The mission statement of the school library media program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information by providing:

• intellectual and physical access to information.
• learning experiences that encourages users to become discriminating consumers and skilled
  creators of information.
• leadership, instruction, and consulting assistance in the use of instructional and informational technology.
• resources and activities that contribute to lifelong learning.
• a facility that functions as the information center of the school
• resources and learning activities through a diversity of experiences, opinions, social and cultural perspective.

The Plantation High School Media Center is an academic oasis where abundant educational resources are available. The media center is a spacious, technologically-enriched, state-of-the art facility with many offerings. The PHS Media Center is home to over 17,500 books, 125 periodicals, 35 online computers, 2,500+ audiovisual resources, and online and electronic resource databases. The facility also has a multipurpose room that provides thirty-two networked computers for internet research, word processing, and the creation of computer-generated presentations or publications. The media center seeks to enhance the student's learning experience across the curriculum by integrating media literacy education and effective use of educational technologies. The library's collection consists of print, non-print, and online resources that are selected to support the course of study in the various curriculum areas. Availability and location books located in the media center can be accessed through the automated circulation system, SAVVYCAT. Our school-wide LAN allows total classroom access to all media center databases, while some of our subscription databases are available from home.

The Plantation High School Media Center is one of the top secondary school libraries in Broward County. The Plantation High School media center has the most books, the newest technology accessible to students, and the most reference materials available both inside and outside of the school's intranet.

READING MATTERS

The library's mission is to develop effective strategies to interest all students in becoming better readers. One such strategy was the development of the new "Reading Matters" program at Plantation High School.

As an additional incentive to participate in reading more than the required one book for any given assignment is that any student who reads two additional book will recieve a gift. The gift is a multi-colored wristband with the school colors and the adage "Reading Matters". A student is eligible to recieve a band by reading any three books of their choice and completing the designated assignment for each.

Every student wants to be seen wearing one of our fashionable wristbands bearing our school colors and boldly inscribed with the logo "Reading Matters". The book club students oversee the distribution of the bracelets as rewards at each monthly meeting which is open to all student readers. The book club students present the award bracelets to the readers, and the book club members receive county recognition for their involvment in the county motivational program.

BOOK CLUB

We officially started the student book club in the fall of 2004. The club was an instant success! We had seventeen girls and ten boys join that first year. To kick things off, we chose eight book from a county youth motivational program and invited the members to vote for their favorite book from the county teen list. This made the students partners with other county students in selecting their favorite books and authors. We then invited the most popular author to visit our school and invited students other than club members to attend. The students were excited as it was their first book club experience and were able to meet the author. The students prepared questions for the author and the looked forward to having their books autographed. It was because the students decided which author to invite, not the advisor, which made it so successful.

MEDIA CENTER RULES

General Guidelines:

Students:

1. No food, drink, or gum allowed in the Multi-Purpose Room
2. Be responsible for your own work and behavior
3. Stay on task and work quietly
4. Be respectful of yourself, of other, and of the equipment
5. Abide by the Student Code of Conduct
6. Keep workstation and printer areas clean
7. Do not install unauthorized programs on computers
8. Adhere to copyright laws using proper citations
9. Do not print without teacher's permission

Specific Guidelines:

Teachers:

1. Press ctrl + alt + delete to begin and end each computer session
2. Have students type student for the username and password for the password
3. Make sure each student's computer area is left in "picture perfect" condition and every chair is pushed in before dismissing your class
4. Sign Media Center form to indicate that the Multi-Purpose Room is now ready and available to be occupied by other groups.

 

Next >