Friday, October 27, 2017

SRCSA: School resumes Monday, Oct. 30

Display sign in front of exterior, Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts. Lettering inside a glass case states, 'School resumes Oct 30th'

What a relief to return to work at Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts. During the weeks that we were uprooted from the family homestead, we endured so much uncertainty. Going back to work helps to reassert routine and normalcy.

Students are scheduled to resume classes on Monday, Oct. 30. According to statistics from Santa Rosa City Schools​, professional cleaning crews worked around-the-clock for a week to decontaminate schools and reopen them after the North Bay fires. The crews cleaned 2 million square feet of surfaces, and changed 3,000 air filters.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Bringing ‘librarian-mindset’ to my work at SRCSA

Someone asked me, “What is the last thing you are really proud of accomplishing?” Most recently I’m proud to bring a “librarian-mindset” to the role of Instructional Materials Technician (IMT) at Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts.

Monday, October 23, 2017

Fire Relief Fund for victims of North Bay fires

In response to firestorms that ravaged communities in Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, and Napa counties, a North Bay Fire Relief Fund has been created by Redwood Credit Union (RCU) Community Fund in partnership with the Press Democrat and California Senator Mike McGuire (District 2, North Bay).

Sunday, October 22, 2017

‘The Road Virus’ mobile bookstore

Bookmobile-style bus, black, with irregular white-spot design and spray-paint style logo on side, reading 'The Road Virus.' It is parked in front of a storefront with large yellow lettering on it that reads, 'Dimple.' A smaller sign on the storefront, next to the storefront's lettering reads, 'Buy - Sell - Trade.' The sign is done in red letters against a yellow background.
Image credit: The Road Virus on Facebook

I’ve long been intrigued by bookmobiles’ capability to expand a library’s physical reach — and so, The Road Virus was an especially memorable aspect of our stay in Sacramento.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Half of SRCS campuses to reopen next Friday

In the California fires’ aftermath: Classes resume Friday, Oct. 27, at 13 sites, Santa Rosa City Schools. The group of 13 schools serves approximately half of the district’s student population according to an article by Eloísa Ruano González in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

District officials will determine on Monday, the re-opening date for 11 more campuses, among them Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts. This SRCS employee, while eager to get back to work, appreciates that student safety is at the forefront in back-to-school considerations.

Friday, October 20, 2017

During emergencies: Information is essential

Beige-skinned hand holding a smart phone, open to text-messaging application that displays messages to and from '888777.' The first message, from the user, reads, '12345.' Below it, a reply message reads, 'Town: You are now signed up to recieve [sic] text alerts and advisories from the local police department'
Image credit: Nixle

During the past two weeks, I’ve faced an ongoing need for up-to-date and credible information about the California fires. Compounding this issue, I haven’t always been in places that had access to the Internet.

Friday, October 13, 2017

Putting distance between ourselves and fires

Midweek found Jonathan and me, with Starfire, in the Sacramento area. After our evacuation Sunday night from fires in Sonoma, Napa, Lake, and Mendocino counties, we decided not to remain in the area where we’d resettled once it received an advisory to evacuate.

We knew that an advisory could, too-quickly, become the real thing and increasing our distance made a vital difference — not only for our physical safety, but for psychological peace of mind. Also, by being well away, the air we breathe is much healthier too.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Walking Starfire at Woodland library

Cynthia M. Parkhill and her black cat Starfire, in a harness and leash, on the front steps outside Woodland Public Library.

As a paralibrarian, I appreciate the uniqueness of a historic Carnegie library, still used for that purpose today -- even if the circumstance behind our visit to Woodland Public Library was to remove ourselves from proximity to fires in Sonoma, Napa and Lake counties.

With Starfire on her harness, the two of us explored the Woodland library exterior before continuing our journey with Jonathan. This writing finds us safely installed at a hotel in Sacramento.

Here’s a description of the Woodland library from its Facebook page:

“Woodland Public Library is the oldest working Carnegie library in California. Built in 1905, the Mission Revival building continues to be an ideal place to pursue interests, learn, attend programs, and socialize, as well as borrow reading, viewing, and listening materials.”

Starfire’s carrier, her special safe space

Black cat partially inside a black and pink canvas and mesh travel carrier that has a side panel unzipped. The cat is wearing a dark-green harness with a light-green leash attached to it

What a valiant little traveler our sweet cat Starfire has been during recent events. Jonathan and I, with Starfire, had to quickly evacuate during an initial outbreak of fire on Sunday evening, Oct. 8. After that, we moved around while we looked for a safe place to settle — and while being put in a carrier is not Starfire’s favorite thing, she came to accept it as her special safe place during on-the-road uncertainties.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Evacuated, but safe

Jonathan and I were evacuated late Sunday night because of fires in the Sonoma and Napa County areas. Know that our precious cat Starfire is with us, and we are safe.

Sunday, October 1, 2017