Parents and Teachers

Card games: sneaky, fun math practice

Posted on April 12, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Kelsey Hudson Card games are a way of life in my family. As children, we started off with simple games like Go Fish and Thirty-One. By elementary school, most of us had graduated to Golf and Spades. And forget moving up from the kids’ table at Thanksgiving—in my family you’re considered an adult when […]

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Middle school math is KILLING me

Posted on March 24, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Gwendolyn Haley Middle School Math is KILLING me. It started when our oldest daughter hit 7th grade and started Algebra. During the first open house of middle school, the wise and kind math teacher warned all the parents that “this first semester is a killer.” Truth. I spent one harried evening working on a […]

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Hoopla for kids

Posted on March 8, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Rachel Edmondson Welcome to the tail end of winter—one of the worst times of the year for parents living in cold climates. If your family is anything like mine, you’re all starting to feel a little bit stir crazy. Visiting the library to pick out new-to-you books and DVDs can be a great way […]

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It’s Almost Time for Kindergarten Registration

Posted on February 16, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Rachel Edmondson I know, it’s only February. You might think it’s a little crazy to be talking about kindergarten registration when your child won’t start for another 7 months. But the reality is, early registration helps school districts plan ahead for how many classrooms and teachers will be needed come fall. It’s better for […]

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5 Great kid reads for Black History Month

Posted on January 19, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs Black History Month, or National African American History Month, is celebrated in the United States during the month of February. While the holiday is sometimes criticized for reducing the history of an entire race to just one month, it can also be a useful time to recognize and honor black achievements throughout American histor […]

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Holiday gift guide: Great kid books for all ages

Posted on November 24, 2015 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs The winter gift-giving season is almost upon us, so I thought I’d share some recent releases that would be perfect for giving to the young people in your life! From picture books to nonfiction to middle grade chapter books, there’s something here, I hope, for everyone. And if not, leave a comment and I’ll […]

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4 Things to consider before letting your preschooler use a tablet

Posted on November 18, 2015 at 6:00 am

By Gwendolyn Haley I admit it was a rookie mistake. I had just upgraded my smartphone but all the apps were still loaded on my old phone. I thought my then 5-year-old would enjoy playing some of her games on it during a family car trip. After putting it in airplane mode, I passed the phone […]

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You don’t have to be a kid to love these picture books

Posted on November 12, 2015 at 6:00 am

By Kelsey Hudson Although I am an adult (allegedly), I spend enough time working with children that it’s safe to say my personal taste is a bit more child-like than most. I love that part of my job entails digging through picture books for storytime, school visits, and other occasions. Every once in awhile though, […]

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Navigating Lexiles: Book suggestions for elementary readers

Posted on November 10, 2015 at 6:00 am

By Rachel Edmondson This is the time of year when the library starts to be inundated with kids looking for the “right” book. I usually define a “right” book as one that makes a kid’s face light up. I love helping match readers to books, and when a kid can hardly wait to get home […]

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Library Hack: Get college ready with the Digital Library

Posted on November 5, 2015 at 6:00 am

By Brian Vander Veen As a first generation college student, I found the whole process of college planning absurdly confusing. My frustration was compounded by the fact that my peers from college-educated families seemed to navigate the whole process with relative assurance and ease. Many of them ended up going out of state with generous […]

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