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Media Center

The mission of Pride Elementary Media Center is to provide a peaceful and nurturing environment in which all members of the school community are empowered to become effective users of ideas, information and technology.

The library media center at Pride contains over 6,000 items including print, non-print and audiovisual equipment. In addition, there are 20 computers available with electronic and online learning resources. The library is staffed with a full-time media specialist, Mrs. Swindle.​

Goals:

  • To encourage reading, learning and the use of technology.
  • To collaborate and support classroom teachers with planning needs.
  • To provide meaningful literacy experiences that produce a life-long love of reading and learning.
  • To provide a range of resources that support the school curriculum and that meet the instructional and recreational needs of all users.

The media center operates on a fixed schedule. Students in grades K - 5 come to the Media Center each week for 40 minutes. Instruction comes from the media specialist and the classroom teacher co-planning to create lessons that will incorporate information literacy skills with the Common Core State Standards. Students are encouraged to visit the library to check out books and do research as needed.

Students in Kindergarten and First Grade may check out one book a week. Second through Fifth grade children may check out two books at a time. Books may be kept for one week; however students are encouraged to return the books to the media center if finished early. New books may be borrowed at that time. We do not charge fines for overdue books, but students must return an overdue book before additional items may be checked out from the library. Students who lose or damage books beyond repair will be charged the replacement cost of the book.

We strive to teach our students to be independent reading consumers. If you notice your child is bringing home materials at an inappropriate high or low level of difficulty, please discuss this with your child.

The media center is open daily during the regular school hours.

Scholastic Reading Counts is a reading motivation and management program that helps encourage and monitor independent reading. The features work together to verify student comprehension and match students with their reading level. Students select and read a book, then take a short quiz on the computer to verify comprehension. Students earn points after successfully answering at least 7 of the 10 questions about the text. Prizes are awarded for points earned during the school year.

The Sunshine State Young Readers’ Award Program is a statewide reading motivation program for students in grades 3 – 5. The purpose of the SSYRA Program is to encourage students to read independently for personal satisfaction, based on interest rather than reading level. Sunshine State books are selected based on their wide appeal, literary value, varied genres, curriculum connections and/or multicultural representation. The FRA Children’s Book Award is a program sponsored by the Florida Reading Association and is for students in Pre-K through second grade. Students read or have read to them eight quality books, and then vote on their favorite book. The votes are tallied at the state level and the author of the winning book receives recognition.

Media Center Access

The purpose of the school library media center is to encourage the love of reading and to support the school community and curriculum goals through self-selected reading materials. The media specialist collaborates with families and teachers to support students in the selection of reading materials that meet their reading interests.

Media Access Levels

Parents and guardians have the right to limit their child’s access to materials in the school library. The media access level a parent/guardian selects for their student will be in effect for the student’s academic career in Volusia County Schools. The parent/guardian may request a change in access at any time by completing the form again or contacting the school media specialist.

The default access for all students is limited.

Definitions of access levels

 

  • Limited Access: A student may access materials in the media center except for items on the parent permission required list and Young Adult (YA) titles (middle school only).
  • Unlimited Access: A student has full access to the materials in Volusia County Schools libraries including access to any titles that require parent permission. This includes permission for the student to check out Young Adult (YA) titles when the student is in middle school.
  • No Access: A student is not permitted access to materials in any of the Volusia County Schools libraries without parent permission.

Process for Modifying Media Access

Parents may modify their child’s access to materials in the school library by completing the Volusia County Schools Media Access or by completing a paper-based Volusia County Schools Media Access form available from the school media specialist.

Media Center Access Form

School Card Catalog (Search for Book)

Library Media Center Collection Development 

Each school library media collection is developed in accordance with Volusia County School Board Policy 320 and Florida Statute 1006.28.

Each book made available to students through a school district library media center or included in a recommended or assigned school or grade-level reading list must be selected by a school district employee who holds a valid educational media specialist certificate, regardless of whether the book is purchased, donated, or otherwise made available to students. 

2. Each district school board shall adopt procedures for developing library media center collections and post the procedures on the website for each school within the district. The procedures must: 

a. Require that book selections meet the criteria in s. 1006.40(3)(d). 

  • Free of pornography and material prohibited under s. 847.012

  • Suited to student needs and their ability to comprehend the material presented. 

  • Appropriate for the grade level and age group for which the materials are used or made available. 

b. Require consultation of reputable, professionally recognized reviewing periodicals and school community stakeholders. 

c. Provide for library media center collections based on reader interest, support of state academic standards and aligned curriculum, and the academic needs of students and faculty. 

d. Provide for the regular removal or discontinuance of books based on, at a minimum, physical condition, rate of recent circulation, alignment to state academic standards and relevancy to curriculum, out-of-date content, and required removal pursuant to subparagraph (a)2. 

 

Selection Process 

  1. The media specialist develops a recommended list of books that meet the needs of the school per the collection development guidelines.  

  1. The media specialist provides the school media advisory committee with professional reviews of each book prior to meeting.  

  1. The school media advisory committee meets to review and approve the list. The committee must come to a consensus on approvals. If the committee is unable to come to a consensus, the principal along with the media specialist is responsible for the final decision. 

 

Challenged Materials:

Volusia County School Board Policy 320 establishes the procedures for the review of complaints concerning media materials.

Specific Material Objection Form