A Collaborations between CF Library, Parents, and Students.
August, 2024
CF Students is reading the picture book You Are My Friend: the story of Mr. Rogers. Through this biography, we were inspire to practice kindness.
Using their own interpretation and imagination each one of my students has the chance to write, draw or both (using color pencils and index card) what is kind or how to practice kindness. At the end we are creating a wall of kind/Kindness. To be kind is...
"Kind to each other," "kind to animals," "kind to our planet earth," "kind to elders," "kind to our families," "kind and care to other," kind to our friends"
and one of the most important one is to be kind with ourselves."
The Magic Library Programming
2024-2025
The Magic Library (TML) will be a year-long, ongoing project that will be comprised of special programs. Some of these programs have already begun to be implemented. Others have already been conceptualized. Yet others will be designed in the future.This project will emphasize the importance CF and its library place on the development and empowerment of all students, social justice, and diverse learning styles.I Examples of programs already (begun) to be implementedThe Memory Project – was implemented during March, April and May of 2024. Inspired by an exhibition at the Museum at Eldridge Street, on New York City’s Lower East Side, it brought together student awareness and concerns about international Women’s Day, world Book Day and International Earth Day.Guest Speakers/performance Series – Our library has already hosted Adrienne Ottenberg the artist who designed and installed an exhibit at the Museum at Eldridge Street. In a collaboration with the Eric Carle Museum our CF Library will be hosting internationally-recognized authors/illustrators of picture books like Roger Mello from Brazil. Roger Mello visit: (K-6) Cafeteria/Auditorium – Friday, October 11, 2024Friday, October 11, 2024
Thank you to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for its support
Brazilian Authors and Illustrators:
Mariana Massarani and Roger Mello
Brazilian Authors and Illustrators:
Felipe Cavalcante, Roger Mello and Mariana Massarani
November 22, 2024
The Magic Library (TML) year-long, ongoing project is celebrating Indigenous History Month 2024.
The library is having an Indigenous dance and storytelling performance by Hector LeBeau, who is a Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe from South Dakota, and Taino.
Notes about the performance of Hector LeBeau.
Here is a link to his performance at Jacobs Pillow 2019 https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/hector-lebeau/
Arts Block- 5th and 6th graders
Inspired by these two stories, Fry Bread and Platannas go with Everything, each student will provide a family recipe from home. Them, each one will write and illustrate the story about their family recipe. Finally, the family recipe & story will be put together in class to make a CF Family cooking book. Bonus: The students will pick a recipe to be tasted in class.
Fifth Graders
Six graders
It will be constructed at the metal column that is in the center of the library. The design and the removable art work will be carried out by our students from 1-6 graders.
We will be using recycling shopping paper bag, markers, crayons, as well as painting to tell our own story.
The Library, in Collaboration with our Art Teacher Ms. Ferrer, has undertaking the construction of a memory pole. This is inspired by the Indigenous People of Northwest Pacific Indigenous Cultures and the Māori People of New Zealand, Pepeha. Pepeha is an important part for the Māori culture, it is a way of acknowledging and honoring one's connection to the land and our ancestors. Totem poles have been used historically by Native Americans to convey awareness of families, clans, tribes, nations, regions and occupations.
As the students and I are currently discussing Indigenous people from the Northwest Pacific of North America culture, during the month of November, 2024. The topic of totem poles and their purpose has caught their attention. The students are enthused by the idea of a group project that promotes team work, gives each individual participant a voice, and encourages narratives about their families and communities, and their school.
Our totem pole would convey awareness of the experience and concerns of K-6 graders. The project would present to all of our school’s students and staff, as well as visitors, an opportunity to remember how the original inhabitants of what is today the United States and Canada have culturally influenced our sense of oral/local histories and public art. It will also encourage the project’s participants to appreciate their own group histories and collective memories.
The project will be something the entire school community can feel proud of, and should be a press-worthy opportunity to highlight the achievements of our students.
As part of the Library’s Community Engagement effort there will be scheduled an unveiling event. (TBA) (Nov. 2024)
The construction of a memory pole took us a year. We have 265 stories/265 experiences. Their experiences become cherished memories that narrate an important and unique story. Each one shows universal concerns that united all of us. The most important thing is that: All of these stories are told from their own experiences and perspective.
