A Webinar Worth Sharing: Helping Families Understand AI with The Achievery and Common Sense Media.

 

Our friends at The Achievery hosted a special webinar this month with Common Sense Media called Real Parenting in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. 

In the webinar, families and educators gained an understanding about what AI is, how it works, and how our kids are using AI for school and personally. They shared hands-on activities and resources for families to give them the tools they need to guide their children on using AI safely and responsibly.  

You will find the webinar recording here. This is a wonderful resource to share with your families and community. 

And when you go to The Achievery, you will find the resources they shared, and more focusing on AI. 

You can sign up for your FREE Achievery account here.  Please invite your fellow colleagues and families to join.  It is FREE for everyone. 

I know you will love these AI resources, and everything The Achievery includes.  

Celebrate Read Across America Week With These Fun Reading Celebrations....Three Poster Templates Here In This Post!

 

Read Across America Week is coming up next week on March 2-6, 2026.  We have so many fun celebrations planned and one of our favorite traditions is celebrating throughout the week with special dress up days. 

I have three favorites that I want to share with you!  Feel free to copy, change up for your school community, and use to celebrate, friends. 

You will find the Google Slides template here. 

And the Canva template is here, 

along with this one we are using when Drew Daywalt comes to visit next week.  Read about his visit. 

I used the Capstone Reading is for Everyone campaign for this one.  It turned out so cute and was a super fun way to celebrate reading. You will find the Canva template here. 

If you need any help, let me know.  Have the best time celebrating with your readers! 

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

 

The March 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 March 2026 here.

And the Children's Activity Calendar for March 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 March, friends. 

Celebrate Read Across America With These Reading Posters, Bookmarks, Coloring Sheets and More From Our Friends At Capstone!

                

With Read Across America coming up on March 2-6, 2026, we are getting things ready in our library and school to make this celebration the best it can be for celebrating reading all week long. 

One thing I am working on today is gathering up posters, bookmarks, coloring sheets and other activities to share with our teachers, students and families to go along with our Celebrating Reading Is For Everyone theme. 

My favorite go-to spot for these fun reading resources is on the Capstone site.... 

...under Resources on the Downloads page. 

For this special week, I went down to the Posters & Bookmarks and...

...More Fun Resources! 

I grabbed the Reading is for Everyone poster, 

#ReadingIsForEveryone bookmarks, 

coloring sheets, 

I Love Reading activity sheet and more. 

You will find all of these wonderful downloads here to use for your reading celebrations too. 

Honored To Be A Featured Voice at the ISTE & ASCD Annual Conference in June!

 

I am honored to be a Featured Voice at this year's ISTELive and ASCD Annual joint conference on June 28-July 1, 2026.  

I hope you will be joining us for this amazing week of learning, sharing, connecting, and fun. I am excited to see everyone. 

Register today, friends.  It's going to be an amazing week. 

Join Me On February 25th for a NEW Webinar...Smarter Movie Streaming That Supports Learning!

 

I would love to invite you to a very special webinar, Smarter Movie Streaming That Supports Learning on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 11:00-12:00pm CST. 

Join us for a candid conversation on how movie streaming can support real learning outcomes in K-12 classrooms.  We will have a practical, honest conversation about instructional needs, resources, and decision-making in today's schools. 

Register here today to learn how Swank K-12 Streaming transforms how teachers use movies for elevated education and better learning outcomes.

You will love what we share for our future-ready libraries! See you there, friends.

Join Me The Fun New Capstone Webinar....Team Cute or Team Gross, Activating Student Voice Through Library Voting!

 

Friends, I have a fun new Capstone webinar you won't want to miss...

Team Cute or Team Gross, Activating Student Voice Through Library Voting! 

Join us on February 26th at 4:00pm CST as I share an easy way to get students talking, reading, and coming back for more.  

This high-energy session is packed with: 

• A simple, ready-to-use student voting activation you can set up in minutes.

• Easy ways to advocate for high-engagement titles in your library. 

• Plug-and-play ideas that spark participation and circulation. 

• A chance to WIN adorable or hilariously gross door decor, bookmarks, stickers, and cute and gross books for your library! 

