Introducing Halo!

Okay, I know some of you are just saying ----- oh sure, introduce us to "Halo" close to December ---- I mean after all she is SIX MONTHS OLD already!  Really, this is all about ---- we have only had the bulletin board up for the last month or so and with everything else going on ----- you know ---- hurricanes, snowstorms, holidays.  Okay just excuses you're right ---- Now back to Halo!

Halo is a new member of the SERC family.  Some of you may know that SERC has participated in the Fidelco Guide Dog Walk since 1998 (not to brag or anything like that, but, --- SERC's team this year was the 4th largest donation team --- GO TEAM SERC!). 

This past year when SERC staff attended Fidelco's Open House, SERC staff member Greta decided to stay and learn more about hosting a guide dog puppy, well back in July Greta received Halo ---- quite frankly we at SERC feel, the best, most happy-go-lucky, brightest puppy in this training group!!!  Who's bragging?

Please check out the Library Bulletin Board, which features Halo from 9 weeks to six months and counting!  If you would like to know more about Halo and Greta, check out Greta's blog at http://www.gretasfidelcopup.blogspot.com/.  

Stay tuned for more about Halo!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The SERC Library staff would like to wish a HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all!  

Free Common Core Webinars!

Okay, I will be the first to admit it ---- opps ---- I dropped the ball about getting out this message about these webinars!

The good news, you can still check out this one being held today at 3 pm eastern time, The common core of a whole child approach with Molly McCloskey, (http://www.ascd.org/professional-development/webinars.aspx) and see  the archived John Kendall:  Common Core 101 webinar from 11-8-11 at http://www.ascd.org/professional-development/webinars/john-kendall-webinar.aspx and David Griffith and Efrain Mercado:  Common Core Policy and Implementation from 11-15-11 at http://www.ascd.org/professiona-development/webinars/griffith-mercado-webinar.aspx. 

Well,  better late than never --- right?  Well, now you can watch them over the holiday weekend!

FOOD for FINES!

In the spirit of the holidays and in light of the fact that food pantries have such a great need after the two recent storms, we are offering FOOD FOR FINES!  The Library will waive overdue fines if you bring a non-perishable food item in with your overdue resources.  FOOD FOR FINES will begin on Monday, November 21, 20ll.  Thank you for your support!

YouTube Offers Pilot Program To Access Educational Content

YouTube is offering a pilot program to help schools access educational videos without subjecting students to inappropriate content.  Even if your school blocks the site at the domain level those who sign up to particpate in the program  will be directed to educational content from such groups as BBC Earth, the Museum of Modern Art and the Smithsonian to name a few.  In addition the sites will block access to comment fields or videos that are not considered educational.  Up until recently the program's content was more focused to higher education (sure you can check out the lectures from MIT, UCLA, U.C. Berkeley etc) and the only exception was the Khan Academy videos which are aimed at K-12, however, the program is adding lots more content focused on the K-12 curriculum.  Check out the program by going to YouTube.com/education. 

International Education Week

November 14-18 is International Education Week!  During this week there is opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.  This is a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Education and part of their efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.

They encourage the participation of all individuals and institutions interested in international education and exchange activities which include schools, colleges and universities, embassies, international organizations, businesses, associations, and community organizations.

For more information, visit http://iew.state.gov/index.cfm/

The SERC Library is closed Saturday, November 5, 2011

Our server crashed this afternoon leaving us without any working computers; therefore we have decided to close the SERC Library this Saturday, November 5, 2011.  We are working very hard to rectify this situation.  We suggest that you give us a call before visiting us on Monday to make sure that our computers are up and running.


Be safe and warm.

Sincerely,
The staff at the SERC Library

Let's Move in School

Okay, so with Winter Storm Alfred (I really thought it was October this past weekend, you know, that season called FALL ) --- Halloween has been postponed for most towns, however, eventually some towns will do Halloween, so to work off that candy or the candy everyone has been eating because you have no power and nothing to eat ----- check out the webinar on November 9th "Physical Activity Before and After School" at www.LetsMoveinSchool.org.  Learn about what some schools are doing to promote the nationally recommended 60+ minutes of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity --- not sure where shoveling and playing in what some described as "white water" given the water content of the snow we had falls under physical activity