- Forest Hills Elementary
- Media Center/School Library
Media Center
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The Media Center is a learning hub that encourages meaningful exploration, creation, and collaboration between students, teachers, and the community. Student engagement, personalized and collaborative learning opportunities, and expanded access to a variety of resources will increase student learning. We aim to empower and guide students to learn in a creative and productive environment. Integrating technology with the curriculum creates a positive experience for each student.
Our Media Center has a searchable library collection that can be accessed through Destiny Discover. Students and parents can search by title, author, or topic for materials in the media center, classroom libraries, or books on classroom reading lists. To help students locate both print and eBooks, access Follett Destiny Library. Your student's Single Sign On can access this information from school or home.
School Library Media Program:- Provides resources that meet a broad range of individual learning styles, abilities, interests, and curriculum needs, including multicultural education.
- Stimulates and promotes information literacy through quality instruction, empowering students to become effective readers, information users, critical thinkers, creative problem solvers, and lifelong learners.
- Strengthens effective teaching and learning through collaboration.
- Stimulates and promotes literacy in reading, listening, viewing and communicating for both pleasure and information.
- Utilizes technology to address expanding information needs.
Media Center Information and Resources
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Book Donations
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Book Categories
Books are categorized as:
- Non-Fiction (000-999) - A genre of literature that focuses on factual events and real people.
- Fiction (F) - Narratives or stories that are created, invented, and made up by the writer.
- Easy Fiction (E) - Books that aim to make their subject easy to understand by using photos or drawings to support the story or topic.
- Electronic Books (eBooks) - Books read on the computer, e-reader, smartphone, or tablet.
- Audio Books - A recording of a book or other work being read out loud. or An audiocassette or CD recording of a reading of a book, typically a novel.
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Destiny Parent Filtering Tool
NOTE: TEST -- LINK ISN'T ACTIVE AT THIS POINT
Broward County Public School has partnered with Follett Destiny Library Systems to provide the option to select the titles their student(s) can access. Parents will enter the email address of the primary parent on file. The parent will receive an email with the subject "Additional User Type Access Code". Within the email is a six-digit code that must be entered to access and select titles.
Click this link to receive an email to select the books your child can access.
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Digital Direct Card
(Download Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print PDF)
The Broward County Library (BCL) Digital Direct Card provides access to digital academic resources available through Broward County Public Library. Download a copy of the BCL Digital Direct Card Flyer to learn more.
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E-Books
(Download Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print PDF)
Broward students can access ebooks and audiobooks for any time, anywhere reading. Through the Library Media partnership with the Broward County Library, books are available from Boundless. Ebooks are also available in Destiny if the school has purchased ebooks. EBooks and audiobooks are also available using the Boundless app. Students can find out more from their school's library media specialist.
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Guidelines for Objection to Library/Specific Materials
The School Board of Broward County's Policy 4140 details the process for parents, as defined by Florida Statutes, of a student enrolled in a Broward public school, or any adult student who objects to the use of specific instructional or material(s) being used in a school curriculum or media center to complete a protest on the instructional and/or digital materials. See Policy 4140 and the Library Media and Instructional Materials Guide outlining the process.
The District has also developed policies and procedures for selecting materials for our school media centers (Policy 4120). We recognize that not everyone will agree with every selection made. School media collections are developed to appeal to a wide range of diverse ages, interests, and tastes. Our library users have many different opinions and beliefs, and building collections to serve everyone without including some material that some people may find inappropriate is not possible. The District supports the right of all users to decide what material is appropriate for themselves and their families.
Broward County parents and residents who elect to object to library/specific materials should download and complete the Objection to Library/Specific Materials form. Completed forms must be submitted to -
Library Media Opt-Out Form
Parents have the right to opt their child out of any library material. Below are copies of the Library Media Opt-Out Form. Please complete the form and submit it to your child's school. Be sure to discuss this decision with your child to ensure they are aware before visiting the library.