You will have everything you need at the end of this webinar to bring this to your library and readers too.

Register here. 

Everyone who registers and attends will be entered to WIN the prize pack too! 

I can't wait to see you there, friends. 💜

Drew Daywalt is Coming to Van Meter To Celebrate His New Book For Read Across America Week!

 

We are so excited! Drew Daywalt is coming to Van Meter! 

On March 5-6, we will welcome Drew as he shares his story and books, including the newest, Forty the Fortune Teller.  This one comes out next week on February 24, 2026. 

This is also Read Across America week, March 2-6, 2026. Drew's visit is the perfect way to celebrate this special week with our readers.   

I also created a letter from The Crayons in Drew's books.  They asked our readers to dress up in one of our crayon colors each day to celebrate reading.  It will be so much fun!  I gave a letter to each class today. 

If you would like a copy of the crayon poster, you can find it here in Canva.  

I can't wait for this very special week, and for Drew's visit.  It's going to the best! 

Check Out The Free Live Storyvoice Author Events Coming Up Every Friday in February and March!

 

We love all of the FREE Storyvoice Author Events every Friday.  There is such an amazing lineup coming up over the next several weeks including Peter H. Reynolds, Joey Spiotto, Shauna Grant, Caroline L. Perry, and more! 

You can sign up for these wonderful author events here.

It's Here...STEM in the Stacks Episode 12 With The Inspiring, Aric Bostick! Listen Today, Friends.

 

STEM in the Stacks Episode 12 is now live featuring Aric Bostick, nationally recognized speaker and creator of the Fired Up to Show Up professional development program.

In this conversation, Jennifer and I explore how attachment theory and neuroscience can be translated into practical actions that strengthen school culture and improve engagement. Aric shares how intentional relationship building, emotional regulation, and self awareness help educators and leaders create environments where people feel safe, valued, and motivated to learn and collaborate.

If your focus is retention, morale, and meaningful impact, this episode offers actionable insight worth sharing with your team.

Listen today and let us know your key takeaway.

And you will find all of our STEM in the Stacks and Beyond episodes here. 

Let us know if you would like to be a special guest on our podcast. We love to talk all things STEM, libraries, creativity, and learning, and we would love to hear your stories and passions too, friends. 

Join Me On March 12, 2026 For My New Follett Software Webinar, Reigniting Student Reading Engagement in a Digital World!

 

I am excited for my upcoming Follett Software webinar, Reigniting Student Reading Engagement in a Digital World on March 12, 2026. 

As shared in the invite, 

Students today face more distractions than ever before—but libraries and educators still play a powerful role in helping them connect deeply with books and with each other.

Join award-winning teacher-librarian Shannon McClintock Miller as she shares actionable strategies to spark meaningful reading engagement across your school or district.

In this live session, you’ll learn how to:

• Foster a culture of reading through student-led initiatives
• Use digital tools to make reading more accessible and fun
• Track progress and celebrate success in ways that resonate with today’s learners

Whether you’re a librarian, teacher, or site administrator, you’ll leave with ideas you can implement right away—and fresh inspiration for the year ahead.

You can register for this FREE webinar here.  I can't wait to see you there, friends. 

Find The Recording and Slides Here For My Follett Software Webinar, What ROI Means to a Librarian.... and How AI Helps Me Achieve It!

 

On February 11, 2026, I joined my friends at Follett Software for the webinar, What ROI Means to a Librairan and How AI Helps Me Achieve It. 

You can now find the recording, slides, and resources here on their website. 

And here is the published link of the slides too. 

Please reach out if you have any questions, friends. I am always happy to help you. 

On March 12, 2026, join me for my next Follett Software webinar, Reigniting Student Reading Engagement in a Digital World.  

You can register for this special new webinar here. 

Summer Planning Just Got Easier With The STEMfinity 2026 Summer Camps Guide!

This time of year, I start thinking about summer reading and learning for our students. I love creating and sharing experiences and resources with our families to support them in finding wonderful opportunities for their children throughout the summer. 

One of my favorite places to go is the 2026 Summer Camps Guide from our friends at STEMfinity!  

This special guide is packed with hands on STEM programs students will be so excited about. They include robotics, coding, engineering, Makerspaces, esports, drones, and more all gathered in one place so you do not have to spend hours searching.

