Media Center website: http://durantroadms.wcpss.net/web/mediacenter
DRMS Library Media Staff:
Kristen Ziller, Library Media Specialist
518-0044
kziller@wcpss.net
Janice Edwards, Library Media Specialist
518-0035
jedwards@wcpss.net
Jane Richards, Library Media Assistant
ext. 266
jrichards@wcpss.net
Student Use of the Media Center
8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Teachers and students may use the media center as soon as the media staff opens the media center in the morning. A pass is not required for students who wish to return books, read or work on an assignment. This time is reserved for students who want to silently use the media center.
8:15 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Each student must have a teal media center pass to come to the media center. These designated passes allow you to specify the student’s needs for his or her media center visit. Students sign in to indicate their arrival and departure times. This serves as a record of which students the media staff is responsible for in case of a fire drill or an emergency situation. Students are permitted to use the media center during their lunch period, but must have a signed Fast Pass from their teacher. Remind students to come after they have eaten lunch, with materials needed, be prepared to work, and not socialize. Student should not skip lunch to come to the media center.
3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
After school, students may use the media center without a pass, except during meetings and other functions which are periodically held in the media center. Check the online media center calendar for meetings and events that may conflict with student use.
Class Visits and Scheduling
The media specialists frequently collaborate with teachers on designing research projects for students. Whole classes are scheduled for computer research throughout the year and each team should do at least one inquiry-rich research project each semester to give students ample opportunity to develop researching skills. The media specialists teach researching and information-literacy skills as they relate to classroom studies and meet with individual teachers and PLTs to plan the integration of media and technology skills into the subject-area curriculum.
Teachers can sign up to bring their classes to the media center using the online sign-up form located on the media center website. The media center calendar is also located here for teachers to see which days and periods are available. Designated areas of the media center allow for student computer use, book research, and circulation. If you are unable to keep your scheduled time, please call 266 or e-mail kziller and jedwards.
Teachers need to accompany classes and should remain with them while using the media center.
Short-term equipment, such as digital cameras, student response clickers, and television carts, can also be reserved through the media center website. Fill out the equipment sign-up form to make a reservation. Please return equipment in a timely fashion so it will be available for others.
Media Center Research
Carts of books for classroom use will be prepared upon request. Please allow 3 days for a request to be processed.
The media staff will assist students in finding reliable websites and electronic databases that are relevant to your research topics. Direction to appropriate sites for research often helps students make the best use of their time and gives them experiences with quality sources of information.
Consult the media staff about your project before you begin planning. Collaborating with the media staff allows for integration of media and technology skills into subject-area curriculum and provides a richer learning experience for our students. The media staff will prepare resources for your classes, teach lessons, and become an instructional partner with the classroom teacher from the beginning to the end of the project. It is very important to share relevant project handouts and plans with the media staff in advance of bringing classes to the media center.
AV Equipment
- Several pieces of AV equipment are permanently assigned to classrooms. Many classrooms have an LCD projector, speakers, VCR/DVD player, a document camera, and a boombox. These are labeled with the room number and checked out long-term to that room. Please do not remove this equipment from the room to which it is assigned and do not trade with someone without letting the media staff know. We need to know the whereabouts of all equipment for inventory purposes.
- Before tracking out, teachers should be sure that all equipment is cleaned and in working order in the classroom to which it is assigned.
- DVD players, digital cameras, Flip video cameras, student response clicker systems, boomboxes, laptop computer, and LCD projectors are available in the media center for short-term checkout (3-day maximum). If you have additional equipment needs, please ask the media staff.
- Equipment reservations can be made by submitting an equipment reservation form from the media center website. Please make these reservations as soon as you have planned for the week, and return equipment on time so it will be available to others who have signed up to use it.
Videos and Copyright
It is your responsibility to preview every video you show to your students. Videos are NEVER to be shown for a reward or entertainment. The two ways of showing a video to your students are by using a DVD/VCR player in your classroom or having the media center broadcast it over the in-house system. We have 5 in-house channels that allow you to easily show a video to multiple classrooms at the same time. Come to the media center to make a reservation for a channel. Sign up as soon as you know of your plans.
What videos and DVDs can I show?
Q. I rented a video, what do I need to have signed?
A. The prior approval form needs to be signed by an administrator. If the video is rated PG-13 or R, you must get parental permission for each student before showing the video in class.