Many thanks to all of our supporters, specially to Amherst College Campus Print & Mail Service Department: Jen Kendall, and Rob Kleindienst. Their assistance with printing and digitalizing the project was invaluable.
I would like to thank My principal, Mr. Derek Shea. Due to his vision, CF is a place where my ideas and innovation about librarianship and social justice are welcome and encouraged. I also, would like to express my gratitude to my assistant principal Alicia Lopez.
I want to thank the generosity of anonymous individuals, the teachers who collaborated, specially, Cindy Ferrer, and community members like Rachel Wang and Sylvia Brandt.
I wanted to give a special mention to Amherst College's Associate Director of Community Partnerships and Civic Engagement, Maida Ives. I want to give special recognition to the authors and illustrators of this project: all of my students!
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Celebrate Dr. MLK Jr. Day with a Card of Gratitude or Compassion!
Let's come together to honor Dr. King's legacy of service and compassion.Monday, January 20, 2025This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, show your appreciation for the dedicated individuals who serve our community.Write a card to thank our Amherst DPW, Police, Fire, and CRESS departments. Their hard work ensures our safety and well-being.Let's come together to honor Dr. King's legacy of service and compassion.All ages welcome. Materials provided.
Friday, January 17, 2025
We are very fortunate to have with us a renowned author and illustrator., Raul Colon.
Tribute to Raul Colon Imagine Interpretation through the Music 
From Throw-Away to Art
Using everyday materials, our 5th and 6th graders create messages by constructing art pieces that show how to take care of our environment, by Recycling - Repurposing - Reusing.
In doing so our students engage in such national conversations as fast fashion, and vortex, and how to take care our planes.
May, 30 2025
Guess Speaker Wang Yung-Hsin Rachel Visits our Library
Ms. Rachel is a writer, a translator and a community member who visited our library.
The 5th graders were delighted by the reading of the picture book from Taiwan tittle Rain by Hsu-Kung Liu (劉旭恭) in Chinese Mandarin and English.
"The story is about an orphan who was found in the forest by a Monk. The boy couldn't read and many member of the village make fun of him. In the monastery, and under the tutelage of an elderly monk he learned to write one Chinese character, rain. You would be surprise to find out what his writing caused in an entire village."
After reading the picture book LOVE by Matt de la Peña, the students were able to describe in their own words and/or draw
What Love is…
Celebrating Latinx Cultures September 2025
Hallway exhibition
Vejigante Mask: Thank you, Ms. Lopez!
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The weather doesn't keep us from reading!
Second Edition
Our Third Consecutive Celebration!
Thank You
Ms. Lopez
Sponsor by
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art Natalie Jasmin (she/her)
Education Coordinator
Virtual visit with Grace Lin
Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Reading: Ling & Ting’s Lunar New Year: Two Times Lucky by Grace Lin.
Grace Lin will present and lead a drawing activity for approximately 30 minutes followed by a 15-minute Q&A with students
This activity is a collaboration between Croker Farm School Librarian Ms. Santiago and Ms. Coulthard.
Ms. Coulthard, Kindergarten Classroom is invited to attend a virtual visit with Grace Lin.
Under the Cork Tree: The Story of Ferdinand
Exhibition by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
MAY 8, 2026
A special presentation sponsor by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Collaboration with the CF Library. Thank you!
We have the privilege to have the curator of the exhibition, Jane Bayard Curley. She is a curator who specialized in children’s literature illustrations. She earned a PhD in art history from Yale University. Though the year Bayard has organized several exhibitions for The Carle Museum. Today she will be talking about the new exhibition that will be opening tomorrow May 9, tittle Under the Cork Tree: The Story of Ferdinand for its 90th celebration.
The Crayola Man: The True Story of the Inventor of Crayola Crayons (June, 2026)
Celebrating the Inventor of Crayola Crayons
Inspired by the story Crayon Man: The true Story of the Inventor of Crayola Crayons.
Using their imagination, our students designed bookmarks using crayola crayons. Also, they named their crayola bookmark by combining two words; their favorite color and the word beautiful. Some examples are pinktiful, geentiful, redtiful...