The STEMfinity 2026 Summer Camps Guide is perfect for schools, districts, libraries, camps, and families looking to create an unforgettable summer.

You will find it here. 

Share it with your families, teachers, community, and others too.  Everyone will love this! 

A New Follett Titlewave Tip....Check Out The NEW Barcode Reader To Scan Books & Add To Your Lists Super Easy and Fast!

 

I have a new Follett Titlewave Tip for you, friends! 

There is a new barcode reader that will scan the bar codes on books you'd like to view and add to your Follett Titlewave lists. 

I love pulling up Titlewave on my phone and using the barcode reader. It's so handy when I am looking at books I might want to add to our library.  I used it with some advanced reader copies last week, and at a book shop in Anchorage, Alaska this week.  

After I scanned the barcode, it popped up in Titlewave and I added it to my February Book List.  It's a wonderful time saver and so handy.  

Check it out today, and if you need a FREE Titlewave account, grab it here. 

What Do CUTE and GROSS Books Have In Common? Check Out These New Books and FUN Infographic From Our Friends At Capstone!

We LOVE the new CUTE and GROSS books that are NEW from Capstone and part of their...

...amazing Brain Candy Books! 

Our readers love heading over to the Brain Candy Books section of our library.  I can't wait to add the new Spring 2026 books to our library too. The kids will be so excited. 

Brain Candy Books help a generation of kids addicted to short-form media build stamina and discover that the most stimulating way to consume content is by reading it!

Brain Candy Books lean into what makes fast content appealing: they’re visual, punchy, trendy, and surprising. These nonfiction series are designed to build stamina by meeting kids exactly where they are. Each title is designed to provide a little curiosity hit that makes a student turn one page, then another, until suddenly they’ve read 30 pages and want more. And that’s the sweetest moment.

You can read all about Brain Candy Books here on the Capstone site. 

I am so excited for this new infographic they created to show all the ways CUTE and GROSS books activate the brain systems that support reading.  How fun and impactful is this!  

You will find the infographic here.  I sent this off to the printer to create a bigger one to for our library.  

Find Brain Candy books here on the Capstone site, and they can also be found in Follett Content Titlewave here under this special feature. 

Have fun adding Brain Candy Books to your library, friends. I can't wait to hear what your readers think of the CUTE and GROSS books too. 

Start Planning Read Across America With The You've Been Book'd With Dr. Seuss Books and Activities!

 

In March, we celebrate National Reading Month.

To kick it off, we will celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2 with Read Across America Day. Read Across America is the nations largest celebration of reading.

This special event was launched in 1998 by the National Education Association (NEA). It is held every year on March 2 which is Dr. Seuss's birthday and promotes diverse and inclusive books for all readers.

 
It's also a wonderful way to celebrate reading all year long by motivating our children and teens to read through events at schools, libraries, and partnerships with community organizations.  

Our friends at Random House Children's Books have put together an amazing week for us as we celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday with our readers in our libraries, classrooms, and communities. 

These virtual author events start on March 2 with an event every day.  

The author will share their books, and read one of Dr. Seuss's books too. 

To go along with the week, they also created a FREE guide, 

12 Months of Dr. Seuss Activities.  

The guide includes activities for every month of the year, all focused around Dr. Seuss books.  

As I opened up the guide today, I found a super fun activity for January that goes along with Fox in Socks. 

I went to the shelf in our library and found a few of these Dr. Seuss books, but needed to order several more to be ready for this fun event in March.  I jumped into my Follett Titlewave and created a list of the books in the 12 Months of Dr. Seuss Activities packet.  

I put the Titlewave list and each book together on the new You've Been Book'd With Dr. Seuss Books and Activities choice board that you will find here.  You can click on each book cover to find it in Titlewave, and I included the entire list of 12 books there too. 

You can also find the 12 Months of Dr. Seuss Activities worksheet packet and the Dr. Seuss Celebrations landing page linked on the choice board.  

If you want to make a copy of the choice board, you can get it here. 

Have fun planning your reading celebrations, friends.  I can't wait to see how you celebrate with your readers.