Teaching America 250 with Swank Educational Streaming....One You Won't Want To Miss, Friends!

I added a very special resource to the America's 250th Anniversary Padlet where I have been pulling together resources for libraries, teacher, students, and everyone to use as we celebrate and learn together.

This resource is from our friends at Swank Educational Streaming. 

When you go to Teaching America 250 with Swank Educational Streaming you will find an amazing video resource for schools to help us plan, teach, and learn with our students and school community. 

As shared on this page, you will find four strategies for teaching the 250th with short scenes and moments, and four thematic chapters showing how these strategies play out at every grade level. 

I spent time this morning looking through the videos and lesson ideas they have included. I can't wait to bring these to our students and classrooms this fall as we celebrate. 

You will find Teaching America 250 with Swank Educational Streaming here and on the Padlet under two categories.  

You've Been Book'd For National Get Outdoors Day on June 13, 2026

 

On June 13, 2026, we celebrate National Get Outdoors Day.  This day aims to encourage everyone to get outside to enjoy the beautiful world all around them.  

To celebrate, I brought together 35 special books that focus on topics about and taking place in the great outdoors. Click on the book covers to find each title in Follett Content's Titlewave. You will find the entire list in the choice board too. 

You will find the You've Been Book'd For Get Outdoors Day on June 13, 2026 choice board here.

If you want to make a copy, you can push one to you here. 

Have fun sharing these amazing books about getting outdoors, friends. 

You Are Invited To The Future Ready Librarians At ISTE, Friends! Sign Up Today To Reserve Your Spot.

                 

ISTE 2026 is right around the corner and we are excited to invited you to the Future Ready Librarians Summit on Sunday, June 28 from 9:00-11:00am EST.  

This year our theme is Mapping the Journey to Lead from the Library as we focus on the NEW Future Ready Librarians 3.0 framework and the amazing additions around freedom of read, multiple literacies, AI, and more. 

Our event is always such a special ways to kick off ISTE.  You can register at bit.ly/FRLISTE26 today.

We can't wait to see you, friends. 

You've Been Book'd With Lots of Special Books To Read This Summer, Friends!

                     

With summer right around the corner, I brought together this special collection of books in my Follett Content Titlewave today. 

You will find the You've Been Book'd With Lots of Special Books To Read This Summer choice board here. 

Just click on each book cover to read more about the books in Titlewave.  You will also find the entire booklist in Titlewave here. 

And if you want to make a copy of this choice board, you can do that at this link.

Have a wonderful time getting ready for summer reading, friends. It's one of the best times for reading.

Join Me This Summer For Two New Follett Software Webinars! It's Going To Be Fun, Friends.

 

This summer I am so excited to be hosting two new webinars with my friends at Follett Software. 

Registration is now open for both! 

You can register for the June 18th webinar, Creating a School Library Readers Want To Visit here. 

And you can register for the July 14th webinar, Ready, Set, Connect! Supporting Your School Community This Year here. 

If you can't attend in person, don't worry because everyone who registers will be send the recording and resources after the webinars too. 

I can't wait to connect with everyone this summer as we continue to learn, lead, and get ready for a new school year in the fall.  

Behind the Scenes of Our Library Move!

 

The end of the school year was a little different in the library this year.  We are getting ready to move into our new library and Makerspace, so we spent the last few weeks packing and putting everything in storage. It was a lot of work but with a little planning and lots of teamwork, it was a smooth process. 

I've had a lot of questions about how we went about this big task, so I want to share in this post the process we went through.  

Earlier this spring, our amazing Follett Content rep, Judy Diedrichs, came by Van Meter to offer us support. Judy has always been very helpful so I knew she would have advice and know what to do.

She helped me figure out how many boxes we would need by looking at our collection in TitleWise, the collection analysis tool in Titlewave. We ordered 350 recycled boxes and they were delivered within a few days to our school. 

As we started to pack up the books, Makerspace, and supplies, I made a labeling system for all of the different items we have in the library. Each section had a different color. 

I determined the colors by using these labels we bought on Amazon. 

I matched the colors from the labels in the posters I created in Google Slides. 

You can make a copy of the posters and sign here.

As the different sections of the library was packed, we added stickers to the boxes. 

We kept the sections in different areas of the library so it would be easy for us to move the boxes in an organized way. 

We were so lucky to have the help of the middle school study hall one afternoon. It took the kids and Mr. Olsen about 30 minutes to get everything moved into the collaboration space where we would store our library over the summer. 

Before they started moving the boxes into the space, Natasha, my assistant, and I hung up the posters in different areas. 

This worked really well and kept the students organized as they moved the boxes. 

One of the best parts is that this collaboration space is right outside of the door of our new library. It will be very quick and easy to move the boxes into our new space the second week of August.  

And it will give us just enough time to unpack, organize, and turn our new library into the heart of our school for our students this fall.  We can't wait! 

We will keep you updated as we go, friends. 

Join Us For The Follett Software Webinar, Creating a School Library Readers Want to Visit! Register Today, Friends.

