Central Community School System in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is making strides in educational innovation for its K-12 students across five schools. Under the visionary guidance of teacher-librarian Tiffany Whitehead, the district sought to revolutionize their library, transforming it into a collaborative hub where students, teachers, and librarians could seamlessly work together.

Challenge

Central Community School System, serving 4,100 students, faced several challenges:

• Limited Resources: As a relatively new district, there was a need to maximize resource utilization.
• Engagement: Encouraging students to engage with library resources and collaborate on educational projects.
• Efficient Management: Streamlining the management of educational materials and resources to enhance learning experiences.

Tiffany Whitehead remarked, “From the beginning, I knew I wanted to find a way to get kids excited and talking about what they’re reading among themselves.” Her goal was to harness the excitement of technology and social networking to foster a collaborative and engaging learning environment.

Solution

The district turned to Follett Software’s Destiny Educator Platform and its suite of digital content solutions. The implementation included:

• Destiny Library Manager: An all-encompassing library management system that was already familiar to the staff.
• Digital Content Subscriptions: Tools like TitlePeek®, Standards, WebPath Express™, One Search™, and Reading Program Service were introduced to enhance collaboration and student engagement.

Whitehead shared, “The Destiny interface is easy to use, and it’s great to be able to manage all different types of materials in one place. We really like the organization of Destiny Library Manager. There are so many different reports that I can run that gather and organize information so easily.”

Implementation

The implementation process involved:

1. 1. Exploring Features: Whitehead introduced students to Destiny’s capabilities, such as the fun and intuitive Destiny Quest® interface.

2. 2. Expanding Capabilities: Additional Digital Content Subscription products were incorporated, providing time-saving and engaging tools for students.

Whitehead noted, “When we turned on TitlePeek, we saw an immediate increase in library book holds. The kids love getting to see the cover image of the books before they look for them.”

Results

The integration of the Destiny Educator Platform led to significant improvements:

• Increased Student Engagement: The library transformed into a 24/7 knowledge center, boosting student interest and motivation.
• Efficient Resource Management: Tools like WebPath Express™ simplified research, allowing students to find reliable sources quickly.
• Enhanced Learning Experience: The use of Reading Program Service for Accelerated Reader™ helped students find the right books at the right level.

Whitehead highlighted, “WebPath Express takes away some of the stress of research. Instead of spending time scouring the internet to find reliable information, students can turn to WebPath Express for reliable sources.”

Key Data Points:

• Student Engagement: Immediate increase in library book holds after implementing TitlePeek.
• Research Efficiency: WebPath Express reduced the time students spent searching for reliable information.

Whitehead also shared her enthusiasm for Destiny Quest and MyQuest on her blog, The Mighty Little Librarian, stating, “Destiny Quest is now a favorite around here and students use it not only to browse for books but also when doing research.”

Conclusion

The adoption of Follett Software products has been a game-changer for Central Community School System. By enhancing resource management, increasing student engagement, and fostering collaboration, the district has successfully created a dynamic and future-ready learning environment.

For more information on how Follett Software can support your district, visit Follett Software.