Parents
Library Policies & Procedures
Media Center Hours
Overdue Books
Book Care
Lost or Damaged Books
Book Selection
Scheduling
Technology Policies & Permissions
Media Center Hours
- The Media Center (library and computer lab) is open from 9:20 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (or later by arrangement).
- Materials are checked out to students for a period of three weeks and may be renewed once if there is no waiting list.
- Students in grades k-1 are allowed to check out up to 2 items
- Students in grades 2-5 are allowed to check out up to 3 items
- To prevent materials from becoming overdue, students are encouraged to exchange books each week during their regularly scheduled library time. Students who wish to exchange books more frequently may do so with permission from their classroom teacher.
Overdue Books
- Once a library book becomes overdue, students are not allowed to check out additional materials until the overdue item is returned. Overdue notices are sent out monthly to students with overdue materials. If a child feels s/he has received an overdue notice in error, s/he should check with the library staff who will investigate further.
- Check Your Child's Library Account
Book Care
- At the beginning of each year, students are taught how to properly care for library books. Guidelines discussed include:
- Having a special place at home just for library books.
- Not eating or drinking while reading.
- Keeping books out of reach of younger children and pets.
- Turning the pages from the side or top corner instead of the bottom.
- Carrying books between home and school in a backpack.
- Using a bookmark instead of bending corners of pages to keep your place.
Lost or Damaged Books
- Edina School Board policy requires that students pay for lost or damaged Media Center materials. If a lost item is found and returned to the media center within one year of payment, a full refund is given.
- To pay for a lost or damaged book, please send cash or a check made payable to Concord. Students can look-up replacement costs by logging-in to their library accounts in Destiny. Replacement costs can also be determined by contacting the media center.
Book Selection
- Students are encouraged to make their own book selections as part of a learning process to determine which books are right for them. Students take out books for many different and valid reasons. They are encouraged to take many different types of books, both fiction and non-fiction. If you are unhappy with the choice your child makes, discuss it with him or her. Find out why he chose the book and if he enjoyed having it. If he feels he did not make a good choice, discuss what might be a better choice next time. Remind him that the library staff knows almost every book in the library and is always happy to help match books with students.
- The Media Center has a computerized catalog and circulation system accessible from any computer in the building. Students are taught how to conduct computer searches for material by subject, title, and author.
- Create a 'Good Fit' Reading List with Your Child
Scheduling
- Student use of the Library Media Center is a mix of both fixed and flexible scheduling. The philosophy of flexible scheduling is to make the Media Center the school's center of learning and to provide students with accessibility to the Media Center at any time.
- Students in grades K-4 have a regularly scheduled time in the media center for skills instruction and book selection each week. Students in grades K-3 also have a regularly scheduled computer lab time.
- In addition, teachers of all grades are encouraged to schedule additional class visits whenever there is a specific need to use the Media Center's materials and technology for enhancement and support of classroom instruction.
Technology Policies & Permissions
- Permission to Bring a Personal Electronic Device (grades 3-5)
Student Keyboarding Instruction
Practice makes perfect! That’s the expression, anyway, and it sure is true for keyboarding. Regular practice is key to a student’s keyboarding success.
Edina’s keyboarding goal for students leaving the 5th grade is 20 words per minute with at least 80% accuracy. Students begin keyboarding instruction in 2nd and 3rd grade, with continued practice and review in both 4th and 5th grade. The school day, however, does not typically afford the time necessary for focused, daily practice.
There are a few things you can do at home to help your son or daughter become more proficient at keyboarding. These include the following:
Once your child begins formal keyboarding instruction in 2nd grade, encourage 5-10 minutes of practice each night. Students can log-in to their school Typing Pal accounts from home, supplement with a variety of free online keyboarding tutorials, or choose from a wide assortment of typing games. Links to numerous such resources for additional practice can be found on the media center's student keyboarding page.
Encourage your child to use the correct fingering and not look at the keys whenever he or she is at the computer. Peeking at the keys slows progress significantly. If you notice your child frequently wanting to look down at his/her hands, it can be helpful to lay a lightweight scarf or cloth over the hands to prevent the keys from being seen.
Ask your child to log-in to his Typing Pal account and show you his Typing Log. The Typing Log keeps a record of all completed activities with statistics for words per minute and accuracy. At this level, our primary concern is accuracy. Speed will come with practice.
Offer your child incentives for increasing speed and accuracy. Once students reach 30-35 wpm they usually do not revert back to old habits.
Offer plenty of encouragement. It takes a long time and a lot of practice. The most important thing is to not give up.
For students tempted to peek at the keyboard, Speedskin keyboard covers are available for $7.95 plus shipping at LearningServices.com.
