Media Center

CMS Media Center

The media center is available to students and staff at any time during the normal school day. Students are encouraged to visit the media center often to check out reading material and to use our resources for completing school assignments. The media center staff is happy to assist students at any time. It is our goal to help students develop good work habits, encourage the use of critical thinking skills, and become enthusiastic readers. Ms. Lowe is available to collaborate with teachers on selecting sources of information for research and is always happy to visit individual classrooms to teach lessons on navigating databases, finding relevant resources, and evaluating sources of information.

Patrons can expect the following services from the media staff every day:

Student Chromebook troubleshooting and repairs.
Assistance with Chromebook management software.
Individual assistance with using Google Apps for completing classwork.
Assistance with production of classroom materials.
Individual and whole-class visits for book check-outs.
Help with locating reading materials.

Chromebook Information

Middle School Chromebook Usage Information

All downloads to the Chromebook, including any photos, videos, or apps, must abide by the Walton County School District Acceptable Use Policy outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. Chromebooks are intended for educational use only.

Walton County School District utilizes Chromebook devices for education success and is currently implementing a $10 per year student Chromebook usage and protection plan for the 2024-2025 school year. Purchasing this plan secures a discounted repair rate for Chromebook damages and allows the student to take home the Chromebook. Students are not permitted to connect or use personal laptops, or other electronic devices, at school.

If students are diligent about following school procedures damages are unlikely to occur.

Common Causes for Broken Chromebooks:

Carrying Chromebooks with lid open. Chromebooks power up quickly, so it is safer to shut the lid when transporting.
Carrying Chromebooks by the screen - too much pressure by your fingers causes damage to the LCD in the screen.
Not gently removing headphones or earbuds - headphone jacks can easily break off in the Chromebook.
Closing the lid with pencils, earbuds and cords, pens, etc. laying on the keyboard
Leaving the Chromebook on the floor or sitting in a chair. Chromebooks can get stepped on and/or sat on and crushed.
Having food or drinks near the Chromebook. Liquids and food get inside the keyboard causing the keyboard to have to be replaced.
Keyboards rarely sustain damages unless they are picked at by students. Removing the frame around the keyboard and/or keys will result in a repair fee.

Please see the Chromebook repair fee schedule below:

Repair Needed	Reduced Cost if Plan Purchased	Full Cost if Plan NOT Purchased
Lost or broken charger	$25.00	$35.00
Touchpad	$10.00	$25.00
Broken LCD screen	$30.00	$60.00
Keyboard replacement	$25.00	$35.00
Charge port replacement (Dual Port Models Only)	$25.00	$35.00
Battery replacement	$50.00	$70.00
Body replacement	$40.00	$60.00
Loss, stolen or willful damage to Chromebook	$220.00	$275.00

For any repair needed that is not listed, the student will be provided the cost after evaluation.

Loss of functionality will dictate a repair or replacement at the discretion of WCSD personnel.

Students graduating or withdrawing from WCSD schools are responsible for any Chromebook repairs or replacement fees.

Copyright Information

Fair Use

Fair Use rules are copyright rules for students and teachers. You may use the following without violating copyright:

Music - 10% or 30 seconds
Videos, etc. - 10% or 3 minutes
A photograph or illustration may be used in its entirety – no more than 5 images of an artist or photographer and no more than 10% or 15 images, whichever is less from a collective work
Book - 10% or 1000 words
Poem – entire poem may be used but no more than one poem by a poet or 5 poems from an anthology

Additional Guidelines

Students may incorporate portions of copyrighted materials when producing a project for a specific course.
Students may perform and display their own projects and use them in their portfolio or use the project for job interviews or as supporting materials for application to graduate school.
Faculty may include portions of copyrighted works when producing their own multimedia project for their teaching in support of curriculum-based instructional activities at educational institutions.
Faculty may use their project for:
- assignments for student self-study
- for remote instruction provided the network is secure and is designed to prevent unlawful copying
- for conferences, presentations, or workshops
- for their professional portfolio

Copyright Information for Teachers

Fair Use rules are copyright rules for students and teachers. You may use the following without violating copyright:

A chapter from a book (never the entire book).
An article from a periodical or newspaper.
A short story, essay, or poem. One work is the norm whether it comes from an individual work or an anthology.
A chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture from a book, periodical, or newspaper.
Poetry: Multiple copies of a poem of 250 words or less that exist on two pages or less or 250 words from a longer poem.
Prose: Multiple copies of an article, story or essay that are 2,500 words or less or excerpts up to 1,000 words or 10 percent of the total work, whichever is less.
Illustrations: Multiple copies of a chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon, or picture contained in a book or periodical issue.

What Should Be Avoided

When Permission Is Required

Works Cited

eBooks via Sora

Media Catalog

Policies & Procedures

Circulation Policies

Students will need their lunch number to check out books. Books are due two weeks from the date of check-out.
Students may check out two books at a time. Books may be renewed as needed unless another student is waiting.
Lost books must be replaced with the purchase price of the book, or with another copy of the book.

Student Use of the Media Center

Students are encouraged to visit the media center at any time to work on school assignments, look for books, or use computers.
The media center is intended to be a student-friendly space to be used for investigation and collaboration. Productivity is required, but silence is not.
Students must follow the acceptable use policy for technology outlined in the student agenda at all times. Inappropriate use of technology will result in an administrative referral.

Media Committee

The goal of the media center is to support the staff and students in their ability to meet academic goals in all curriculum areas. The committee is needed to assist the media center staff with collection planning. They are also needed to give feedback about media policies and procedures so that the media program goals can be revised if necessary. The Media Committee will consist of the Media Specialist, Principal, Assistant Principal, CMS Parent, and CMS Faculty and Staff representatives.

PLAY Cards

PINES Library Access for Youth (PLAY) Student Library Card Program

What is the PLAY program?

A public library card program that gives students free access to fines-free public library materials and online resources. View more information about PLAY cards here.

How do students access to their public library card?

Visit gapines.org and select My Account in the upper right corner.
For library card number or user name, enter WCS (in all caps) and your student ID number with no dashes or spaces. Example: WCS12345
The password is your student's two digit birth month plus four digit birth year. Example: January 2010 birthday would be entered 012010.
Click Login.

Courtney Lowe

Christy Breedlove

Resources