Happy Fall Everyone!

It's officially autumn, my favorite time of year: Playoff baseball, the start of football season, and of course HALLOWEEN!

SOOOO.... In honor of the October creeping up on us, we are holding a Scary Story Contest. Here are the rules:

1. The story must be original - no cheating or plagiarism here, folks.

2. Keep it clean - I know it's tough to tell a horror story without blood and guts, a little is ok -

but too much = no dice.

3. All stories must be TYPED - So I can understand what you're writing

4. ALL ENTRIES must be turned in by Wednesday October 24, 2012. The winner will be announced the week of Halloween and it will be published here and on the web and SCLA's Facebook page.

***There are also prizes for the top 3 stories***

Mr. Bott's book of the Week!

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles:

Ellie remembers how the boys kissed her. Touched her. How they
begged for more. And when she gave it to them, she felt loved. For a
while anyway. So when Josh, an eager virgin with a troubled home life, leads her from a party to the backseat of his van, Ellie follows. But their "one-time thing" is far from perfect: Ellie gets pregnant. Josh reacts with shame and heartbreak, while their confidantes, Caleb and Corinne, deal with their own complex swirl of emotions. No matter what Ellie chooses, all four teenagers will be forced to grow up a little faster as a result. Told alternately from each character’s point of view, this deeply insightful novel explores the aftershocks of the biggest decision of one fragile girl’s life — and the realities of leaving innocence behind.

Book Trailer here:

Space Nerds Unite!

Hey SCLA, quick post about Slooh!

http://events.slooh.com/

Slooh is a space camera that streams events through a telescope. You can look through the telescope via your computer and see things like distant galaxies and planets! Check it out and remember, "be nice to nerds! Chances are you'll be working for one someday" - Bill Gates

- Bott

Last Year vs This Year

Welcome to week 2:
Week 2 means a few things for us...
1. We may or may not be getting used to waking up early
2. We realize we need stronger coffee
3. Mr. Bott has already packed his New York Jets jersey away in hopes of a Super Bowl run next year...*sigh*

Shout Out! A big thank you to James and his brother Jacob for the donation of Skateboarding magazines to the library. As a former skater, I used to read these all the time and subsequently try the tricks I saw in the magazine. This could explain my frequent trips in and out of the hospital as a youth.

In the News: Congrats to our 2 SCLA students who recently passed their driving test. We're so scared proud! Now, as we know, no student can exist without a cell phone. It's like water or oxygen, they can't live without it! But be mindful, cars and phones don't mix. So here's a little reminder about safety!

Texting and Driving is ILLEGAL! http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3757519

CIRCULATION - SO...last year we circulation 1630 books in the SCLA library. This was huge. It was something like a 300% increase! I'm looking to match and even top that this year. It's going to take a commitment on my end to get the books you want to read. Stop by the library or email me with your book suggestions at bottb@schenectady.k12.ny.us.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: No Choir Boy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row

No Choirboy takes readers inside America’s prisons, and allows inmates sentenced to death as teenagers to speak for themselves. In their own voices—raw and uncensored—they talk about their lives in prison, and share their thoughts and feelings about how they ended up there. Susan Kuklin also gets inside the system, exploring capital punishment itself and the intricacies and inequities of criminal justice in the United States.
This is a searing, unforgettable read, and one that could change the way we think about crime and punishment.

No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

From Amazon.com

TEACHERS! While listening to NPR on a nice 5 hour drive to Pennsylvania over the weekend, I came across the new episode of This American Life. So what do GEDs, Lab Rats, and Non-cognitive skills have in common? Check it out!



Welcome baaaacccckkk!

Welcome back to school everyone! I know I know, waking up early, getting out later...it's tough. Not to mention I've been at SCLA for three years now and I still can't find Mr. Keough's room. Anyway, I wanted to start this blog to review books, keep you updated on library stuff, or write and post about new things you might find helpful.

1. We inherited a number of books from the closing of Oneida Middle School. Most of the titles are a little young, but there are quite a few I'd like to keep. We have about 16 Naruto graphic novels, Bone graphic novels, and we completed the Cirque du Freak series. I am going to keep around 100 books so come check them out.

2. New Books - I am compiling orders now. Last year we were able to order around 700 new books. This year, I'm looking to add about 900 titles. This is HUGE! We need to read as much as possible as a school. We are constantly tested and if you're going to take a 3 hour test and your eyes and mind aren't ready for it, you're in trouble! Think about an athlete who is never at practice. When it comes time for the big game, that athlete is going to have a tough time keeping up with everyone else on the field. Same goes for reading. READ READ READ! 5-10 minutes a night can do wonders.

3. Interesting.... - The presidential election is coming up in November. Do you care? If you answered "No" like most students I talked to today, then consider this site: www.isidewith.com - It's about 37 questions you can answer and rank how important those issues are to you. Global warming, the economy, health care, legalization of certain drugs, whatever you care about just take 5 minutes and fill out the survey. It will end with you finding out which candidate might be best for you. Remember, there are more than just Obama and Mitt Romney running for this so give it a try!

4. Mr. Bott's book of the Week! Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott

It's been seventy-five days. Amy's sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her.
And she's really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia's gone now, and she doesn't want to talk about it. They wouldn't get it, anyway. They wouldn't understand what it feels like to have your best friend ripped away from you.

They wouldn't understand what it feels like to know it's your fault.
Amy's shrink thinks it would help to start a diary. Instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia.
But as she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past wasn't as perfect as she thought it was—and the present deserves a chance too.