In 2018, WKMS students checked out 996 eBooks as opposed to 1,699 by June of 2019. With video tutorials, emails, and morning news advertising, eBook check-out numbers went over 4,185 this school year. This included additional programs to the library like JLG Digital, Comics Plus, more JBA eBook copies, and the addition of a classics eBook category through Mackin. We also ordered over 100 new eBook titles and copies through Mackin for student use. These ebook numbers do not include Tumble Books or Teen Cloud books through DISCUS. For DISCUS more than 50 eBooks were viewed. As the school year comes to a close, WKMS still ranks the third highest in usage for e-Books compared to 30 other schools in the district.

Since August the library program has discarded 4,481 books from the non-fiction part of the collection. Many of the books from the 100's to the 900's were over 20 years old. With these titles removed, we are looking forward to funding that will allow the program to add current books for our students. New non-fiction books will range from social issues to technology trends and help our students stay up-to-date whether reading for interest or for research.

An updated copyright collection is like driving a brand new 2021 car instead of one from 2000; a lot has changed since 2000. A portion of the purged books will be donated to the foundation, Hope For Liberia. A local attorney, Mr. Mark Arden, coordinated the repurposed books for delivery to a new school in Liberia that will have the only library in a geographic area similar in size to South Carolina.

Over the past several months, the WKMS Library program has been developing a new morning news program to accommodate traditional and virtual, LOOLA, classrooms. This new program model is being recorded live and shared with teachers to show to their homerooms before the first period of the day. LOOLA teachers are also able to share this new format asynchronously with their students when it suits their learning schedule. As for the news crew, the program has two teams working on the show. At present, the WKMS news consists of school-related events, the weather, the lunch menu, word of the day, and pertinent library and reading services for all of our students in the building and at home.

Free, Real-time Tutoring Extended through 2020-2021 School Year

Is a student struggling with a math problem, science concept, or writing issue? Discus Tutor.com to the rescue! K-12 students in South Carolina may connect to a live tutor to address these learning needs and more! Real-time tutoring is available from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 pm, Sunday - Saturday. Access the Tutor.com resource from the Discus A-Z List or Grade Level pages. For upper-level students, a math problem drop-off, paper review option, and SAT/ACT study helps are available by creating an individual user account. For more information, contact the Discus Office Help Desk at discusoffice@statelibrary.sc.gov.

New revised hours to connect to Spanish-speaking tutors in Tutor.com

Connect to a real-time Spanish-speaking tutor during the hours of 8:00 am - 10:00 pm (Eastern), Sunday through Saturday from Tutor.com through Discus - South Carolina's Virtual Library. These hours are consistent with the hours of the real-time English-speaking tutors for Tutor.com through Discus. Spanish-speaking tutors are available for the core subjects of math, science, and social studies.

TeenBookCloud Permanently Added to the Discus Collection

Your access-from-home virtual bookshelf just grew by over 1,000 titles with the permanent addition of TeenBookCloud to Discus - South Carolina's Virtual Library! Targeted to readers in 7th through 12th grades, this collection includes fiction and non-fiction, poetry and drama, and AP English titles. Readers will find graphic novels, enhanced novels, eBooks, classic literature, National Geographic videos, educator resources, and audiobooks. Locate TeenBookCloud on the Discus website A-Z List and Middle School and High School Grade Level tabs. Contact the Discus Office with any questions. TeenBookCloud is provided by the South Carolina State Library for residents of South Carolina.

Students at WKMS have several options for accessing eBooks as well as traditional, paper books.

Books Delivered Curbside For LOOLA Students
Please see the links and documents below that explain the upcoming book checkout procedure for LOOLA students. Some of these documents also contain relevant video instructions.
1. Curbside LOOLA Book Pickup at White Knoll Middle School Document.
2. LOOLA: Google Doc Form to Reserve/Request a Book: Video Tutorial
3. Digital Reading Hub
4. Finding and Requesting e-Books and/or traditional Books.

