Our goal is to log a combined 12 million reading minutes by the end of the school year.
The Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design invites schools to participate in the 2024-2025 #808Reads Challenge, The Great Escape, from August 1, 2024 through May 24, 2025. Students and staff earn digital badges when they read and log minutes in the Beanstack app. There is no cost for schools to participate.
Librarians and teachers can easily use the Beanstack digital reading log to organize and manage classroom, grade level, and school-wide reading efforts. Learn more at https://808reads.k12.hi.us/
Click the image to download the flyer.
Shared eBook Collection via Sora
All Hawaii public school students and teachers have access to the Shared eBook Collection via Sora that provides 24/7 access to thousands of eBooks, audiobooks, and Read Alongs that can be enjoyed on all major platforms and devices. Say goodbye to overdue or lost books! Want to checkout an eBook?
Click here to see if your school is participating.
Library Media Services Overview
The Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design's Library Media Services (LMS) program partners with Hawaii's public school librarians through collaboration, innovation, advocacy and professional development to prepare our students with the skills and knowledge to be positive contributors and participants in a global society. Goals are:
- To promote and support innovative school library media programs that model the Elements of a Quality School Library Media Program.
- To promote and encourage the ethical use of technology for learning, enhanced instructional design, and collection development.
- To advocate and nurture the love of reading and the habits of lifelong learning.
- To provide school librarians with equitable and accessible mentoring, networking and collaborating opportunities through technology and communication tools.
- To provide school librarians with professional development opportunities to continually improve and strengthen library media services that meet the needs of today’s learners.
- To research and negotiate consortium pricing for digital educational resources and tools that are aligned with national, state, and school priorities.
Our school library media programs and services are a valuable resource for students and teachers. They are evolving to meet needs in a digital age and serve as 1) Promoters of active learning; 2) Curators of resources; 3) Developers of responsible and compassionate citizenship; and 4) Leaders in forging local and global connections. Programs and services vary from school to school. Be sure to check with your school's librarian for available resources and programs.
Other Resources
Copyright and Fair Use: The Board of Education adopted Policy 900-2, Copyright, to ensure that Department of Education employees, volunteers, and students are made aware of and comply with copyright and fair use law. Information available on the federal copyright website.
Suggested Reading Lists:
- Nene Awards (Grades 4-6): Promotes reading and discussion of literature. Students in grades 4 to 6 are encouraged to read Nene Nominees, discuss them with other students and classes, then vote for their favorite title. Learn more.
- The Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS): Provides books and other materials to stimulate a love of reading and life-long learning in children. Our library branches strive to create a safe and inviting place for children to explore a world of interesting people and ideas. HSPLS children's librarians have developed reading lists for children in various grade levels. Visit the Children's Titles section.
- Caldecott Medal: Named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Learn more.
- Newbery Medal:
Named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Learn more.
Policies and Procedures
Library Material Selection Policy: The primary objective of the school library media program is to implement, enrich and support the educational program of the school. In the area of materials selection, school library media programs provide a wide range of materials on various levels of difficulty, with consideration for diversity and different points of view. These materials are also in digital formats, non-book formats, and online. Therefore, School Library Media Programs should:
Provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum by collaborating with instructional stakeholders and relevant data, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, learning needs, learning styles and maturity levels of the students served.
Provide materials for teachers and students based on their needs that encourage growth in knowledge, and that helps to develop literary, cultural and aesthetic appreciation and ethical standards.
Provide materials which reflect the broad ideas and beliefs of religious, social, political, historical, and ethnic groups and their contribution to the local, national and world heritages and cultures, thereby enabling students to develop intellectual integrity in forming sound judgments.
Provide a variety of print, non-print, digital and online formats to support needs-based student learning.
Place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in selection of materials of the highest quality in order to ensure a comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the school library.
Controversial Issues Policy 101-13:
Student discussion of issues which generate opposing points of view shall be considered a normal part of the learning process in every area of the school program. The depth of the discussion shall be determined by the maturity of the students. Teachers shall refer students to resources reflecting multiple and diverse points of view. Discussions, including contributions made by the teacher or resource person, shall be maintained on an objective, factual basis. Stress shall be placed on learning how to make judgments based on facts. View the policy.
Chapter 57: HRS 8-57-1:
Restitution for Lost and Damaged Books, Equipment, Supplies, and Outstanding Financial Obligations
The Department is responsible for providing students with appropriate instructional materials. When students do not return the loaned materials and resources, other students are deprived of these materials and the department is expected to purchase replacement copies. Chapter 57 requires that students be responsible for paying required fees and for restitution of school property that is lost through their negligence. It further allows consequences for students who do not make restitution or pay required fees. Schools have had varying degrees of success in collecting money from students for lost books, equipment, supplies, and outstanding financial obligations. While this Chapter allows schools to restrict students from participating in athletics and co-curricular activities if they have outstanding financial obligations, the following guidelines are provided to aid schools in applying these restrictions with consistency. Statewide application of these guidelines will ensure that students are treated with fairness and equity when it is found that they are responsible for the loss, destruction, breakage, or damage of school books, equipment, and supplies, including library and assigned textbooks; digital devices and non-payment of fees.
