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For Parents

Welcome to the Oakland Library, Parents and Guardians!

Below you will find helpful information regarding library policies, school media, and digital tools that we use at Oakland.  Check back often for updates! Please email Sarah Laskowski if you would like to see any additional information on this page!

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What are the Library Checkout Policies?

Students of all grades can check out books, however, as this is a school library we work towards teaching responsible borrowing as well as library skills like searching, choosing books that fit our needs, and book care. 

CD - CD students don't regularly check out books independently, yet, but are welcome to check out books at parent or teacher request for specific needs. 

Kindergarten - Kindergarten students begin checking out books independently after the first quarter of the school year.  They begin with our Beginning Reader titles, which are books they can practice reading independently.  Initially, they may check out one book at a time to help teach responsible borrowing and returning.

First Grade - First Graders begin the year checking out one book at a time and can increase their number of checkouts throughout the year.  Their max checkout limit is 3 at a time, and we spend time learning library locations, so students check out books from different sections throughout the year, beginning with Beginning Readers and picture books. 

2nd Grade - Second Graders learn to find books independently using our online catalog (Destiny Discover) and call numbers.  They are able to check out up to 4 books at a time. We also focus on finding books that fit our needs like class research, books that we can read independently, and trying new titles.

3rd Grade through 5th Grade - Students may check out up to 4 books at a time. We continue to teach students to use call numbers and our online catalog to find books, and we encourage students to stretch their interests and reading choices to include new titles and books that might be challenging or support research needs. 

  • Students may only check out ONE graphic novel at a time, due to the size of our collection.  We hope to continue growing our collection of graphic novels to serve more students, and if you are interested in adding to our collection, please check out our Amazon Wishlist or visit our book fairs!
  • Books are typically returned on Library Day, once a week, and that date rotates each month. Check with your student's teacher for the date of their weekly library day.  Students may borrow books for up to two weeks, and can request to renew their books at the end of that two-week period.  While we don't charge late fees, lost or missing books are charged to student accounts.  At the end of the school year, we make a big push for book returns to try and get as many back as possible, and any fees are assessed at that time.  We encourage parents to support our library by paying for lost books at the end of the school year as this helps us replace these titles. 

If you have any questions about checkout policies, please reach out to our Teacher Librarian, Sarah Laskowski at Sarah_Laskowski@charleston.k12.sc.us

What is the Denial of Media Release?

Every year we collect updated information regarding students appearing in photographs, videos, or information that may be posted to our website, social media, or printed publications. This information is collected on your online registration documents, but we also send out a paper form at the beginning of the year. This form asks you to sign if you DO NOT GRANT permission for your student's image or name to appear in media - Unless we receive a form (either virtual or paper) that says DO NOT GRANT, your student may appear in photographs or information on our website, social media, class communications, yearbook, newsletters, etc. This is an all-or-nothing denial - if we have a DO NOT GRANT form on file, your student will not appear in any school media.

We often follow up with parents regarding this information, and we have received several questions about it, so here are some FAQ and answers regarding the Denial of Media Release. 

  • What does it mean if I sign a form and check DO NOT GRANT?
    • Signing a form DO NOT GRANT means that your child will not appear in any form of school or district media.
  • What kind of media is covered under this form?
    • Any place a photograph, video, or student name would appear, including our school website, social media, newsletters, yearbook, field trip documentation, performance recordings, class communications, school news, etc.  This extends to district publications as well - CCSD's website, social media, newsletters, etc.
  • Can I change my mind later?
    • Yes, you can update your form at any time. Simply request a new paper Denial of Media Release form from the office.
  • Why can't my student be in the yearbook if I choose DO NOT GRANT?
    • If a student appears in school-based media, including the yearbook, the district assumes the school has enacted the Denial of Media Release policy with fidelity and may choose to use that media in other ways.  So, if the district decides our yearbook looks great, and they want to share it on their social media platform, your student may appear on the district social media platform.
  • I want my kid to be recognized on our class Facebook page, but I do not want them on any other Facebook page, so should I sign a DO NOT GRANT form? 
    • You may, and we will do our best to keep students out of school-level media releases, but selectively granting permission does not prevent students from appearing in district-level media.  Additionally, managing many exemptions for over five hundred students creates a much larger opportunity for error.  In this case, you would choose to GRANT permission.
  • If I do not sign a DO NOT GRANT form, will my student appear in advertisements, political messages, or other non-school media?
    • No - neither the school nor the district will use student likenesses outside of school media purposes. 
  • I've never heard of this form before, or I've never had a problem with my student being in the yearbook even though I've signed a DO NOT GRANT form - why am I just now hearing about this?
    • Sarah Laskowski, our teacher librarian who handles much of our school media, is working hard to be very thorough and to honor the wishes of parents who do not want their students in media.  Ms. Laskowski has been with Oakland since 2022 and continues to improve communication and access to information, like this information on the Denial of Media Release. 

Please click here to be taken to the CCSD Office of Communications website for more information.