Practice makes perfect! That’s the expression, anyway, and it sure is true for keyboarding. Regular practice is key to a student’s keyboarding success.
Edina’s keyboarding goal for students leaving the 5th grade is 20 words per minute with at least 80% accuracy. Students begin keyboarding instruction in 2nd and 3rd grade, with continued practice and review in both 4th and 5th grade. The school day, however, does not typically afford the time necessary for focused, daily practice.
There are a few things you can do at home to help your son or daughter become more proficient at keyboarding. These include the following:
Once your child begins formal keyboarding instruction in 2nd grade, encourage 5-10 minutes of practice each night. Students can log-in to their school Typing Pal accounts from home, supplement with a variety of free online keyboarding tutorials, or choose from a wide assortment of typing games. Links to numerous such resources for additional practice can be found on the media center's student keyboarding page.
Encourage your child to use the correct fingering and not look at the keys whenever he or she is at the computer. Peeking at the keys slows progress significantly. If you notice your child frequently wanting to look down at his/her hands, it can be helpful to lay a lightweight scarf or cloth over the hands to prevent the keys from being seen.
Ask your child to log-in to his Typing Pal account and show you his Typing Log. The Typing Log keeps a record of all completed activities with statistics for words per minute and accuracy. At this level, our primary concern is accuracy. Speed will come with practice.
Offer your child incentives for increasing speed and accuracy. Once students reach 30-35 wpm they usually do not revert back to old habits.
Offer plenty of encouragement. It takes a long time and a lot of practice. The most important thing is to not give up.
For students tempted to peek at the keyboard, Speedskin keyboard covers are available for $7.95 plus shipping at LearningServices.com.
Assisting with Student Research
Studies have shown that children will usually express confidence in their ability to search the web, but in reality they often don’t find what they’re looking for, don’t ask for help, and don’t fact check their results. By encouraging smart search strategies like those below, you can help to ensure your son or daughter becomes an astute user of online information from a young age.
The subscription databases accessible from the school media center website (look for References Resources) are the preferred alternative to Google and Wikipedia. Subscriptions include unlimited access from home or school at no cost to you, providing students with a consistent set of resources for homework and research assignments regardless of their location. Throughout the school year, students are receiving instruction in how and when to use these resources. Your encouragement as well will help to ensure their use.
Using Edina's Common Inquiry Process
Edina students are taught to use Edina's Common Inquiry Process to find answers to questions in both short as well as lengthier research assignments. By using similar language to the Engineering Design Process used in grades 2-5, students internalize the steps necessary to guide their inquiry, whether it is to design an engineered product or to conduct research.
Ask
Imagine and Investigate
Plan and Organize
Create
Evaluate and Improve
Studies have shown that children will usually express confidence in their ability to search the web, but in reality they often don’t find what they’re looking for, don’t ask for help, and don’t fact check their results. By encouraging smart search strategies like those below, you can help to ensure your son or daughter becomes an astute user of online information from a young age.
- Typically, use of subscription databases (like Britannica.com) are encouraged over search engines like Google, since information on the ‘free’ internet can be inaccurate, biased, outdated or written for adults and not suitable for student research.
- When it is necessary to use a search engine, use a search engine designed specifically for students, like those on Star Sites for Students. Students should also attempt to judge the reliability of any information found on the ‘free’ Internet by thinking critically about the author’s qualifications and the purpose of the website.
- Wikipedia is another website whose use as a primary resource is typically discouraged, since it is a written collaboratively by anonymous volunteers and may contain false or debatable information. It can be useful, however, in providing an overview of many subjects.
The subscription databases accessible from the school media center website (look for References Resources) are the preferred alternative to Google and Wikipedia. Subscriptions include unlimited access from home or school at no cost to you, providing students with a consistent set of resources for homework and research assignments regardless of their location. Throughout the school year, students are receiving instruction in how and when to use these resources. Your encouragement as well will help to ensure their use.
Using Edina's Common Inquiry Process
Edina students are taught to use Edina's Common Inquiry Process to find answers to questions in both short as well as lengthier research assignments. By using similar language to the Engineering Design Process used in grades 2-5, students internalize the steps necessary to guide their inquiry, whether it is to design an engineered product or to conduct research.
Ask
- Define the need
- Write your research question
- Sharpen the focus
Imagine and Investigate
- Brainstorm ideas
- Locate and use appropriate sources
- Note useful information
Plan and Organize
- Analyze, organize and interpret the information gathered
- Plan a quality product
- Make a list of materials needed
- Delegate responsibilities
Create
- Follow your plan
- Share draft
- Get feedback from others
Evaluate and Improve
- Evaluate the product
- Evaluate the process
- Improve as necessary