Wildwood Elementary Media Center

 

Mission

The mission of the Wildwood Media Center is to support the school’s curriculum, provide resources for students and faculty in the form of print, non-print, and electronic materials, and to encourage students to become lovers of reading, informed users of information, and life-long learners.

 

Policies and Procedures

Checkout Policies

          Students may checkout books for a period of one week and are welcome to renew their item(s) if there is not a waiting list.

·        Kindergarten:  Students are allowed to checkout one item.

·        First and Second Grade:  Students are allowed to checkout two items.  The books are due back within two weeks; however, they may renew books for additinoal time.  We strongly encourage students to bring back at least one book each week, so they can look for a new book during check out time.  We also work with the students to check out a "good fit" book - one in which they can read on their own.  We also suggest students check out one fiction and one non-fiction book or two fiction books. 

Overdue Items

          If a library book becomes overdue, students must return the book in order to check out another.  We do not charge late fines.  For first and second grade, if a student returns one of his/her two books, then he/she may only check out one during library time.  If a student has only one book out, but it is overdue, they he/she may not check out until the overdue book is brought back to the library.

Taking Care of Books

          As part of the library skills curriculum, students are taught in September how to properly care for library books.  We attempt to instill a sense of responsibility while a book is in possession of our students.  Therefore, we require students to care for the book, renew it if necessary, and return it on time so all have access to the library books.  Some of the specific guidelines include:

  • Have a special place at home for your library books.
  • If your book gets “hurt” at home, bring it to the library media center so Ms. Adair or Mrs. Lemme can fix it.
  • Never color or mark in you library book.
  • Keep books inside, not out in the weather.
  • Keep pets and younger children away from library books.
  • Use a bookmark instead of turning the pages to make “dog ears.”

 

Damaged or Lost Books

          If books are damaged beyond repair or lost, library policy requires that the borrowing family pays for it.  Overdue slips or replacement slips will be sent from the library with a specific replacement cost.  Please keep in mind that replacement cost includes extra processing and that the book be library bound, which is more expensive and durable than the trade editions sold in bookstores.

Book Selection

          Starting in late-September, students will be checking out books weekly to bring home.  They are taught that book selection is part of the learning process to determine which books are appropriate for them.  Students in the primary grades, especially kindergarten and first grade, often judge a book by its cover and may select books they cannot read independently.  Throughout the year, we will spend time discussing books for independent and dependent reading (i.e. by a parent, older sibling, etc.), exploring books by myriad authors and illustrators, fiction and non-fiction, various genres, and using the five-finger test to assess the readability of a book.  Students will also learn about the different sections of the library, specifically:

  • “Everybody Books”
  • “Beginning Books” (orange tape is added to the spine label)
    • These books are for emergent readers and typically have two to three sentences on each page.
  • “Early Chapter Books” (yellow tape is added to the spine label)
    • These books have more sentences on each page with smaller and fewer pictures
  • “Fiction Books”
    • These books increase in difficulty from the Easy Books and include more challenging chapter books.
  • “Non-Fiction Books” (cataloged according to the Dewey Decimal system)

 

If you are unhappy with the choice your child made with his library book, discuss it with him/her.  This communication is very important in reinforcing proper book selection.  Discuss the particular book your child chose.  If he/she feels he/she made a proper choice, discuss what might be a different choice for next time.  As always, the library staff can assist in book selection.  Just showing your interest in your child’s reading can speak volumes to him/her.  If your child continues to consistently make selection you feel are inappropriate, please feel free to contact me.

Volunteering

With many items circulated throughout the year, volunteers are extremely important and welcome.  At the library media center, we especially need volunteers who could come in consistently.  Duration and days of the week are flexible.  Please let us know if you would be interested!  Thank you.

 

Lara Adair

Library Media Specialist

Wildwood Elementary School

Mahtomedi, MN 55115

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Mission

The mission of Wildwood Elementary School, the joyful Zephyr family dedicated to building the foundational pathway of learner agency and personal excellence, is to ensure that each student has intrinsic passion for life and learning with compassion for oneself and others, through a vital system distinguished by:

  • A culture of exploration, play, wonder, and creativity
  • An equitable learning experience for all 
  • A community that builds authentic relationships, a sense of belonging, collaboration, and trust 
  • A culture that views challenges as opportunities to persevere and grow 
  • An array of exceptional and global learning experiences that cultivate academic, social, and emotional growth
Wildwood Elementary School ISD #832
8698 75th Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082
Phone: 651.407.2100
Fax: 651.407.2125
Attendance: 651.407.2108
Our School
 
At Wildwood Elementary School, we honor the whole child and teach future-ready skills of inspiring curiosity, embracing change, and turning ideas into action. Our talented teachers and staff members work with students in small class sizes and nurture a culture of excellence that has become the expectation and norm. Our students learn social-emotional skills alongside academic core areas in order to gain the foundation for academic success. In addition, they have the opportunity to engage in learning with specialists in gym, art, media, music, and STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) classes. Our elementary school is surrounded by green space and our students enjoy recess at our natural playground and attend classes in our outdoor classroom. We have an engaged and supportive parent community who volunteers and supports the school with academic opportunities and tools. Our District is a leader in engineering and science and we value academic areas that will spark curiosity, fuel creativity, and instill a lifelong passion for innovation in our students.