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WE WON!!!!
We were one of thirty schools picked across Canada to win an Indigo Love of Reading Foundation Grant. We will receive $35 000 over the next three years to purchase books, invite author visits, and increase community engagement in literacy through reading events. A huge thank you to the entire staff and students at Brooke Elementary, family members in the community, and district staff for working together to make this dream come true! Check out the Assembly Slides below and the article on the Delta School District website below.
Brooke Belongs With Books - Indigo Love of Reading Grant.pdfGrant Application
Our amazing Grant Writing team worked tirelessly inviting families, students, educators, administrators, and district staff to tell us what was missing from Brooke's school library and classroom libraries. The team created a Grant Proposal for Indigo's Love of Reading Foundation in hopes of receiving money to vastly increase our collection of books and to introduce more events to inspire, engage, and connect community members through a love of reading and a sense of belonging at Brooke. Check out the Grant Application (to the right) and Presentation (below).
Community Presentation
Please check out our Community Presentation for our Belonging at Brooke with Books Grant application. Linked above with cover image or here.
Grant Writing Team
Belonging at Brooke with Books Grant Writing Team:
Principal: Jeff McCallum, Principal
Grant Writing Team Lead: Claire D’Aoust, Teacher Librarian
Community Presentation Team Lead: Gagan Sanghera, ITT
Families:
Alicia Dhaliwal – Children in Kindergarten and Grade 1
Christine Weber – Children in Kindergarten and Grade 3
Brittany Stuart – Children in Grade 1 (Former student in Grade 8)
Educators & Family Members:
Simmi Athwal - Children in Kindergarten and Grade 1 (and Staff member)
Cailey Bailey - Child in PreK (and Staff member)
Meghan Edwards - Children in Grade 5 (and Staff member)
Kim Gray - Children in PreK and Grade 2 (and Staff member)
Crystal Kandler - Child in Grade 6 (and Staff member)
Melissa Robertson - Children in Grade 4 and 7
Melanie Sidney - Child in Grade 7 (and Staff member)
Bright Eyes Educators:
Tara Hansson - Manager of Centre, providing care for children, Ages 1yr-10yrs
Educators:
Simmi Athwal - Learning Support Teacher
Claire D’Aoust - Teacher Librarian, PreK - 7 (3-13)
Cailey Robinson Bailey - Teacher, Grades 4 and 5 Grade
Julie Cragg - Teacher, K and K/1
Meghan Edwards - Teacher, Grades 2 and 3
Laura Finan - Teacher, Grades 5 and 6
Fiona Fraser, Coordinator of Teacher Librarians, VP Holly Elementary
Kim Gray - Teacher, Grades 3 and 4
Crystal Kandler - Teacher, Grades 1 and 2
Kelli Lundie, VP
Jessica MacDonald - Teacher, Kindergarten and 1st Grade
Alyssa Makalai - Grades 6 and 7
Jeff McCallum - Principal
Haley Mulder - Teacher, Grades 2, 3 and 4
Jessie Richardson, Coordinator of Social Emotional Learning
Melissa Robertson - Grades 2 and 3
Megan Sandham - Coordinator of Primary Learning (Literacy, 1-5)
Gagan Sanghera - ITT Grades 4-7
Melanie Sidney - Teacher, Grades Kindergarten and 1
Janelle Lindahl - Music Teacher, PreK-7
Bright Eyes Preschool & Daycare
Tara Hansson, Manager
Brooke Library Transformation Project 2023-2024
The library at Brooke Elementary is undergoing a transformation!
As part of the change we have removed many books from the library shelves. These books have been removed after thoughtful consideration by the Teacher Librarian (Claire D'Aoust) in consultation with a District Library Technician, other Teacher Librarians, and District Staff. Claire presented her plans at two PAC meetings. The PAC generously donated $1200 to pay for a library technician to help with the project over 7 school days.
You might be wondering - why did we remove almost 2000 books from the Brooke Library Shelves?
Some books were removed due to content that is now known to be problematic (for example, containing images or words that are racist or no longer culturally appropriate.) These books were removed and have been recycled.
Some books were removed because we had multiple copies and would like to make space for new content.
Some books were removed because they are old or have outdated information.
Some books were removed because of their old or damaged condition.
Some books were removed because they have not been taken out by students for many years.
You might be wondering...what are you going to do with all of those books?!?
Some books were recycled if their content was racist, culturally inappropriate or too badly damaged to be saved.
Students and Staff at Brooke Elementary were given the opportunity to take any books that they would like to have for their classrooms, or to take home.
Families in the Brooke Community and educators from other schools in Delta are invited to come to choose any books they would like to take. Our book giveaway will be held on Monday, November 27th in the Brooke Library from 2:00 to 4:30 pm.
This is just the first part of the Library Transformation Project!
The Teacher Librarian, Claire D'Aoust is working with a team of students in grades 3 to 7 to purchase $2000 worth of new titles to add to our shelves. She is also working with grade 6 and 7 students to purchase $500 worth of books for our Young Adults section.
Other library funds will be used to purchase books requested by teachers to support learning in classrooms.
Additionally funds are being used to transform the physical space to be an inviting, calm learning environment for all students, families, educators, and staff in the Brooke Elementary community.
School library collections are an important resource in a school community and it is our goal to have a vibrant, up to date, and continuously evolving library collection so that we can inspire students to read to learn and to read for the simple enjoyment of it!
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