September 11

Invitation to Term 4’s PMBW Literary Afternoon Tea

Hi Teacher Librarian colleagues,

The Penrith Mount Druitt Blacktown Windsor (PMBW) Teacher Librarians Professional Learning Group, WestWords and Walker Books take great pleasure in inviting you to meet author Sally Murphy.

Sally is the award-winning author of more than 30 books for children, including CBC Honour Book, Pearl verses the world and Toppling, winner of the Children’s Book category in the WA Premier’s Book Awards. Her most recent book is the verse novel, Roses are blue. Sally will be speaking about her books and on working with children as readers and writers.

When: Thursday, 30th October (Week 4 Term 4) 3.30-5pm. Afternoon tea will be served 3.30 – 4pm
Where: Quakers Hill PS Library, Medlow Drive, Quakers Hill
Who: This event is open to all teacher-librarians, teachers, public librarians, parents and adults interested in writing for children.
Cost: Free.

Please RSVP by Friday 24 October to: Michelle Kotowski, michelle.kotowski@det.nsw.edu.au or call 9626 9655.

Parking not available on school grounds: please park in local streets. Sally’s books will be available for sale courtesy of The Children’s Bookshop, Beecroft. Please feel free to invite teachers from your school too! The PMBW Committee looks forward to sharing in this valuable literary afternoon with you!

Jenny Scheffers (Caddies Creek PS)
Chairperson, PMBW Teacher Librarian Professional Learning Group.

March 18

Invitation to Term 1’s afternoon meeting

Hi Teacher Librarian colleagues,

The PMBW Teacher Librarian Group Committee has plans well underway for another very exciting year of professional development and networking! The first event is our Term 1 Informal Afternoon Meeting which will be held at Richmond High School’s library. This will be an invaluable opportunity to network with other Teacher Librarians from across the District and to hear more about our exciting Term 2 Conference. The details of the Afternoon Meeting are listed below.

Date: Wednesday 26th March (Week 9)
Cost: free
Venue: Richmond High School, Lenox Street, Richmond
Parking: in school grounds and nearby streets
Time: 3.30pm – 5pm

Please RSVP by Thursday 20th February to host teacher librarian Lolita Garcia phone: 4578-1177 Library extension: 216 or email lolita.garcia@det.nsw.edu.au

We hope you will be able to join us!

June 14

Term 3 afternoon meeting!

The Committee would love to see you at an informal gathering to discuss Book Week activities.

Date: Thursday 29 August (Week 7)
Venue: Banks Public School
182-194 Banks Drive
St Clair
Time: 3:30 – 5:00pm
Topics: Book Week activities, CBC update
Cost: Free. Afternoon tea refreshments will be provided.

RSVP by Thursday 22nd August to Julie Grazotis (Teacher Librarian)
Email: julie.grazotis@ det.nsw.edu.au or
Phone: 02 9670 6506

February 19

Term 1 afternoon tea meeting!

The PMBW Teacher Librarian Group is hosting an informal afternoon tea meeting in Blacktown Girls High School’s library on Tuesday 5th March (Week 6 Term 1).

This will be a valuable opportunity to network with other teacher tibrarians from across the District. The details of the Afternoon Meeting are listed below. We hope you will be able to join us!

Date: Tuesday 5th March (Week 6 Term 1).
Cost: free
Venue: Blacktown Girls High School, Fifth Ave, Blacktown
Phone: 02 9831 7577
Parking: in school grounds and nearby streets
Time: 3.30pm – 5.00pm

Please RSVP by Tuesday 26th February to host teacher librarian, Pam Stewart – ph: 9831 7577 or email pamela.c.stewart@det.nsw.edu.au

Jenny Scheffers (Teacher Librarian Caddies Creek PS)
Chairperson,
Penrith, Mt Druitt, Blacktown & Windsor Teacher Librarian Professional Learning Group

September 23

CBCA NSW AGM 2012: a resounding success!

CBCA NSW AGM 2012

Congratulations to the committee of the Children’s Book Council’s NSW Branch who successfully gave yesterday’s Annual General Meeting a slick, new look, with rousing “speed dating” presentations by five authors and illustrators – Susanne Gervay, Nathan Luff, Sue Whiting, Serena Geddes and Sarah Davis – before the meeting proper and the scrumptious morning tea. PMBW’s own Jackie Hawkes and Honor White are on the committee this year (and next)!

Ian and Susanne at CBCA
Ian McLean with author, Susanne Gervay

September 16

Lightning strikes!

Lightning strikes

Walker Books present an event for teachers, parents and teacher librarians. Featuring five Australian authors, Sue Whiting, James Roy, Moya Simons, Janeen Brian and Aleesah Darlison, the topic is how to inspire and engage young reluctant readers.

The event will be held at Gleebooks, Glebe, on Thursday 20th September at 6pm. RSVP (02) 9660 2333.

August 31

Cupcakes for Book Week!

Cupcakes 1

The committee says: “Thank you so much Cathie Cattermole for putting in the ‘extra effort’ with hosting our afternoon tea meeting at James Erskine Public School this week. Your library is lovely and the cupcakes were mind blowing!”