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Learn More About Exploring and Selecting Good Books
Step 1: Search your home school’s library collection.
How to Find and Logon to Destiny Discover, Our Online Catalog:
Book Availability Review Tutorial for Follet Destiny.
Step 2: Place a book(s) on hold
How to Reserve a Book Through Your Google Request Doc
*If you’re not sure what you what to read next, please investigate NoveList K-8 Plus at SCDISCUS.org
Step 3: When available, your book will be delivered directly to your ELA classroom. We will do our best to get the book to you as quickly as possible!
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WKMS Online Reading Resources

• • Junior Library Guild eBooks
  • Tumblebooks: available through scdiscus.org
  • Epic! (free, but sign up required)
  • ComicsPlus (Sign in through MacinVia from Your Launchpad.)
  • eBooks Through MackinVIA (login through your launchpad)
  • Teen BookCloud in DISCUS also has several eBook options, and it is now a permanent part of South Carolina's virtual library program. Check them out today!

The Summer Reading Program with the Lexington County Public Library (LCPL) is happening this summer, and they are excited to begin seeing elements of “normalcy” returning! This year’s theme is “Tails and Tales”, and we’re celebrating all things animal-related. LCPL will have presenters providing programs for children and teens as in past years, all as live virtual streaming programs. Keep an eye out on The Lexington County Public Library website calendar, https://lexcolibrary.com/programs, for further information to come.

There are a couple of changes to this year’s summer reading.

The biggest change for the 2021 year is that they are not tracking minutes read or having levels. All ages will have an activity card, the same card for all ages (including adults!). There is a PDF of the activity card for students to print.

Participants can complete any 5 challenges they want, and once they have finished 5 challenges, they can come into their local library to collect a prize. They will also be entered into a grand prize drawing once they finish those 5 challenges. For those that would like, they can continue completing activities on the card through August 8. Every 5 activities they complete is another entry into the grand prize drawing at the end of summer!

The other big change this year is that all youth participating in summer reading will receive a book at the beginning of the program instead of the end. This means that to start summer reading, all youth (ages birth-18) will receive a bag including an activity card, a book, a couple of coupons, and a bookmark. The LCPL is using the books as a gift at the start of summer this year to provide reading material for the children as they embark on summer reading!

Please note that the summer reading webpage will go live to the general public on June 1, and there will also be an option for families to download the activity card from that as well. LCPL will be asking people not to start tracking activities until June 1, and the prize pickup won't start until June 14. There is an iOS and Android app available, for participants who want to keep track of their mobile devices! They will have physical copies of the activity card available in the library branches, so there's no pressure for you to print them yourself.

Our school will be participating in the "Fireflies Reading Program" presented by Prisma Health Children’s Hospital. Your child will have the opportunity to improve their reading skills while earning a ticket to a Fireflies baseball game along with additional surprise rewards.
Game Plan for the Columbia Fireflies Reading Program
• Beginning Date: ---April 21st __ through ____June ___4th____

(However, May 12th would be the earliest game ticket a student would be eligible to win. May 11th is opening game night, and it is not included in this promotion.)

• Upon starting the program, please visit www.milb.com/columbia/ballpark/reading-program
and complete the "Student Participation Form."

Make sure you note that your child is participating with White Knoll Middle School. WKMS has already registered as a participator.

• The Fireflies Reading Program is divided into four segments representing a “base” on the baseball field. When a student completes a base, they will advance to the next base. For each square, students will need to have read 10 pages. When they reach a base, your child will need to have read 60 pages. Once they reach home base, he or she will have read 240 pages from a magazine, a graphic novel, the back of a cereal box, or a traditional fiction or non-fiction book; the goal is to “hit a reading home run.”
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Suggestions for reading and parent involvement:
• Each day check to see if your child has completed their reading assignments and have them record their accomplishment under the respective base on the Parent/Guardian Verification Form.
• After each reading accomplishment, a parent or guardian can verify the student's progress.
• Your child will receive a prize from the Fireflies as they read their way around the bases.

