Library Chronicles – Term 1, 2025.

Lots of wonderful things are happening in the library this term! It has been great to welcome our new Year 7 cohort, and we are looking forward to spending time with each Year 7 class for a library orientation lesson once NAPLAN (Monday 17th – Thursday 27th March) is completed. We have also been busy sourcing new fiction and non-fiction titles as well as showcasing several important events, such as the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Rides, and International Women’s Day. As we go to press, preparations are underway for Harmony Week (17th – 21st March) in the library, with the theme ‘We all have a role to play!’

Library Displays

In the Library we endeavour to display books and articles that reflect on important occassions and important dates on the cultural/social calendar. This term we decided that two such important occasions were the 60th Anniversary of the Freedom rides and International Women's Day. The books and articles are those that are in our school collection and we hope that having them on display evokes an understanding of such occassions and peaks interest in getting to know more about them.

Freedom Rides 60th Anniversary

International Women's Day - 8 March

Search tablets and E-books

Further to the refurbishment of the library space last year, we will have new search tablets installed in the coming weeks. I would like to take this opportunity to suggest all students join Kempsey Shire Libraries, which is a fantastic community resource but also a means for our students to borrow e-books via student login through the Oliver application in their student portal. E books can be read on a tablet, laptop, e-reader or even on a mobile device. E-books can be accessed at home via the Kempsey Shire Libraries Borrow Box link on our library homepage, if your young person needs assistance locating this application, please see me or Ms Williams in the KHS library.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Kempsey High School will be participating in the Premier’s Reading Challenge this year. The PRC aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to read, to read more and to read more widely. The Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) is open to all NSW students in Kindergarten to Year 10.

You will find information on the PRC in this newsletter, on our socials and in the KHS library.

2025 Challenge dates

Challenge opens: Monday 24 February 2025

Challenge closes to students: Friday 22 August 2025

The NSW Premier's Reading Challenge is now open and Kempsey High School is excited to be participating!

What is the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge?

The PRC is a state wide Challenge that encourages students to develop a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students and enables them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition, but a challenge to encourage each student to read, to read more, and to read more widely.

All students who complete the challenge and have their reading record validated by the school’s PRC coordinator will receive a certificate signed by the Premier of NSW.

How many books do students need to read?

Students in Kindergarten to Year 2 are challenged to read or experience 30 books. 20 of these books must be from the relevant Challenge booklists, and up to 10 books can be personal choice books. Books can be read with a parent, carer, teacher or another student.

Students in Year 3 to Year 10 are challenged to read 20 books independently. At least 10 of these books must be from the relevant Challenge booklists, and up to 10 books can be personal choice books.

If a book is from an approved PRC series, students can enter up to 5 books as Challenge books and can read up to 10 other books from the same series as Personal Choice books. More information on the rules of the Challenge can be found on the PRC website.

Books must be added to a student’s online reading record by Friday 22 August 2025 in order for their reading record to be validated and receive a certificate.

How do students log their reading?

Students can access the PRC’s Student Experience site using their DoE username and password, or can log into the site via the Student Portal. A video guide explaining how to use the Student Experience site can be found here.

Students may also record their reading on the Personal Reading Log and submit it to the PRC Coordinator by 23 August 2024, who will complete the reading log on the students’ behalf.

If you have any issues with logging books, please speak to Ms Summers or Ms Williams.

New Magazines on the way!

As you can see (below) we have an excellent range of magazines to borrow or read here in the library. Next term we will be adding two new titles to our collection – pop up in Term 2 to check out what they are!

Don’t forget our regular library activities each week – Maker Monday, Lego@Lunchtime, and board and card games. We are open before school every day, and all recess and lunch breaks except Wednesday lunch and Friday recess.

Join us for a healthy breakfast Monday, Tuesday, and Friday at Breakfast Library on the landing outside the library from 8.20- 8.50am.

ALNC kindly provide two book titles per term for our students to take home and create their own home library.

Happy Reading!

Ms Summers & Ms Williams

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