Monday Medley: Helping to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

9th Grade Students have been "shopping" for resources during their PowerBlock Media Literacy Seminar session this month in the Media Center. The goal has been to encourage them to explore resources that will help them ace mid-year exams and support personal interests. (Before shopping they are signing up for a Boston Public Library eCard.) Don't have a card of your own yet? Sign up for a BPL eCard today!  You may be interested in using some of these resources yourself or sharing them with students.

 One of the stations students can choose to visit is:

🎧The Vibe Check (Music & Mental Health)

The Vibe: Reset your brain and stop the January panic. Ad-Free Music and mindfulness for the midyear grind.   

• Teen Health & Wellness Main Site (User: northreadinghs / Pass: hornets)

Access teen-friendly articles on topics including diseases, drugs and alcohol, nutrition, mental health and more. Material contained in this database is valuable for teens in middle and high school, parents and educators. 

 

• Headspace via BPL (BPL eCard + Individual Account Needed-free)

Experience the benefits of meditation through guided meditations, animations, articles, and videos. The BPL has a limited number of licenses to assign to BPL cardholders. Licenses expire on the 1st of each calendar month, but you may return here to obtain a new license.

 

• Freegal Music (BPL eCard Required)

Freegal Music is a free music streaming and download application. It offers access to millions of songs from a wide variety of artists and genres. Explore more than 20 million songs across every genre, create and share playlists to discover new favorites, and download three free songs every week to add to your permanent collection.

• Biblio+ (BPL eCard + Account Needed)

biblio+ is a streaming service with a highly-curated selection of films and television, from award-winners and nominees to independent discoveries, thoughtful documentaries, and everything in between. With biblio+, library members have unlimited access to an ad-free catalog of video content on many devices. While this is primarily a film and television service there is an entire page of Music, Study, and Relaxation videos.

• The Teen Health & Wellness Database Calm Room                     (User: northreadinghs / Pass: hornets)

 "It's a place to relax, recharge, and refocus. This collection of nature videos, sounds and music, animal cams, and more provides a calming space for quick, mindful breaks to manage emotions and reduce stress and anxiety." 

2026 Reading Challenge

Happy 2026!

Did you make any resolutions for the new year? 
It's not too late to make a resolution to read more! 

The North Reading High School Media Center is a proud 2026 partner of the Massachusetts Center for the Book statewide reading challenge. I would like to encourage you to participate. If you are a classroom teacher or work with NRHS students in any capacity it would be awesome if you could encourage them to read as well. 

How it works: 

• During the next 12 months, participants (You and your students) read 1 title each month that fits the monthly challenge. 

• After reading a book, fill out this form and summarize the book. 

Print titles, Audiobooks, and eBooks all count as reading! Everyone in the NRHS community can access Sora for eBook and Audiobook content.

• Each month 2 names will be drawn on the last day of the month to win a free book. To qualify, be sure to submit the form before the end of the month. 

• In addition, participants who read a book in each of the 12 months will be entered in a drawing to win 1 of 2 totes filled with books.

Here is the January title category: 

Not sure what to read? Stop by the Media Center and check out the "Sweater Weather" display for some inspiration.

Additional Suggestions for January: