Orlando Family Magazine and the Orange County Library System (OCLS) have aligned to produce this special section dedicated to literacy awareness and resources. Central Florida families can rely on OCLS for educational support and back-to-school preparations! 

Abundant Back-to-School Help Available

The new school year is a great time for parents to become excited about and engaged in their children’s learning. Research consistently shows that when parents are involved in their children’s learning, it positively influences their educational outcomes. Parents: The start of another academic year is your invitation to become more involved in schoolwork ─ providing encouragement, arranging for sufficient study time, and monitoring homework. If you accept this responsibility, the Orange County Library System can help you score high marks this back-to-school season.
The back-to-school toolbox is chock-full at Orange County libraries with a rich array of resources to help students, parents, and teachers. Homework Help @OCLS offers live, interactive assistance from qualified tutors for students of all grade levels. This free service, available in English and Spanish, is accessible from home with a library card and is available from 2-11 pm daily. Tutoring is offered in math, science, social studies, and language arts. Meanwhile, our Learning Express database provides practice for numerous standardized tests.

Multiple resources on the library system’s website point users to research-paper help. You’ll find a biography resource center, a Literature Resource Center, and Science Online. There are also dozens of links to further sources for help and information for parents who homeschool their children.

While abundant resources are available virtually, the library’s 15 locations offer free computer access, as well as a generous collection of Sunshine State books and Accelerated Reader titles available for checkout. “Whether you visit the library online or in person, I invite you to make it a frequent stop on your academic journey,” said Library Director/CEO Mary Anne Hodel. “The Orange County Library System is here to help you access the skills, insights, and imagination to succeed, so please add OCLS to the equation this school year, and you’ll be well on your way to academic achievement.”

Countdown to Kindergarten

The first day of school can bring both excitement and angst as small children head off to class. Many moms worry about whether their child is ready for school. The Orange County Library System (OCLS) has an early-learning app to help children prepare for the big day.

Although her four-year-old has been thriving in Pre-K, local mom Sara Brown still wants to make sure her young daughter is prepared to be successful in kindergarten. “The app helps give kids the edge,” she said.  “Practicing with my little girl is fun. Best of all, she thinks it’s a game ─ not a learning drill,” she said.  After using the app, Brown has recommended it to other moms.

The K-Ready app contains engaging and entertaining games to help preschoolers learn letters, numbers, shapes, and colors. Bright graphics and encouraging voiceovers guide children through each level.  Plus, kids earn a reward each time a level of learning is completed.

Veteran educator Ann Moy has taught kindergarten at Dr. Phillips Elementary School for more than two decades and agrees such an app can be a useful learning tool. “If all children came to kindergarten with some basic skills, like letter and number recognition, it would really allow us to hit the ground running and let the higher learning begin,” she said. OCLS Youth Services Manager Vera Gubnitskaia couldn’t agree more. “Kindergarten is an exciting new journey for little ones, and OCLS is here to help children enter class prepared and eager for school,” she said. The full version of the app is available for free to all Orange County Library System resident cardholders in good standing ─ just enter your library card number and PIN at ocls.info/k-ready.

Get Accelerated Reader Books!

Accelerated Reader (AR) is the most widely used reading program in K12 schools. The Accelerated Reader program has been in schools for more than 25 years and has been very successful in motivating students to read and challenge themselves. Students select a book, read it, and take a comprehension test using the software provided.  The more questions they answer correctly…the more points they receive.

Many teachers use AR books as part of independent reading for kids. In fact, students are often required to earn a certain amount of AR points each grading period. To help parents ensure that their child is successful in achieving the set amount, the library hosts the AR Book titles owned by each Orange County School on its website (ocls.info/ARBooks). Simply click on your child’s school to launch the reading list and, then, click the “Check the Catalog” button to view availability. If the book is available, you can request it to be delivered to your home ─ free of charge! Earning AR points has never been easier.

