Smore

I created a Smore newsletter at the end of the year to communicate with students and parents about summer reading. It was so simple to use and I was able to put it on Facebook, Twitter, and the school website (both the Silver Lake life page and the Library page). I posted it the first week in June. Since it was posted, it has 652 views! Wow. And what is cool is people are still viewing it. I had 120 just this week and 25 views just today! I love that I can get analytics that help me to see that it was worthwhile. I think one of the reasons is that I don't do weekly or monthly newsletters, so parents aren't tired of looking at it. It is a novelty. It also fills a need - parents are bored and looking for a way to entertain their kids and so they find the newsletter, read it, and hopefully find the information helpful. Of all the views, 114 spent more than 2 minutes on the newsletter, which makes me think they are actually reading it! The most popular way to access the Smore was through the district website, then by email, Facebook, and finally Twitter. That doesn't surprise me because parents don't really use Twitter that much. I am glad I created it and parents are using it. I hope they find it useful! I have had views in the Phillipines, Mexico, Russia, and Germany. (I think Russia is the former Dove Librarian Michelle Henry, and Germany is the former SL teacher Amanda Baublet, but it is still cool!)

Check it out if you haven't seen one before:

Common Sense Media

Have you used Common Sense Media before? As a parent I am in love with it! Every time I consider letting my kids see a movie, I check CSM. Gone are the days when my mom would call the movie theater to ask why a movie was rated R, "Is it for language and violence (okay by her) or nudity?". Now you can read the specific words, scenes, and events that make games, movies, television shows, etc. rated a certain way.

It also contains media that you can use to teach topics like digital footprint, cyber bullying, and Internet safety.

Http://www.commonsensemedia.org. Check it out! Love it!