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Library Resources
(Download Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print PDF)
Library Media offers educational resources accessible from our Clever or Destiny Library Manager portals. View and download the available BCPS Library Media Resources. See your school's media specialist for more information or assistance
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Literacy Resources
Dictionary
Math
- A Plus Math
- AAA Math
- Cool Math
- Create a Graph
- Illuminations
- Kids Numbers
- Math Cats
- Math Challenge
- Math Chimp
- Math Playground
- Multiplication
- Starfall
- Visual Fractions
Reading
- A Series of Unfortunate Events
- AR Bookfind
- Arthur
- Barnes and Noble online
- Caldecott Medal Winners
- Children's Storybooks Online
- Coretta Scott King Awards Winners
- Find a book/ Lexile level
- Highlights Online Stories
- Junie B. Jones
- Magic Tree House
- Newbery Medal Winners
- Online Stories
- Pinkalicious
- Robert Munsch Books
- Scholastic Kids
- Series and Sequels
- Seussville
- Starfall
- Story Line Online
- Teachers and Families
- Teachers and Families Read Together
- Word Families
Research
- Ask Kids
- Bib Me
- Copyright Info Cyberbee
- Cyberbee Citing Info
- Google Search Lesson Plans
- Internet Safety and Responsibility
- Note Taking
- Website Evaluation
- What is Copyright
- Online Dictionary
Science
- American Museum of National History
- Animal Websites
- Bill Nye the Science Guy
- Biology 4 Kids
- Chem 4 Kids
- Cosmos 4 Kids
- Exploratorium
- Learning Science
- Miami Zoo
- NASA Kids Club
- National Geographic for Kids
- National Wildlife for Kids
- Physics 4 Kids
- San Diego Zoo
- Science Fair Ideas
- Science Fair Projects
- Sea World/Bush Gardens Animals
- Smithsonian for Kids
- St. Louis Zoo
- Time for Kids
Social Studies
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Reading Across Broward (RAB)/Beanstack
The Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME) is the state organization for Media Specialists. The FAME Committees create lists of the best books selected by a committee of media specialists from across the state and voted online by Florida students. The winning author is celebrated at the annual FAME state conference. The lists are the Sunshine State Young Reader Awards for elementary and middle. The high school list is the Florida Teens Read. The Florida Reading Association also provides an annual list for elementary. Find out more from your school's media specialist.
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Selection and Maintenance of School Library Media Collections
The School Board of Broward County has adopted procedures for developing library media center collections. Below are the guidelines used.
SELECTION OF MATERIALS
Criteria for Selection of Print and Non-Print Materials
- Materials are selected to support the mission of the school: (Identify school mission)
- Materials are selected to enrich and support the curriculum and the educational, emotional, and recreational needs of the users.
- Materials shall be appropriate for the age, emotional development, ability levels, learning styles, and social development of students.
In keeping with the Library Bill of Rights, materials will be considered based on the following:
- Needs of the curriculum, learning/teaching styles of students, faculty and staff
- Possible use of material (including small or large group instruction, in-depth study)
- Level of physical, artistic, and literary quality
- Treatment of subject and lack of cultural bias
- Accuracy and currency of information
- Scope of coverage
- Support of inquiry and critical thinking skills
- Relationship of the material to the overall collection
- Cost, packaging, and documentation
MAINTENANCE OF COLLECTION
Removing materials from a library collection that are no longer educationally appropriate is an equally important process as selecting new items of high quality. The library media specialist and/or instructional staff have an ongoing process to evaluate the library media collection and to keep the collection relevant to the changing needs of the curriculum, personal interests, and needs of students. Evaluation of items under consideration for removal from the Library Media Center should be based on criteria related to the educational value of the resources.
Criteria For Removing Items from the Library Collection
- Condition: Materials in poor condition due to damage, wear and tear, missing pages or heavily marked pages are prime candidates for replacement.
- Content: Materials may be in good physical condition but contain inaccurate or outdated information.
- Use: Materials that have not circulated for several years and are not needed for reference purposes should be considered for removal.
- Educational Value: Materials that are at inappropriate reading or interest levels for students and materials no longer aligned with the curriculum. The Department of Innovative Learning recommends that the following items should not be weeded or discarded:
- Literary classics, unless more attractive formats are available
- Local and state history, unless collected by another agency
- Major publications of the school, unless another department is responsible for the archive.
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Volunteers
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If you love to read and help children, then volunteering in the Media Center is a wonderful opportunity. We are looking for dedicated individuals to help with the following areas.
- shelve books
- prepare materials
- to assist with the book fair
- type certificates
- assist with inventory
If you are interested, please contact the Media Specialist. Before volunteering, you must complete the online application. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Media Staff
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Ms. Sarah Clark, our Media Specialist
Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Media Center Rules
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- Take good care of our books.
- Return books on time.
- Books may be checked out for one week and may be renewed two times.
- Two books may be checked out at a time.
- Lost or damaged books must be paid for through the eStore.
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Forest Hill's Collection Development Plan is underway. Upon completion and approval by the administration, it will be promptly shared here.
Challenge Reading Materials Process
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Broward County parents and residents who elect to object to library/specific materials should download and complete the Objection to Library/Specific Materials form. Completed forms must be submitted to
Online Library Resources
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The District provides online resources to ensure equitable access to information that will improve student performance and achievement. Follet Destiny and other digital age-appropriate materials that support educational and social-emotional needs.