Book Sale Bargains a Boon for Parents & Teachers

The Friends of the Orange County Library will host their Fall Book Sale on Friday, September 19 through Sunday, September 21, 2014. All items in the Bookstore on the third floor of the Orlando Public Library (101 E. Central Blvd) will be marked down to 50% off. The store features fiction and nonfiction materials of all genres including children’s books, DVDs, books on CD, cookbooks, and even vinyl. Those wishing to get a jumpstart on the savings are invited to a members-only preview sale on Thursday, September 18 from 5-7 pm.  New members are welcome to join at the door to gain admission; memberships start at just $15 annually.  Friends of the Library members receive an additional 10% off on top of the 50% savings.

“For parents looking for at-home reading materials for their kids, this is a not-to-be-missed opportunity,” said Karen Wente, retail operations assistant for the library’s Bookstore. “By shopping the sale, parents can literally pick up an armload of children’s books for less than ten dollars,” she added. Retired school Media Specialist Carol Decker called the store a “treasure trove” for teachers. “Any teacher seeking to add to their classroom library should not miss the sale.” Decker explained, “It really provides a tremendous resource for both classroom teachers and homeschooling parents.”

Orange County Public School teacher Shannon Kearce agrees that the bookstore is an excellent resource for teachers. “My classroom bookshelves went from virtually empty to full this year all because of the wonderful books and teaching materials found in the bookstore. It allowed me to fill my shelves without emptying my wallet,” she said. All store proceeds from this annual sale support and enhance library resources and services for the community. Find more information about the Book Sale and the Friends of the Library at ocls.friends.info.

New Cuisine Corner Offers Culinary Delights

Something is cooking at the library! The Orange County Library System has launched a new program series for aspiring gourmets. Cuisine Corner is serving up a delightful line-up of programs that show just how easy cooking can be. Programs will be offered at multiple locations every month. Learn tips and tricks for creating delicious and healthy menus that suit every lifestyle. Watch local chefs lead lively cooking demos and tastings. Visit ocls.info/CuisineCorner to see upcoming programs.

Calling All Teen Techies

Have a teen ready to learn to drive? Does just the thought of that make you nervous? Well, worry no more, because the latest chapter at the Orange County Library System (OCLS) has your solution. Driving simulators are just part of the fun and learning that await at the Dorothy Lumley Melrose Center for Technology, Innovation & Creativity which opened in February of this year. Located on the second floor of the Orlando Public Library in downtown Orlando, the Melrose Center encompasses 26,000 square feet of custom-built, idea-inspiring technology space.

Michael Sweeney, an instructional technology specialist at the center, said the simulators are actually built for driver education, and cover a myriad of traffic conditions including rain, fog, and night driving. There are also options for city, interstate, and rural driving. “One scenario even has a deer running out in front of the car to prepare the driver to react,” shared Sweeney. Driving simulators are available for automatic or manual vehicles. “The simulators will actually track a user’s progress and show drivers-in-training what they need to work on and practice,” he said. In addition to a driving simulator, the Melrose Center is outfitted with flight and construction simulators.

The Melrose Center is an environment rich with learning possibilities. Comfortable furniture and a mix of open spaces provide options for formal group work or impromptu collaboration. And at the heart of it all is an interactive media display wall. The Center also offers monthly Tech Talks in Tech Central, its cutting-edge presentation space.
Plus, the Center features audio and video studios complete with editing capabilities, a photo studio, and a fab lab with 3D printers. “We have already offered several classes for kids featuring 3D printing,” said Ormilla Vengersammy, Technology & Education Center department head.

There are class series specifically for the youth market. These include Camp Savvy classes for children ages 6-12. One especially popular class is Basic Electronics Using Snap Circuits for Kids. TechKrew classes, geared toward older kids ages 13-18, teaches how to build websites, create video games, edit films, and more. Plan to visit the Melrose Center this fall and explore more at ocls.info/melrose.