A Message from Kathy Katz

In preparation for our 20^th anniversary celebration I have been looking through our stacks and stacks of old photos and letters and endless computer files, reflecting on my many years with Children’s Book Project. What I realized is that It’s the people I’ve met that inspire me ‑— the endless stream of amazing people who work to improve our community. Their concern for Bay Area children and families. Their dedication to the never-ending struggle to keep the social service/nonprofit world alive. Teachers’ willingness to spend additional hours at CBP selecting books to improve their classroom and for their students to take home. Doctors bringing books to free clinics for their patients. Volunteers picking up books for homeless shelters and tutoring programs. And then there are all the wonderful people who collect the books that we can then distribute throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Over 100,000 books donated to us every year. Definitely something to celebrate!
Kathy CBP

5:30pm - 7:30pm, Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Latino / Hispanic Meeting Room, Lower Level

San Francisco Main Library, 100 Larkin Street

Let's Celebrate 20 Years of Children's Book Project!

Gentle Readers,

San Francisco's absolutely beloved Children's Book Project is 20 years old this year!

They are too humble to make much about it but we at the San Francisco Early Literacy Network, First Book San Francisco, and San Francisco Public Library are so appreciative of their exceptional work and the profound positive difference they make in so many lives that we are throwing them a party. Please join us and show them how much you love them. See you there, Brian

(Click invite to view at full size)

5:30pm - 7:30pm, Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Latino / Hispanic Meeting Room, Lower Level

San Francisco Main Library, 100 Larkin Street

STEAM Workshop at SFPL Main

On May 18^th, 2012, the San Francisco Public Library hosted a “What’s Hot in STEAM?” workshop led by Dr. Judy Cheatham from Reading is Fundamental (RIF). This lively event was attended by approximately 50 San Francisco and Oakland Public Library children’s librarians, branch managers, Project Read staff, and other library professionals plus San Francisco Early Literacy Network partners from Raising a Reader, Bring Me a Book, Screen Actors Guild BookPALS, and Pulsing Word Consulting.

STEAM is an enhancement of the STEM initiative which promotes making science, technology, engineering, and math skills a natural part of education from early literacy on up. STEAM proponents hope to broaden the scope by including the arts.

Dr. Cheatham was dynamic, warm, funny, and astute. She discussed RIF’s multicultural literacy initiative, the current reading landscape, basic interpersonal communication skills vs. cognitive academic language proficiency, the summer reading slide, and quite a bit more. Her presentation and the interactive small group activities were engaging and practical. RIF also generously provided each attendee with three picture books particularly suited to STEAM use, a wealth of curricula, and a delicious continental breakfast. For a visual tour of the workshop please peruse the 15 photos posted below.

For more information about STEM, STEAM, and RIF please use the following links.

STEM

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-launches-educate-innovate-campaign-excellence-science-technology-en

STEAM

http://stemtosteam.org

Reading is Fundamental (the nation’s oldest and largest children’s and family literacy non-profit)

http://www.rif.org

All the best, Amy Perry and Brian Castagne

Christy Estrovitz, San Francisco Public Library Early Literacy Coordinator, introduces Dr. Judy B. Cheatham of Reading is Fundamental (RIF).

Judy Cheatham engages the audience.

Judy Cheatham compares math and science scores of students from the US to those of students from China.

Strategic education priorities from the White House.

Spirited interactive activity.

Sharing her new favorite picture book, Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham.

Modeling how to employ the STEAM framework during a read aloud.

Lynne Mayes of Pulsing Word Consulting and Screen Actors Guild BookPALS embraces the activity with Christy Estrovitz.

Eric Auyeung, SFPL Children's Librarian, and Karen Drachler from Bring me a Book generate learning activities.

SFPL Children's Librarians Ruben Balderas and Eric Auyeung being creative.

SFPL Children's Librarians, Eric Barbus, Sarah Stone, and Children and Teen Selection Specialist Denise Schmidt devise learning activities.

Oakland Public Library's Janet Cheung, SFPL Children Services Librarians Laura Tarango and Mary Ellen Massa, and Golden Gate Valley Branch Manager Irene Lee evaluate new learning materials.

Amy Perry of SFPL Mobile Outreach Services, Liesel Harris-Bundy from West Portal Branch, and Celia of the Oakland Public Library look over the wealth of materials.

SFPL's Kimberly Lauer and Barbara VanderBorght, and Michelle Callwood of Raising a Reader show that learning is fun.

Lyn Davidson, SFPL Fisher Children's Center Assistant Manager, details the bounty of books and learning materials provided free from Reading is Fundamental. She then convened the SFPL Children's Services Monthly Meeting.

Early Literacy Buffet 2012 - A Success!

