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Maxdale Wins Battle of the Books

4/1/2022
By: Todd Martin
The silence of the school library erupted into excited cheers of joy Friday as the seven Maxdale Elementary School team members celebrated their victory in the Killeen ISD Elementary Battle of the Books.
Five students on the active team and two alternates leaped with hands in the air, then rushed over to Librarian Hayley Meek for a group hug and more celebrating.
Next, Maxdale Principal Bobbie Evans stepped into the library and prompted another celebration.
Finally, the team made their way to fourth-grade teacher Debbie Banks’ class to inform their other team sponsor they had won – another hug and celebration.
Sixteen KISD elementary school teams took part in the virtual trivia contest that tested knowledge of 19 award-winning books.
Student teams of up to five gave answers for questions about book characters, setting, plot and other literary facts in two rounds of 20 questions apiece. Maxdale won with 36 correct answers. Reeces Creek finished second with 35 and Meadows and Timber Ridge tied for third with 34.
Killeen ISD Instructional Technologist Kiree Bons orchestrated the virtual competition from the Killeen Learning Support Services offices.
“It’s so exciting,” said Meek, the librarian who met with the Maxdale Battle of the Books Club every other week since September and more over the past month.
“They worked hard on reading. We drilled and we did questions and quizzes,” she said. “I’m so proud.”
Five students on the active team and two alternates leaped with hands in the air, then rushed over to Librarian Hayley Meek for a group hug and more celebrating.
Next, Maxdale Principal Bobbie Evans stepped into the library and prompted another celebration.
Finally, the team made their way to fourth-grade teacher Debbie Banks’ class to inform their other team sponsor they had won – another hug and celebration.
Sixteen KISD elementary school teams took part in the virtual trivia contest that tested knowledge of 19 award-winning books.
Student teams of up to five gave answers for questions about book characters, setting, plot and other literary facts in two rounds of 20 questions apiece. Maxdale won with 36 correct answers. Reeces Creek finished second with 35 and Meadows and Timber Ridge tied for third with 34.
Killeen ISD Instructional Technologist Kiree Bons orchestrated the virtual competition from the Killeen Learning Support Services offices.
“It’s so exciting,” said Meek, the librarian who met with the Maxdale Battle of the Books Club every other week since September and more over the past month.
“They worked hard on reading. We drilled and we did questions and quizzes,” she said. “I’m so proud.”

Part of the Maxdale team’s strategy, said Meek was not to pressure students to read all 19 books. At least two students did read them all, but others read nine or 10 or more.
One student on the team of five handled the iPad and conferenced with the rest of the team before entering an answer after Bons read each question.
The quiz was based entirely on correct answers and not on speed, so it made competitive sense to take time.
“It’s fantastic,” said third-grader Carmen Baul. “I was so nervous.”
The third-grader was one of the Maxdale students who read all 19 books. “I got to read all these interesting books,” she said, explaining the value of the event. “We got to show what we know about them all.”
Last year, Meek said the school conducted an in-house book battle. She was excited to get back to an actual competition. It’s a good way for like-minded students to bond, she said.
“I like that I get to know these kids better,” the librarian said. “They are part of the club, and they get to know each other and have fun. There is always a lot of laughter.”
“I’ve seen their confidence build. With a small group, I think they find it safe to open up and give opinions. I try to pull in struggling readers, too,” she said. “It’s a way for them to read that’s not for a grade. They can just read and talk about what they read.”
One student on the team of five handled the iPad and conferenced with the rest of the team before entering an answer after Bons read each question.
The quiz was based entirely on correct answers and not on speed, so it made competitive sense to take time.
“It’s fantastic,” said third-grader Carmen Baul. “I was so nervous.”
The third-grader was one of the Maxdale students who read all 19 books. “I got to read all these interesting books,” she said, explaining the value of the event. “We got to show what we know about them all.”
Last year, Meek said the school conducted an in-house book battle. She was excited to get back to an actual competition. It’s a good way for like-minded students to bond, she said.
“I like that I get to know these kids better,” the librarian said. “They are part of the club, and they get to know each other and have fun. There is always a lot of laughter.”
“I’ve seen their confidence build. With a small group, I think they find it safe to open up and give opinions. I try to pull in struggling readers, too,” she said. “It’s a way for them to read that’s not for a grade. They can just read and talk about what they read.”
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