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 GaDOE Library Media Update - December 2018


Table of Contents

  • Georgia Department of Education Recognizes Six Military Flagship Schools
  • Georgia Insights
  • Georgia Poetry Out Loud School Registration Deadline
  • Georgia Poet Laureate's Prize Call for Entries
  • Picturing History: Using Great Children’s Literature to Spark Inquiry in Social Studies K-12
  • Big Opportunities for Small Libraries: IMLS Launches New Special Initiative
  • New Homegrown Children’s Book will Go to Every Public Elementary School and Library in Georgia
  • The EngineerGirl Writing Contest
  • GALILEO News
  • Lights, Camera, Budget!
  • Printable DLG Social Studies Poster and Postcard
  • Worth Sharing
  • Going Social
  • GaDOE Media Mailing List

Georgia Department of Education Recognizes Six Military Flagship Schools

The Georgia Department of Education has selected six schools as winners of the new Military Flagship School Award, State School Superintendent Richard Woods announced today. 

The Military Flagship School Award recognizes schools going above and beyond to provide a supportive environment for military students and families. Military Flagship Schools provide specific outreach to military families and recognize and accommodate their unique needs.

The Inaugural Military Flagship Schools are: 

  • Columbus High School, Muscogee County Schools
  • Crooked River Elementary School, Camden County Schools
  • Hilltop Elementary School, Houston County Schools
  • Lowndes High School, Lowndes County Schools
  • Riverside Elementary School, Columbia County Schools
  • Snelson-Golden Middle School, Liberty County Schools
“As the child of a military family myself, it means so much to me to recognize schools that are doing an exceptional job caring for Georgia’s military students and families,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “Being part of a military family is a lifestyle full of transition and sacrifice. As educators and public officials, one way we can show our gratitude and respect for those who serve is providing a welcoming, supportive school environment for their families. I commend each one of these schools for their service on behalf of military families and children.” 

Georgia Insights

Georgia Insights is an initiative of the Georgia Department of Education, focused on improving the clarity and accessibility of district and school-level data through public-friendly and easy-to-use dashboards.
 
Georgia Insights utilizes the data the state already collects and presents it using clear, easy-to-understand visuals. By displaying the data in a streamlined, usable and useful manner, we hope to equip educators, parents, and communities with the tools they need to enact positive change in their schools.

Some of the Public Databases and Maps accessible through Georgia Insights include Get Georgia Reading Policy Map, Kids Count, Early Childhood Readiness Radar, Neighborhood Nexus, and STEAM Asset Map.

Georgia Poetry Out Loud School Registration Deadline

Georgia high schools that wish to participate in the 2018-2019 Poetry Out Loud (POL) competition must register by December 14, 2018. Poetry Out Loud is an innovative program sponsored by National Endowment for the Arts which encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance of the written word. Structured similar to a spelling bee, winners of each classroom recitation competition advance to a school-wide contest. Each school’s winner competes in a regional semifinal competition.

Georgia Poet Laureate's Prize Call for Entries

Georgia’s Poet Laureate, in collaboration with the Georgia Council for the Arts, is pleased to announce the sixth annual Poet Laureate’s Prize, awarded for an original poem written by a Georgia high school student. The Poet Laureate's Prize encourages Georgia high school students to write original works of poetry and honors the outstanding work of student writers in our state. Entry details are included in the guidelines. The deadline for Poet Laureate's Prize entries is March 1, 2019.

Picturing History: Using Great Children’s Literature to Spark Inquiry in Social Studies K-12

Thursday, June 20 - Friday, June 21, 2019

This read alouds retreat will connect educators with professional authors and illustrators. Held at Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa, nestled in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia, the GaDOE social studies team expects this retreat to fill quickly. There is limited space available; hotel and registration information coming soon.

Big Opportunities for Small Libraries: IMLS Launches New Special Initiative

Seeking Applications for School Library, Community Memory, and Digital Inclusion Grants

The Institute of Museum and Library Services has launched a new special initiative, Accelerating Promising Practices for Small Libraries (APP), and is accepting grant applications now through February 25, 2019. This new funding opportunity is designed specifically to strengthen the ability of small and rural libraries, archives, and related organizations to serve their communities, and awards sizes range from $10,000 to $50,000.

Transforming Communities includes goals of lifelong learning, increasing public access, and building capacity. APP is a special initiative of National Leadership Grants for Libraries, which supports projects that enhance the quality of library and archives services nationwide by advancing theory and practice.

Three categories of APP grants are available to applicants:

  • Transforming School Library Practice
  • Community Memory
  • Digital Inclusion
For more details, please read the notice of funding opportunity. Two pre-application webinars will be held with program staff to answer questions from potential applicants:

Recordings of the webinars will also be made available on the IMLS website.

New Homegrown Children’s Book will Go to Every Public Elementary School and Library in Georgia

Forever Loblolly encourages children to become authors of their own future

Every public elementary school library and public library in the state will soon have a new children’s book on their shelves. First lady Sandra Deal and the Get Georgia Reading Campaign launched Forever Loblolly at the Decatur Public Library on November 21st, providing a tangible way to get all students reading at grade level by the end of third grade.

Truly a homegrown children’s book, Forever Loblolly was co-authored by Georgia authors Carmen Agra Deedy and her husband John McCutcheon, illustrated by Georgia artist Thomas Gonzalez, and printed by RR Donnelley and Sons in Atlanta on paper sourced from Georgia, thanks to a new partnership with the Georgia Forestry Foundation and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).

“We appreciate the Georgia Forestry Foundation and Gov. and Mrs. Deal, and their efforts to link Georgia forests and literacy—the education of our youth,” said Sustainable Forestry Initiative Chief Conservation Officer Paul Trianosky. “Together these things really do represent the future of Georgia and our collective future. There are 25 million acres of forest land in Georgia that provide clean water and air, wildlife habitats, recreational opportunities, forest products—and jobs for thousands of people.”

The EngineerGirl Writing Contest

Write a story that celebrates engineering design and problem solving

For the first time, The EngineerGirl writing contest is asking students to submit works of creative fiction. Stories should be about about women and girls saving the day with their wits, skill, and whatever resources they can find to solve the problem. Maybe they are working alone, maybe they are part of an elite team. Maybe they just find themselves in an unusual situation that requires some innovative thinking. Stories should inspire EngineerGirl readers to think, "I want to be able to do that" or "I can do that."

GALILEO News

The GALILEO password will change on January 8, and a reminder email will be sent to everyone on the password contact list on December 8. Any media specialist/school librarian who wants to be added to the list should contact GALILEO. Passwords are often a barrier to using GALILEO, but by next school year, a new authentication system will be in place to make access easier.

Lights, Camera, Budget!

A free online financial literacy resource from GCEE and GPB Education

Lights, Camera, Budget! is an online game designed to help middle and high school students learn, study, and review financial literacy topics while also practicing their budgeting skills. In the game, students are positioned as movie producers who have been given $100 million to produce a movie. To get the movie produced, they must prove they have good personal finance skills to keep their budget on track.

Printable DLG Social Studies Poster and Postcard

The Digital Library of Georgia is sharing the third in a series of printable posters and postcards for K-12 educators and students, based upon the Georgia 8th Grade Social Studies Standards of Excellence (GSE). These resources provide high quality, standards-aligned materials that help teachers meet the varying academic interests and needs of their students. 

The latest poster is for the SS8H4 module. It explains significant factors that affected westward expansion in Georgia between 1789 and 1840, which includes the document Memorandum of gold bullion, deposited at the Branch Mint of the United States, at Dahlonega, Georgia, [1838?], courtesy of the Chestatee Regional Library System, Lumpkin County Branch. 

Worth Sharing

Going Social

GaDOE Media Mailing List

Do you want to share the GaDOE Media Updates? If so, encourage your colleagues to join the email mailing list by following the directions on this page.

Thank you,

Tony Vlachakis
Educational Technologist 
Library/Media Liaison
tvlachak@doe.k12.ga.us
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