Book cover cupcakes

Cupcakes 2

August 13

Afternoon tea meeting

The PMBW Teacher Librarian Professional Learning Group is hosting a no-cost, informal afternoon tea meeting in James Erskine Public School’s library on Wednesday 29th August (Week 7 Term 3).

This will be a valuable opportunity to network with other Teacher Librarians from across the District. We will be discussing school’s Book Week celebrations and the Committee will be providing an update about our exciting Term 4 Reading Beyond 2012! Conference.

The details of the Afternoon Meeting are listed below. We hope you will be able to join us!

Date: Wednesday 29th August (Week 7 Term 3)
Cost: free
Venue: James Erskine Public School, Peppertree Drive, Erskine Park, NSW
Phone: 02 9834 3009
Parking: in school grounds after 3.30pm and across the road from the school in the shopping centre
Time: 3.30pm – 5pm
Please RSVP by Wednesday 23rd August to host teacher librarian Cathie Cattermole ph: 02 9834 3009 or email catherine.cattermole@det.nsw.edu.au

Regards,
Jenny Scheffers (Teacher Librarian, Caddies Creek PS)
Chairperson,
Penrith, Mt Druitt, Blacktown & Windsor Teacher Librarian Professional Learning Group

June 14

Committee meeting minutes – Wednesday 6 June 2012

Venue: Penrith Panthers
Meeting opened: 4.10pm
Present: Jenny Scheffers, Honor White, Jan Poona, Lee Arundel, Ian McLean, Cathie Cattermole, Belinda Guymer, Sue Pitt, Bonnie Manwaring, Lorraine Baxter, Ilse Roorda-Erich and Michele Young.
Apologies: Fran Mead, Lyn Drew, Julie Grazotis, Belinda Doyle, Shelley Napper and Susan Burke.

Jenny:
* Happy Birthday to Jan from the committee
* Updated committee members list
* Thank you letter sent to Cambridge Park HS catering team (teachers and students) for the preparation and serving of food at our T2 meeting
* Oasis beginners’ course – Tuesday 26 June at Banks PS (TL – Julie Grazotis) – 20 delegates, Cost – $40, Facilitators – Doug Jenkins and Bronwyn Jackson
* Thank you to Julie for organising the session.
* Term 3 Afternoon Tea – Catherine Cattermole, TL at James Erskine PS
* On behalf of the committee, Jenny will write a letter to DEC re concerns about proposed restructuring.

Lee:
Reported on finances in the bank.

Ian:
* PMBW blog site with Edublogs has been updated to “Pro” – more space now available and we can now embed video links – cost $42.04
* On MyPL@DEC, the PMBW Professional Learning Day of 2.6.11 is recorded as a one-hour event instead of one-day – Jenny to follow up.

Cathie:
* Evaluation review of PL meeting – very positive. Refer to report.
* Term 3 Afternoon Tea – Wednesday 29 August (Week 7), TL – Catherine Cattermole, James Erskine PS, 3:30 – 5:00pm, Book Week discussion, Cathie to email Jenny regarding school information – phone number, address, parking etc.

Term 4 2012 Professional Learning Conference:
* Literary Conference, Thursday 8 November 2012
* Possible conference title – “Reading Beyond 2012!”
* 120 delegates
* Venue – Penrith Panthers
* Notepads, pens, mints, water on each table
* Event organiser – Paul Collins – Melbourne based agency – 50% deposit based on 100 people
* Sue to request an invoice from the company and pass on to Jenny – give to Lee for payment
* Possible sponsors – Raeco, Elizabeth Richards, Fry’s Library Supplies, Teachers’ Mutual Bank (formerly Teachers’ Credit Union)
* Presenters to have their books for sale on the day
* Showbags – have 63 bags in reserve, Place an order for 150 bags – $500
* Sue to follow up donation of books for show bags from Scholastic.
* Discussed possible agenda.

Next Committee Meeting: Blacktown Sports Club, 3.45pm Date TBA
Meeting closed: 5.20pm

March 31

SLA NSW Awards Celebration, 2012

SLA NSW Awards Celebration
Ian McLean, Stacey Taylor, guest speaker Maurice Saxby, Paul Macdonald and Alinda Sheerman at the School Libraries Association, NSW Awards at The Children’s Bookshop, Beecroft, last night. Paul is the proprietor of the shop… and so much more! He was receiving the inaugural Maurice Saxby Award.

Ian McLean
The John H Lee Memorial Award is for a teacher-librarian who demonstrates “excellence in leadership in innovative and collaborative teaching practice through the integration of learning technologies”. Presented to Ian McLean (Penrith PS), of the PMBW Committee. Many thanks to Linda Gibson-Langford who nominated him! This is a joint award presented by SLA NSW and Charles Sturt University. Ashley Freeman presented the award.

Maurice Saxby
Maurice Saxby is sharing a poem, chosen at random, from a well-loved book he received at age five. Captivating! (Even the bear was mesmerised.) Maurice described that magic moment where a child is immersed in reading and suddenly gets a cold chill at the back of the neck. CS Lewis called this unique sensation “Surprise by joy.”

SLA NSW Awards Celebration
PMBW’s Chairperson Jenny Scheffers (Caddies Creek Public School) with Ian McLean and the School Libraries & Information Literacy Unit’s Colleen Foley at The Children’s Bookshop. Book rappers extraordinaire!