Our Summer Smore Newsletter....A Great Place To Stay Connected To Reading, Learning, Creating and Fun!

Today is the last day of the school year at Van Meter.  But, as we all know...it isn't the end of our students learning, reading, creating and exploring all summer long. 

For our summer reading and learning, I created this online Smore newsletter and share it with all of our families today.  The teachers and our principal, Cody Tibbetts, will also share it in their information and resources that will go home too. 

This summer, I am also going to be sharing something awesome during the 12 Weeks of Summer.  For example, in the first week I will be sharing places they can listen to audio books and podcasts.  

I want to use this as a place to get them excited about learning, reading and creating.  I know the kids will really look forward to the things being shared. 

Happy Summer, friends.  I will miss our students over the summer so really enjoy using the Smore newsletter and our social media networks to stay connected with them and their families. 

"Look What I'm Reading" Bitmoji Posters

It is so fun seeing posters posted by every teachers door within our school and others that I see through my travel and work. These are such a great way to promote favorite reads and books that their school community might like to read too.  

It is also such an easy, fun and powerful way to celebrate our lives as readers, as they are posted in a place students see them every day.

That is when I thought,  What about if we put a twist on this!  Instead of having a picture of ourselves holding a favorite book, what is we made posters celebrating what we are reading?  Not only could we celebrate one book, but multiple books throughout the year by changing the cover. 

 

And how about using a cute little Bitmoji to make the posters?  Our readers would love these! 

With Bitmoji, anyone can make a personal emoji to use all kinds of ways. One of my favorite ways to use my Bitmoji, is to use them for...

....branding and marketing within the library and school, professionally and with my family and friends too. 

As I worked on this idea, I asked a few of my colleagues, family and friends to send be Bitmoji's of them reading.  Megan,

 Jessica,

 Hagan and I,

 ...Tracy and I,

my sister, Heather, and I,

and even my girl, Brianna and I, celebrating reading through these adorable Bitmoji's.

For my poster, I used a reading Bitmoji to....

...create these super fun posters.

I took the Bitmoji and covered up the book with a square to layer a book cover over the top.

That will make it easy to change between two....

...book covers too. 

As we get ready for the summer, I will work with our teachers to create their Bitmoji Look What I'm Reading posters for all of our classroom doors as we kick off a new year in the fall. 

I can't wait to show off what I'm reading all year long! 

Flipgrid's Stop At Van Meter For The Student Voice Bus Tour!

Last Monday, on May 13, our friends from Flipgrid showed up at Van Meter School for their first stop on the Heartland Flipgrid Student Voice Bus Tour!

We were so excited to welcome our Flipgrid friends, Jess Boyce, Adam Parker Goldberg, George Melookaran and Ann Kozma, to our school.... 

...as they kicked off our day with an awesome Student Voice Rally with our 3rd through 7th graders.  

They not only shared a wonderful message about the power and impact of student voice,   

they shared the story behind.... 

...Flipgrid and the people.... 

...who make up Flipgrid too. It was super interesting and empowering to hear the four of them share.  

After their presentation, our students asked tons of amazing questions and we all really enjoyed hearing the answers.   

When the Student Voice Rally was over, our kids loved taking pictures and....  

...talking with...

...Adam, George,     

Ann,   

and Jesse.  They were so inspiring to our students.  

Thank you friends for coming to our town in Iowa and making our school community one of your stops.  It meant the world to us and everything you do everyday makes a difference for all of us here at Van Meter...and for so many others around the world. 

You are all a total inspiration!  See you soon. 

Love, The Van Meter School Students and Teachers