LIBRARY NEWS
Students have been busy in the library, borrowing books, reading the Book Week books and completing book activities.
BOOK WEEK 2025
Bellbird Public School are celebrating Book Week during Week 5, Term 3. Book Week is an annual event in the school calendar which focuses on celebrating books and a love for reading, highlighting the important role they play in our children’s lives. As part of Book Week celebrations, each class will participate in some fun reading/book activities throughout the week as well as the following special events for students and families.
BOOK CHARACTER PARADE – FRIDAY 22nd August (Week 5) Basketball Court - 1pm-2pm
As some classes have sport on Friday, students are asked to wear their school uniform to school on Book Character Parade Day. Students will be given time to change into costumes before the parade.
All students need to bring a book character costume to school (if you need any ideas for simple, no cost costumes please ask Mrs Yeatman, your child’s teacher or google ‘easy book week costume ideas’). Parents and younger siblings are welcome to dress up in a book character costume as well.
Parents and family members are welcome to bring chairs and set up on the grassed area around the basketball court to watch their child/children parade around with their class.
FAMILY PICNIC LUNCH Friday 22nd August (Week 5) - 12 o’clock
Prior to the Book Parade the P & C will host a Meal Deal lunch. The P & C will send home further information regarding what can be ordered and how to order, closer to Week 5. The family picnic lunch will begin at 12 o’clock. Families are welcome to bring a picnic blanket and enjoy lunch as a family in our playground.
BOOK FAIR – Weeks 3 - 5
All classes will have a look at the Book Fair books available to purchase, during library lessons in Week 3 (beginning Wednesday 6th August). Each child will complete a wish list. These books can be paid for by cash or online at www.scholastic.com.au/payment. Please follow instructions in your child’s wish list pack. The wish list packs will be handed out once your child has completed their wish list. If paying by cash, please place the wish list and correct money in an envelope or snap lock bag labelled clearly with your child’s name.
Parents and family members are welcome to come to the library to buy books from the Book Fair before or after the Book Character Parade as well.
STATIONERY AND POSTER SALES - Weeks 3 - 5
There will also be stationery items (pens, rubbers, pencils, sharpeners) and posters for sale before school and at lunch times Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during weeks 3-5. Prices range from $1.00 - $8.00. If your child is purchasing from the stationery/poster stall I would suggest you put money in a snap lock labelled with your child’s name and ‘Stationery Stall’ so Mrs Yeatman knows what the money is for.
BOOK RAFFLE
There will be raffle tickets available to purchase before the Book Character Parade. This will be set up outside the hall. There will be 3 book packs as prizes. Each prize contains well over $200 worth of books.
National Simultaneous Storytime
National Simultaneous Storytime is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the world.
This year's book was "The Truck Cat" by Deborah Frenkel and Danny Snell.
On 21st May 2025, all Bellbird students joined with over 2.2 million children, to read or listen to the author read the Truck Cat.
Premier’s Reading Challenge
The Premier’s Reading Challenge is finishing up this month. Your child should be borrowing and reading Premier Reading Challenge (PRC) books at home or in the classroom every week. Remember K-2 is blue PRC stickers, 3-4 is Yellow PRC stickers and 5-6 is orange PRC stickers.
Students in 3-6 are keeping a record of their PRC books they have read at school. If you would like one to complete at home, please tell your child to ask Mrs Yeatman for a PRC reading log.
This challenge needs to be completed by 22nd August this year. Students who complete the reading challenge will receive a certificate from the Premier of NSW at the end of year Presentation Day. Students will also receive a school merit certificate once the challenge is completed.
CLASS LIBRARY DAYS
Listed below is the day your child’s class comes to the library to borrow. Please help your child to remember to pack their library bag and books on their library day.
Wednesday – S3L, S3T, S3B and S1C
Thursday – S1W, S1O, S1M, S2G, S2R, S2B and S2K
Friday – KT, KM, KF, KV and S3J
READING FOR PLEASURE
PLEASE HELP YOUR CHILD TO REMEMBER THEIR LIBRARY BAG AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO BORROW AND READ BOOKS. READING FOR PLEASURE IS SO IMPORTANT IN OUR LIVES.
Reading is not just something that children should do in school, it needs to be an everyday part of our lives and something we choose to do at all ages! Research proves that reading for pleasure is positively linked to the following,
- Improved reading and writing ability.
- Improved comprehension and grammar
- Improved spelling and vocabulary
- Positive reading attitudes
- Greater self-confidence as a reader
- Pleasure reading in later life.
- Greater all-round academic success
- Improved social skills and mental wellbeing.
How to encourage your child to read for pleasure?
Encouraging reading for pleasure for children opens a world of imagination, knowledge and joy. Here are some practical tips to help ignite a passion for reading:
- Create a Reading Space at Home: Designate a cosy, inviting spot in your home just for reading, equipped with good lighting, comfortable chair or sofa and ideally quiet.
- Read books together.
- Discuss What They Read: Talk about books during dinner time or morning drives to school. Ask open-ended questions about the stories or book characters.
- Connect Books with Activities: Pair reading with fun activities like movie nights based on the book.
- Variety is Key: Keep a wide range of books accessible, featuring different genres and topics to match your child’s interests.
- Remind your child to pack their library bag and encourage them to read. If you don’t have many books available at home, sign your child up to the local Cessnock library and encourage them to borrow books from the school library every week.
- Lead by Example: Let your child see you reading regularly. Your enthusiasm can show them what reading for pleasure looks like.
These strategies can help turn reading into a joyful and regular part of your child’s life.
BOOK CLUB
Bellbird Public School participates in the Scholastic Book Club.
Parents can buy new books and gifts from the Book Club online catalogue twice per term.
(One is available at the start of each term and another catalogue will be available around week 5 of each term)
ALL ORDERS ARE ONLINE
HOW TO ORDER
Please view the catalogue and complete the Book Club order online at www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP Please add your child’s name and class.
If it’s your first time to order you will need to register online to create an account.
If you have any issues placing an order, please phone me at school.
LIBRARY HELPERS NEEDED
BOOK COVERING
All new library books need to be covered before your children can borrow them. If you can spare some time to help with covering library books, please contact me by phoning the school. The contact I buy is very easy to use.