Please share widely.

21st Annual Middle School Water Conservation Poster Contest

DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton and the New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA) have announced the theme for the annual water conservation poster contest for middle school students: "Water Connects Us All.” The 2026 poster theme challenges middle school students to learn about their role in the watershed where they live and the positive actions they can take to conserve, protect, and celebrate our water resources.

Fourteen winners will have the honor of having their artwork in a 2027 calendar distributed across New York State. The deadline for submitting posters is January 2, 2026. Find more information on DEC's Water Connects Us All Poster Contest webpage.

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Strengthening Our Core

Strengthening Our Core: School Library Values in PracticeLearn directly from ALA President Sam Helmick and keynote speaker K C Boyd who will spark new energy for your practice.Explore each ALA Core Value through short, powerful presentations with immediate table time to apply ideas.Gain practical strategies for access, equity, intellectual freedom, public good, and sustainability from expert presenters across New York.Leave with actionable short term and long term goals that strengthen your program and support your school community.Register: https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?D=18589&I=5210552 ...

Middle School Poster Contest

Please share widely. 21st Annual Middle School Water Conservation Poster Contest DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton and the New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA) have announced the theme for the annual water conservation poster contest for middle school students: "Water Connects Us All.” The 2026 poster theme challenges middle school students to learn about their role in the watershed where they live and the positive actions they can take to conserve, protect, and celebrate our water resources.Fourteen winners will have the honor of having their artwork in a 2027 calendar distributed across New York State. The deadline for submitting posters is January 2, 2026. Find more information on DEC's Water Connects Us All Poster Contest webpage....

Easy-to-read spreadsheet of offerings in NY Reads and PLConnect

Hi everyone! Karin created a 3-tab spreadsheet of our Sora add-on collections. This makes it easier for educators to see what's in NY Reads and PLConnect, as well as to see format and quantity levels. Feel free to share this link widely. You can also download your own copy to sort it any way you like, and share it with teachers and administrators in your school. Each title has an icon next to it to indicate if it's an ebook or an audiobook, so it's easy to tell at a glance. I also highlighted rows as green if they are available for large groups, or purple if they tend to be one copy/one user. Tab 1: Main NY Reads collection, sorted alphabetically. These titles are all “simultaneous access”, which means they're perfect for large groups. These are available all the time, with no worries about holds or waiting times.Tab 2: NY Reads LOTE collection. This is a great place to look for titles in other languages. Some titles, like 1984, are available in multiple languages. These titles are not simultaneous access, so it's possible in some instances that a student would have to place a hold on a title not currently available.Tab 3: PLConnect. This is a collection of professional materials. Karin sorted these so that the titles with the most copies are listed first.Questions about NY Reads or PLConnect? Email libraryservices@wswheboces.org. ...

NEW DATES News-O-Matic and Kids Discover Webinars

Please share with your teachers. These resources are provided to your school for free by the SLS. News-O-Matic Introduction In this virtual session for all educators in the WSWHE BOCES region, dive into the world of News-O-Matic and discover how to bring real-world news and literacy into your classroom with ease. This hands-on session will guide teachers through the platform's key features, including interactive articles, multimedia resources, polls, and customizable assignments. Learn practical strategies to integrate News-O-Matic into daily lessons, differentiate for diverse learners, and engage students with current events in meaningful ways. Walk away with ready-to-use ideas, tips for implementation, and confidence to make News-O-Matic a seamless part of your teaching toolkit.December 10, 2025 at 10:00 amORDecember 10, 2025 at 2:00 pm Kids Discover Online Helps Nonfiction Come to Life In this webinar designed for all educators, explore how Kids Discover Online helps teachers spark curiosity in Science and Social Studies. In this session we will showcase how our K1/48 digital library makes complex concepts accessible through vivid visuals, interactive features, and reading materials that support standards-aligned instruction.December 17, 2025 at 12:00 pm...