*For accomplishing each base, students will receive a drawstring Fireflies bag and a coupon for "Flight Fit N Fun Adventure Park" when they come to their game. Students will show their tickets and receive these additional prizes at "Guest Services."

As students reach each objective for the bases for their reading goals, revisit www.milb.com/columbia/ballpark/reading-program and fill out the "Completion Form."

Once the form has been complete, you, the parent or guardian, will receive a promo code to be used at checkout to receive your child’s free ticket. This code may only be used once and must be used on a valid Reading Program game (Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday games throughout the season). Additional tickets must be purchased with your child at the time of entering this code to ensure you are sitting together.

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Parents can modify the objectives and goals in any way they want to best fit his or her child's reading needs.

For your child's convenience, WKMS has over 5,000 eBooks available through MackinVia.

For additional questions about the program, you may contact:

Ty Jamieson | Reading Program & Ticketing Manager
Columbia Fireflies Baseball | Segra Park

1640 Freed Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Direct 803.888.3011 | tjamieson@columbiafireflies.com

Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program – 2021

Kids in grades 1 – 6 can earn a FREE book, simply by following these three easy steps:

1. Read any eight books this summer and record them in your Summer Reading Journal (Click here to print – look for the 2021 Summer Reading Journal link).
2. Bring your completed journal to a Barnes & Noble store between July 1 – 31, 2021. Find a Store.
3. Choose your FREE reading adventure from the books list in the journal.

Lexington School District One (LSDO)

2021 Summer Reading for Middle School Students

Summer reading offers students an opportunity to enjoy quality literature while growing their independent reading skills. By offering choice, we hope students will find ‘books they won’t be able to put down’ so they can authentically engage in summer reading and ultimately ‘fall in love’ with reading so they are better prepared to engage in academic reading.

This summer, every LSDO middle school student should self-select and read at least one book. As a starting point, students might consider choosing one of the 2021-2022 South Carolina Junior Book Award (JBA) Nominees.
**Students going into 8th grade might also consider books on the 2021-2022 South Carolina Young Adult Book Award (YABA) Nominees. Notice for Parents/Guardians: Young Adult titles often cover mature subject matter and may include strong language. Parents/guardians should review the chosen title to determine if the book seems appropriate for their student reader.

2021-2022 South Carolina Junior Book Award (JBA) Nominees

96 Miles By J. L. Esplin

The Blackbird Girls By Anne Blankman

Black Brother, Black Brother

By Jewell Parker Rhodes

Efren Divided By Ernesto Cisneros

Free Lunch By Rex Ogle

From the Desk of Zoe Washington

By Janae Marks

The Light in Hidden Places By Sharon Cameron

The Mystwick School of Musicraft

By Jessica Khoury

Nightbooks By J. A. White

The Only Black Girls in Town

By Brandy Colbert

Other Words for Home By Jasmine Warga

Revenge of the Red Club By Kim Harrington

Running Wild By Lucy Jane Bledsoe

Searching for Lottie By Susan L. Ross

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You

By Jason Reynolds

Summer of a Thousand Pies By Margaret Dilloway

Things You Can’t Say By Jenn Bishop

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

By Kwame Mbalia

When Stars Are Scattered By Victoria Jamieson

Wildfire By Rodman Philbrick

Use the links below for more information on specific titles:

Amazon Book Reviews

Common Sense Media

Notice for Parents/Guardians:

Parents/guardians should review the chosen title to determine if the book seems appropriate for their student reader.

When students return to school in August, teachers will use students’ summer reading experiences to begin building a community of readers who share and talk about books. Students may also be invited to participate in a schoolwide reading celebration.

Please click here for a shortlist of eBooks with unlimited checkouts for the summer.