We’re introducing Yondr in the library 2018-19. Yondr is a system used by schools, business, artists, and organizations to create phone-free spaces. Our goal is to simplify and facilitate our default rule at MVRHS: to put mobile devices away. The library will be a space that is a haven from hyperconnectivity, to better allow you to focus.
Yondr is currently used across the world in hundreds of classrooms and schools, at concerts, comedy shows, weddings and special events of all kinds. The goal of these spaces is to encourage people to engage with each other and their surroundings.
Here’s how it works: when you arrive on your own (for example, from Learning Centers), check in at the desk, just like we’ve always done. As part of the check-in, we will ask you to shut off all mobile devices and place them in a Yondr pouch, which locks the device(s) inside. You keep the Yondr pouch with you until the end of the period. At that point, you’ll unlock the pouch at the desk and go on your way to your next class. (Use of devices by students visiting the library with their class continues to be up to the discretion of the teacher(s).) More about Yondr here.
Yondr allows us to open more possibilities for teaching and learning. We are continuing to expand possibilities for learning spaces, from the innovation lab (with green screen, video editing, and audio editing capability), to group learning spaces (adjustable with multiple tech configurations, and glass boards, whiteboards, and projection options), to individual quiet areas (study carrels, comfortable seating), and large group instruction (LCR and main room for larger performance setups) that all can be adjusted according to need.
While we continue to subscribe to QuestiaSchool, we’re moving to an ‘ala carte’ model, where we are at least starting off with a limited number of accounts. If you’d like to use QuestiaSchool with your students please let me know by forwarding your roster. I’ll then send you login info for your class.
If you’re unfamiliar with QuestiaSchool, it’s basically an online library of over 94,000 full-text books. But it also includes some great tools to help teach research skills. More about it here.
Brand-new to us in 2018-19 is WeVideo. If you’ve ever been wanting to offer your students an easy-to-use, collaborative video editing tool, this is for you. WeVideo is an online software service that allows students to create and edit videos in a cross-platform way. Since it is cloud-based, it can be accessed and used by Mac, PC, Chromebook, iOS, Android, and more. In addition, video projects can be shared and edited by students individually, or collaboratively in groups. Teachers have the ability to oversee and manage assignments.
Similar to QuestiaSchool, we have a limited number of accounts available for WeVideo at a time. Please let me know if you’re interested in either or both.
Thanks to our participation in a K-12 Sponsorship Program, we now have free online access to The New York Times from any device in MVRHS! Whenever you’re at school, just go to nytimes.com and access the entire site. No passwords or login is required. However, if you want to register for an account, you’ll then be able to build your own digital library of NYT content, by saving articles which you can access later even if you’re at home.
In addition to news articles, The New York Times also provides the following popular tools and resources :
The Learning Network (A daily resource for teaching & learning targeting K-12 students, educators, and parents. Includes unlimited lesson plans, ESL & ELL activities, questions for writing and discussion, weekly news quizzes, monthly contests, etc.)
Here are the books chosen and presented by students in Mr. Wilson’s 9th Grade English Classes at the annual book fair in the library! Click on the links to read about the book.
Thanks to our participation in a K-12 Sponsorship Program, we now have free online access to The New York Times from any device in MVRHS! Whenever you’re at school, just go to 