Q. I brought a video from home. Do I need to get anything signed?
A. Yes. If the film is NOT part of the DRMS collection, you must always get the prior approval form signed by an administrator. If it is rated PG-13 or R, you must also get parental consent for each student before showing the video in class.
Q. I want to use a video in the DRMS collection that is rated PG-13. Do I need to get parental permission?
A. Yes. If a film is rated PG-13 or R, you must always get parental permission for each student before showing the video in class.
Q. What about a tape that the department has?
A.
- If it is one that was purchased with school funds, the most appropriate and convenient procedure is to have media staff catalog it and circulate it through the media center; then you won’t need a permission form and we can locate it for you when someone else has it checked out.
- If it is one that someone has taped and kept longer than the legal time period, do not show it! Destroy it! Fines for this type of copyright violation are $10,000 or more.
- Personal tape—If it is a purchased copy, get the “Request for Prior Approval of Video Broadcast” signed by an administrator EVERY TIME you want to show the program to a new group of students. If it is a taped program off the television, be sure you are showing it during the legal time period. See the media center staff if you have a question.
Q. Can I donate a video to the media center collection?
A. Yes! The video must align with the middle school curriculum and be appropriate for middle school students. The media specialists will evaluate the video before adding it to the DRMS media center collection.
Other tidbits that you need to know about videos…
• DO NOT ask us what is “being broadcast today.” You are not to “tune in” to the master antenna system just because something is being shown by someone. Your students are only to view videos that you have selected and determined will meet their curricular needs.
Copyright laws prevent us from broadcasting many tapes and programs. If you have questions concerning copyright laws governing particular programming, stations, etc., please see a member of the media staff.
The most effective way to use videos in the classroom is to show short video clips that are integrated into a lesson. The DRMS media center subscribes to Discovery Streaming and BrainPop, which are wonderful resources that contain video segments that are aligned with your curriculum. Please see the media staff for login information.
Other Policies
Internet and E-mail Acceptable Use Policy
Teachers and staff must sign an “Employee Internet and Email Account Agreement” each school year. Students have access to the Internet unless their parents sign and return the “Parental Request to Restrict Access.” Teachers will be provided with a list of students who are denied access.
***Any violation of the Wake County Public School System/Durant Road Middle School Acceptable Use Policy will result in disciplinary action.
Challenged Materials Policy
Q. What do I do if a parent challenges a book from the media center?
A. Be courteous, listen to the complaint, and contact the principal and a media specialist.
Cell Phone Policy
Out of respect for others, please do not talk on a cell phone in the media center. This can be disturbing to other staff and students who are in the media center.
Professional Library (For Staff ONLY)
The professional library is adjacent to the media center. The materials housed in it are barcoded and need to be checked out at the circulation desk inside the media center. There are computers, printers, and scanners located in the Professional Library for teacher use only. Please do not take or send students or your own children into this area. Teachers consider this a secure place to work on grades, tests, and other confidential materials. Many leave their belongings unattended during teacher workdays and allowing students into this area would compromise that security. Furthermore, the hot laminator and the paper cutters present a safety consideration.
You will find the following items available for your use in the professional library and media center work area:
- Desktop computers
- Laserjet Printer and access to Xerox Color Phaser Printer in the media center
- Scanner
- CD burners
- Ellison Letter Machine with the dolphin and letter dyes
- Large Paper Cutter
- Art Waxer (leave heat ON, motor OFF after you use it) *Currently located in the media center workroom.
- Laminator (must be preheated and turned off at the end of the day. When the film runs low, notify media staff)
- Book binding carts (may be checked out or used here—notify media staff when more combs are needed)
- Professional books and periodicals
- Classroom sets of periodicals (Scholastic Scope and Science World)
Media Center Checkout
The library media staff is happy to check out your library materials to you, but the self checkout station is a great self-serve option. Teachers and students can use the self checkout station at the circulation desk to check out their own library materials. Ask the media staff for your checkout id number. We encourage teachers to check out the books their students are reading and have conversations about books with them. This is a great way to encourage a climate and culture of reading at Durant!
Special Services
Poster Maker ~ The poster maker machine is located in the media center. You or the media center staff can make your posters. Because the heat transfer paper is needed to make these posters is very expensive, it is necessary to limit the number of posters per teacher. Please be very selective in what you choose to enlarge to poster size.
Please allow several days for the media staff to complete these special services.