 

I am excited to share our first Follett Software webinar of the summer! On June 18, 2026 at 2:00pm CST, we will be hosting Creating a School Library Readers Want To Visit. 

As shared in the invite, 

What makes readers want to come back to your library again and again? In this inspiring and practical webinar, award-winning teacher-librarian Shannon McClintock Miller will share creative ways to build a library space that feels welcoming, relevant, and exciting for your school community.

You’ll leave with simple, ready-to-use ideas for creating a library experience students want to explore and for positioning your library as a center of excellence in your school or district.

What you will learn:

How to create choice boards that help readers discover books and resources in new ways

Ways to use homepage highlights and carousels to feature new books, authors, series, and seasonal themes

How to showcase digital resources and other library materials in one easy-to-visit space

Ideas for curating collections that support reading, learning, and community engagement

Tips for highlighting downloadable resources and promoting what your library offers

Practical strategies for making your library homepage more inviting, relevant, and useful for students and educators

Ways to help position your library as a center of excellence for reading, discovery, and access across your school or district

If you want new ideas for showcasing everything your library offers, this session will give you approachable strategies you can put into practice right away.

Can’t attend? No problem: register, and we’ll email you the recording.
A certificate of attendance is available upon request.

You can register here, friends. I hope to see you there. 

Libraries Are The Heart of Our Schools....Check Out My Tip In The 2026-27 Demco School Library Planner!

It's such an honor to contribute again to the School Library Planner for the 2026-27 school year.  This is a wonderful project created by Kristina Holzweiss and Demco.  It contains valuable resources, inspirational tips from school librarians across the country, and loads of organizational and planning tools.  

The planner is perfect for all librarians wherever you are in your journey.

This colorful 12-month planner runs from July 2026 through June 2027. There is also free shipping in the contiguous United States.

It is filled with so many helpful resources and my favorite part are the tips from so many librarian friends. 

As shared on the Demco site, 

There are new features:

A fresh batch of inspirational tips from noteworthy school librarians across the country

An expanded section of forms and resources focused on scheduling, future planning, book care, budget planning, copyright, censorship, weeding, makerspace planning, AI, and more

Weekly micro-tips for quick and simple programming ideas

Each month includes:

A full calendar spread filled with monthly celebrations, important dates, and a QR code linking to additional monthly resources

A graphic planner to keep track of monthly goals, professional development, collaboration, special programming, and more

Weekly task spreads that also contain an inspirational word of the week, a space to record your win for the week, and a simple activity suggestion

You will find the School Library Planner here on the Demco site. 

I can't wait to get my planner ready this summer for the new school year in the fall.  I know you will love it too, friends. 

I Am A Twinkl Nova! Check Out My Favorite Resources, and Activate Your Free Trial Here, Friends.

 

I am so happy to share that I am a Twinkl Nova!  

Twinkl is one of my favorite resources to find printable and digital K-12 teaching resources including engaging worksheets, eBooks, games, Google Slides, and more.  

You can check out my favorite Twinkl resources, and activate your free trial on my profile page here. 

I share my favorite resources for Fun Library Activities, 

Library and Reading Events, and...

...Building Reading Culture in my Twinkl library.

There are just a few of my favorites to get us started. I will continue to share even more! 

You can access the entire Twinkl library with a 30-day free membership trial here twinkl.com/r/9dpvw at my link. 

I know you will love Twinkl, friends.  I can't wait to hear about your favorite resources too. 

Let's Gather Resources for America’s 250th Anniversary On This Padlet, Friends.

 

As we celebrate America's 250th Anniversary this year, I have been gathering all kinds of resources being shared and things that I have in our collection too. 

To keep them organized, I created this Padlet. There are columns for Events and Experiences, Resources for Teachers, Resources for Students, Books and eBooks, and Videos/Movies. 

I added several of my favorites to the Padlet. I am excited to look for more throughout the summer. 

Please feel free to add resources to the Padlet too, friends. If you would like to add other columns, you can do that too.  

You will find the Padlet here.

Mark Your Calendars For The STEM Teacher Summit on July 23-25th! Register Here Today, Friends.

 

 Make plans to join us July 23 - 25, 2026 for the online STEM Teacher Summit - The Building Blocks of STEM.

I am excited to be presenting The STEM Toolbox: Digital Tools That Empower Student Creators!

As shared in the invite, 

STEM learning comes alive when students are given the tools to explore, design, and create. In this engaging session, educator and Future Ready Librarian Shannon McClintock Miller will share her STEM Toolbox—a curated collection of digital tools that support inquiry, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving across grade levels.

 STEM Teachers Club members get access to this online summit included with their Membership!

 Get all the information here, friends. 

You've Been Book'd With Books For Mental Health Awareness Month, Friends.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  To support mental health awareness this month and all throughout the year, I brought together 36 books in this special Follett Content Titlewave booklist. 

I turned it into a choice board that you will find here. 