On Saturday, February 25, 2012, approximately eighty service providers and community partners gathered at the San Francisco Main Library for the SF Early Literacy Network’s annual Early Literacy Buffet Honoring Early Childhood Educators. The festive morning of professional development, nourishment, and gratitude began with a hearty breakfast sponsored by SFPL and catered by the Mint Café, and a showcase of the many services provided by ELN members. Saroj Ghoting, national early literacy expert, gave a rousing research-based keynote, Supporting Early Literacy Through Powerful Interactions. After a brief tour of the Main Library’s Fisher Children’s Center, educators participated in two concurrent trainings. ELN members Catherine Aranda, Michele Callwood, Verónica Flores-Malagón, and Jo McConnell presented Building Playful Extensions With Books inspired by Hervé Tullet’s Press Here. Alli Cuentos and Lynne Maes led an interactive session, Playful Transitions in the Name of Early Literacy, and supported by The Neighborhood Mother Goose Singalong by Nina Crews. The event concluded with raffle prizes, distribution of the Certificate of Professional Development, and expression of our deepest appreciation.

Representing the San Francisco Public Library were Brian Castagne, Lyn Davidson, Christy Estrovitz, and Amy Perry.  ELN members included Catherine Aranda (Jumpstart), Janell Bolte (ELN co-founder and Non-profit Education Consultant), Michele Callwood (Raising A Reader), Alli Cuentos (Jamestown Community Center and Pulsing Word Consulting), Jude Deckenbach (First Book San Francisco), Verónica Flores-Malagón (Raising A Reader), Lynne Maes (Pulsing Word Consulting), and Jo McConnell (Raising A Reader).

Thank you to all of the participants and partners who made this event such a remarkable success. Brian isn't in any of the photos of the amazing Early Literacy Buffet because he was hard at work taking them - over 1000+ photographs! We narrowed them down to the 36 shots below (click on any photo to see a larger version and slide show option). We will soon post additional shots through a Flickr link so please check back (feel free to use any of the photos for non-profit purposes but please give credit/attribution).

Warm regards, Christy & Brian

Early Literacy Buffet registration filled up quickly.

SFPL Security warmly welcomes registered participants.

Jude Deckenbach and Janell Bolte make registration a breeze.

Educators mingle and nosh.

Special musical guests Robert Doerr and Ginger.

Christy Estrovitz welcomes all to the San Francisco Public Library.

Some of the many Library services provided to educators.

Library card: free access to a multitude of riches.

Janell Bolte and Christy Estrovitz, ELN co-founders, share the history and discuss the future.

The ELN loves to collaborate!

Catherine Aranda details Jumpstart's work in the Visitacion Valley, Mission, and Bayview communities.

Jo McConnell and Michele Callwood showcase the benefits of Raising A Reader's famous red bag.

Lynne Maes and Alli Cuentos unveil Pulsing Word Consulting services.

Saroj Ghoting, national early literacy expert, presents a playful and practical keynote.

Saroj engages educators in discussion of the newest techniques based on the latest research.

Saroj promotes playful practice.

Go forth and play!

Amy Perry and Janell Bolte show how it's done! They captivate the crowd with a rockin' read aloud of Pete the Cat.

Amy Perry, Early Literacy Bookmobile Librarian, and Lyn Davidson, Assistant Manager of  the Children's Center, provide a guided tour of the extensive early childhood library.

Catherine Aranda of Jumpstart, Michele Callwood, Jo McConnell, and Verónica Flores-Malagón of Raising A Reader partner up to present an engaging workshop.

 "Building Playful Extensions With Books" workshop inspired by Herve Tullet's Press Here. 

Educators pour over new copies (for them to keep) of Press Here.

Book inspired color and action game.

Participants create a new song inspired by Press Here.

Crafty educators at work.

Alli Cuentos, Jamestown Community Center, and Lynne Maes, Pulsing Word Consulting, present "Playful Transitions in the Name of Early Literacy."

Holding hands, making friends, and building skills. 

Small group activities and discussions.

Alli Cuentos uses music and movement to gather the group.

Music and motion brings everyone together.

Positive transition complete. Engaging new activity begins.

Raffle Time!

Lucky educator wins $90 Target gift card donated by Jumpstart.

Another raffle winner! Displaying the wealth of resources distributed to all participants plus her raffle prize of a bag chock full of fabulous new books donated by Project Read.

Jude Deckenbach, First Book San Francisco, distributes a Certificate of Professional Development  to each educator.

With our gratitude, each participant received a goody bag full of booklists and educational treats.

And what did participants think about the Buffet?

• Thank you for your support!
• What a great and inspiring resource!
• SFPL is wonderful!
• You Rock!
• Thank you for providing such a great opportunity to learn more about early literacy acquisition.
• This yearly program is awesome!
• I loved learning about early literacy through powerful interactions.
• Thank you for providing this opportunity for us to meet the experts and other educators. We learn together.
• Job well done!
• It helped my knowledge of early literacy in young children. I will use what I learned today to create curriculum that reflects the children’s literacy level.
• I feel renewed at a busy time of the year.