We are so excited to be back for the 2012-2013 school year! As we begin our seventh year, we would like to remind you of some of the services we regularly provide that you may need for a great start to the school year.

-          Calculator permission forms are available on this website and in the library. Permission will need to be signed by a parent or guardian and returned to the library for a student to check out a calculator. Starting this year, once a permission form is received, students will be able to keep the calculator until they graduate! We may need to collect calculators before state testing but they will be reissued to the student the following week.

-          Fall required reading is available for sale here in the library. You can find all the information about the books under the “Required Reads” tab on this website. We accept cash and checks.

-          You can access our digital library using the “Overdrive” tab on this website.

-          All educational databases are also available under the “Databases” tab.

-          We always welcome gently used books and magazines. If you have a student who no longer needs their required reading from a previous year, we welcome copies to share with our disadvantaged population.

 

As always, we strive to provide a safe, educational and nurturing environment for students. If you have any suggestions on how we can serve the Boyd community better, please email or visit any time.

You know that question that your child asks, 45 minutes into your 12 hour summer vacation drive? You know the one..."Are we there yet?" Taking children on long car trips can test your patience and dampen the spirits of everyone involved. We found a simple solution to this problem with a visit to the McKinney Public Library before the trip. My 16 year old son and I were scheduled to drive to Florida together and keeping a teenage boy cramped up in a car for 16 hours was a daunting task. Before the trip, I decided to check out a book on CD at the library. I found a recently released story for young adults called "Ready Player One" by Earnest Cline and decided to give it a try. We started the CDs as soon as we hit I-20...16 hours later, we were about 10 minutes from the end of the story when we arrived at our Florida destination. My son made me drive around the block a few times so that we could finish it! Rarely does a book provide an interesting story line for both teen and adult. This story is about an 18 year old boy, maneuvering his way through a futuristic world where almost every aspect of life is conducted online, through a personal avatar that you create. This is not what led me to choose this book. The part that caught my attention and gave me 16 hours of entertainment, were continual references to the '80's created in the mind of a mad genius who created the video game in which this boy lived and worked. This book turned out to be a fantastic distraction and actually made it difficult to want to stop for breaks on the road! Next time you have a long car ride planned, choose a book on CD to share with your family. The right story can turn a long, boring car trip into a memorable experience!

The Boyd Library is happy to partner with the SPCA of Texas, by providing a collection box in the library to gather MUCH NEEDED donations. Our community has a very nice SPCA and if you haven’t been there for a visit recently, you should check it out. They allow families to come in and visit with the animals, spend time with them in special rooms and volunteer for the center. If you can’t take a pet home, you can still help by donating items, including things that you might normally throw away. The list includes:

-          Large bath towels
-          Toilet paper or empty rolls
-          Paper towels or empty rolls
-          Old CDs with soothing music
-          Baby Wipes
-          Trash Bags
-          Pet Toys
-          Pet shampoo
-          Hand Sanitizer
-          Hand Soap
-          Liquid Laundry Detergent
-          Cat and Dog Food
-          Q-Tips
-          Cotton Balls
-          Rubbing Alcohol

For a complete list of needs, visit the SPCA website by clicking HERE.

There is a welcome addition to the halls of Boyd this morning. A trophy case has been added in the rotunda and the first display is being planned. The case will showcase the history of Boyd and almost six full years of accolades and tradition. As we contemplate this display, we are reminded of the families that have grown up in our school. Six years ago, we may have had older brother and now little sister is a junior and baby brother, a freshman. We have triplets, brothers, sisters and even cousins in our school! The staff at Boyd is its own large family and we can’t wait to get to know yours!

 

 

“Pendragon” Author DJ MacHale Visits Boyd

For the second time this month, the Boyd library was chosen by A Real Bookstore to receive a visit from a national author. DJ MacHale is the author of numerous children’s books including the popular series “Pendragon”. He spoke to the students about his journey into writing and reminded them that any creative endeavor is challenging. With persistence, Mr. MacHale has found success doing what he loves. As a natural born storyteller, he did a wonderful job educating the classes on what it feels like to be an author. We hope to host more authors in the future!

While working one afternoon, we noticed streaks of red flying by the circulation desk. When we looked up, there were 9 or 10 sweaty boys in red tee shirts, rushing for the book section that contains sports books. Everyone knows there is no running in school but this was an exception. These boys were running all over the Boyd campus trying to locate clues hidden in different rooms, parking lots, halls and gyms.

For the past few years, wrestling coach, David Clayton has been using scavenger hunts to bring his team together. The activities force the boys to work as a team and at the end of a hunt the boys realize that they have gotten a serious workout. The scavenger hunt includes clues like “Find the staircase that overlooks the south 40”. Translation - look for the band’s spiral staircase in the middle of the south parking lot and take a photo with your cell phone. The first team to photograph all the clues is the winner.

This year alone, we have had wrestling, soccer, softball, football and volleyball players participating in scavenger hunts during the day. We enjoy watching these hard working athletes work together as they battle it out between our bookshelves!