Just click on the book covers to find each book in Titlewave.  You can also find the entire booklist here in the choice board too, friends. 

To make a copy and change up the choice board, you can make a copy here.

I Made A Copy Of The Drawing, Coloring and Craft Ideas Choice Board For Our Kids and Families To Use This Summer Too!

 

This week, I shared this choice board that I put together with drawing, coloring, and craft idea resources.

I was thinking today.... This would be a really great choice board to share with our families and kids this summer! 

So, I made a copy, changed the title, and published it here. 

You can share it that way, or make a copy to make changes and share that one with your families too.

 

Nominate a Magic Maker today for the Literati Spring Book Fair Awards! 

The Magic Makers Awards celebrate the coordinators, librarians, educators, and communities who transform their Literati Book Fairs into immersive, unforgettable experiences that spark a love of reading. 

They create book fair experiences that their readers will never forget! 

Any school that hosted a Treasured Tales fair this season (January through May) is eligible. 

★To nominate your school or someone else's, gather photos and videos of your decorated fair and fill out the form using the link here.

Winners will be recognized at the Book Fair Awards, presented at the TLA (Texas Library Association) Conference in April 2027.

This is your time to shine and celebrate all that you and your school community do to bring book fairs to life and make them amazing experiences for all students, teachers, and families.

A Choice Board Filled With Drawing, Coloring, and Craft Ideas For Our Libraries, Makerspaces, and STEM! Get Yours Today, Friends.

As we get ready for our new library to open in August, I have been gathering up lots of passive programming resources and ideas.  I can't wait to have a wonderful new space where we will be able to have different areas set up in our library where students can come to create, hang out, relax, and have fun.

There are so many amazing site for drawing, coloring and craft ideas from places like Twinkl, KidLitTV, Highlights, PBSKids, and more.  

I love the resources from Crayola.  They are always coming up with something new and super cool like Color Camera where you can personalize your own coloring page. 

All you have to do is upload a photo, 

adjust the size, and... 

...print.  I plan on making a bunch of coloring pages with this to have out when our library opens for back to school time.  The kids will love seeing themselves in the coloring pages we have in our passive programming stations. 

Oh, and I also love Art Projects for Kids and all of the drawing videos for children they have created.  There are over 785 and something for every little artist.  You will love this site! 

I put together a choice board so I could share all of these with you.  You will find the choice board here.

Feel free to pass this onto your library and teacher friends, even to your families. I shared it with our public librarian in Van Meter today.  I know she will find lots of ways to use it too. 

If you want to make a copy of the template, you can grab one here. 

Have fun with passive programming in your libraries, friends. And let me know what I can add to this choice board so we can all have access to it too. 

You Can Shop Teacher Wishlists Right At Your Literati Book Fair Register! How Cool Is That!

 

Today when I logged into my Literati Open Book, this message popped up on the screen...Shop Teacher Wishlists at the Register! 

How cool is that!  We can now shop teacher wishlists at the book fair register.  

Here is how it works....

When shoppers come to the cash register, they can browse and purchase items from any of the teacher digital wishlists.  

These items purchased at the register will ship right to your school, along with the teacher's other wishlist orders after your bookfair is over. 

We are really excited about supporting our teachers at our upcoming Literati bookfair this fall in so many new and exciting ways through their wishlists.  It will make a difference in their classroom libraries, and will support our school library collection too. 

Read all about the Teacher Wishlists and all things Literati here, friends.

The June 2026 Demco Activity Calendars For Early Literacy Activities and Children's Activities Are Here, Friends!

  

The June 2026 Demco Activity Calendars are here! 

I love finding these special calendars each month on the Demco site. I love printing them off to share with our teachers and families, and I love sharing them online too. 

You will find the Early Literacy Activity for June 2026 here.

And the Children's Activity Calendar for June 2026 here.

Both of these calendars are filled with ideas and activities for you to engage with your students and children all month long.

You can also find all of the Activity Calendars here at the Demco Ideas and Inspiration site. 

Have a fun June, friends. 

Interactive Summer Learning With The Achievery: Webinar Replay + Free Summer Learning Resources!

We hosted the Future Ready Schools webinar with The Achievery this month called Turn Summer Into an Adventure...Interactive Learning With The Achievery. 

For this fun webinar,  four of our amazing Digital Navigators, Paige Chambers, Sabrina Grant, Amanda Hunt, and Keely Nudo, joined me to share their favorite lessons and ideas for summer learning with The Achievery. 

These Digital Navigators love using The Achievery in their communities. Each navigator will highlight their favorite lesson showcasing how students engage with interactive videos, on-screen activities, and hands-on learning experiences that extend beyond the screen.

The webinar recording is now live and you can watch it here.  You will also find the slides here.

We also shared a very special resource that everyone can take and share with your students and families for summer learning.  In the slides here, you will find three grade level choice boards featuring...

elementary learning activities, 

middle school learning activities, 

and high school learning activities. 

You can find each linked in the slides. 

Everyone can sign up for The Achievery for FREE at futureready.link/achievery