made a real difference for our older students, and we hope it will further encourage enthusiastic reading and independent book selection among our Primary students! It’s a big job, but one that will be worthwhile.
PRC Update
Yesterday, we received news from the Premier’s Reading Challenge organisers that Special Awards—given to students who have participated in the Challenge for several years—will be delivered to the school over the next few weeks. We’re planning to celebrate this fantastic achievement by presenting these certificates to the students at upcoming assemblies later in the term!
The numbers from the 2025 PRC are absolutely amazing. A massive 433,502 students across NSW took part in the Challenge, with over 313,000 incredible readers actually completing it. Collectively, participants read 8,658,738 books, with the most-read being The Speedy Sloth by Rebecca Young and illustrated by Heath McKenzie.
SORA Books of the Week - Science Reads
Ready to dive into the amazing world of science? This week, we're highlighting Science-themed reads on SORA. There are some great books for all ages, from fascinating picture books to complex science titles. Simply scan the QR codes below to access your next digital adventure instantly!
Library Loans - It’s Time to Start Rounding Them Up!
It's that time of year again! Get ready to hunt under beds, behind couches, and deep inside school bags, because we are officially calling in our books! The library will close for borrowing at the end of Week 8 - Friday, 5/12/25.
We kindly ask that ALL library books be returned by this date so we can begin the massive task of our annual stocktake—checking every single item in the collection! Overdue notices will be heading out next week, so if you already know that a book has been lost, please let me know as soon as possible via email at invlibrary@arm.catholic.edu.au.
Your support in getting all our books back on time is hugely appreciated!
Happy reading,
Mrs Toni Fraser