PRE and District Library Resources

Training video on some of our online resources, including Sora, and others that are provided to you via R2, Richland County Libraries, and the State Library. These are available 24/7 for electronic books, audio books, and other resources such as magazines, movies, TV shows, and games. Some require passwords and others that are free do not. There are some resources in multiple languages.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ey0KR1x1bHUFAJWe0DOmGIWvD8Ly5H9w/view

Beanstack

Beanstack is a new resource that the district will be using to track student reading minutes.

Teachers and parents - please take a moment to watch these videos and look at the information guide to help students track their reading minutes. Pre's Link: richland2pre.beanstack.org/users/sign_in

Hallow Read is our challenge for October 1-October 31rst.

To earn a monthly challenge badge, you must read 300 minutes per month.

Spooky season is upon us! Halloween is a time brimming with excitement, magic, and mischief! Get ready to satisfy your sweet tooth, indulge in some festive fun, and curl up with a hair-raising tale. Log your reading and earn our hauntingly cool badges.

Community Challenge - We have a community challenge of 207,000 for the academic school year starting October 1rst and ending May 14, 2027. This will include all reading for students, faculty, and staff. Each one of you has an account so start logging your reading. :)

teacher experience video
teacher quick start guide
teacher reading engagement guide
Parent Welcome Letter
Beanstack Flyer
For Teachers to login:
Username: Teacher email
Password: beanstackreads
For students to login: Username: student email
Password: last name in lowercase
Beanstack Reading Challenge Dates will be announced throughout the year on the site.

Updates from the Richland County Library

ConnectED Library Card Partnership | Richland Library and Richland School District Two

Richland Library and Richland Two have partnered to provide a library card for every student in the district. This project is part of the nationwide initiative: Leaders Library Card Challenge. You can find all the ConnectED details online at richlandlibrary.com/GetConnectED.

Elementary School Students |Can apply for a library card at any Richland Library location or online.

Teachers who work in a Richland County school can apply for a free Education card, even if they do not live in the county.

Visit any Richland Library location with proof of your employment to apply.

Contact Rebecca Thomas at Richland Library with any questions about the library or student ID. rthomas@richlandlibrary.com

International Ghost Stories

Please submit a kid friendly, short, international ghost story (it can be from the USA, but indicate the region and state) that you would like to include as model stories in an anthology(collection of stories)- the title and the whole story. This is for our upcoming scary story genre unit. Please respond by October 09, 2026. It can be a legend. We are very familiar with La Llorona so not that story. You are encouraged to talk to your parents who may share with you a school friendly scary story/legend from their culture. Thank you.

Here is the link to submit - https://forms.gle/SSpX1sL6pUuPkXm59

Library Checkout Reminders

Please make sure you are checking out things appropriately. This is to prevent library materials from becoming lost etc.

As you know, we conduct a library inventory of all items each year. This process takes us at least two months. Last year we found many items missing. We do not want that to be repeated this year.

If you would like to check something out, please check out materials with myself or Ms. Crane. You may send us an email with requests.

When sending students down to the library for independent check out, please send them down with a pass and their ID. Thank you.

Here is a video on how to use the Destiny Catalog to search for things.

Destiny Discover will send automated messages when your book is due. When the book is turned in and checked back in, you will no longer receive emails regarding that particular book.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ikayZTV7nZZJGCC6BRXKkRkfQWX3mm5q/view?usp=sharing

Electric Cooperative's Children's Book Challenge 2026-2027

This contest is available to students in fourth and fifth grades across the state of South Carolina to write and illustrate a book and become published authors. Through the electric cooperatives' Children's Book Challenge, students and their teachers can win cash prizes, have their book distributed to schools across the state, and be recognized at the South Carolina Statehouse. It's also a great opporutnity to meet mutiple state education standards in art, science, language arts, and social studies. There is no cost to participate.

The books from previous years contests are sent to the media specialists across the state.

Go to: https://ecsc.org/ to learn more.

Register to participate, review the rules, instructions, and requirements to start creating!

Progamming Events

National Custodian Day Recognition - Friday, October 2, 2026

Author Visits - Potential Day, March 3, 2027

Two in person Book fairs during school hours:

Books are Fun- October 19- October 31, 2026

Scholastic - January 7, 2027-January 14, 2027

Wednesday, January 13 - Biscuits and Books for Parents shopping Bookfair.

Library Advisory Meetings - Friday mornings throughout the school year and some Thursdays depending on the school calendar.

December 9, 2026 Book Tasting for Faculty and Staff. Drop in in the library.

April 20, 2026 In person thank you Spring Tea for the Library Advisory Board and Library Volunteers.

SCASL Picture Book Award and Children's Book Award Voting

Students will have an opportunity to vote on their favorite South Carolina Picture Book Award Nominee for K-2 and Children's Book Award Nominee for grades 3-5 in February 2027. For the Children's Book Awards, students will need to read at least five of the award nominees to vote. The Picture Book Award Nominees will be read to K-2 students in class. They are available digitally through Sora, one print copy of each in our library, and in the public libraries.

SCASL Bookmark Contest

If you are in 3rd -5th grade, you have an opportunity to participate in the SCASL bookmark contest for the Children's Book Award Nominees. Read all the contest rules here. This information is also posted in your Google Library grade classroom at PRE. Deadline for entry and turn into our school is: to ensure enough time to get it to the committee. We will take three overall entries for this category.

https://www.scasl.net/book-award-bookmarks

If you are in K- 2nd grade, you have an opportunity to participate in the SCASL bookmark contest for the Picture Book Award Nominees. Read all the contest rules on the same link. This information is also posted in your Google library grade classroom at PRE. Deadline for entry and turn into our school is: to ensure enough time to get it to the committee. We will take three overall entries for this category. (Note: this will be updated with deadlines as soon as they are announced for the 2026-2027 school year).

Local Animal Shelters

If you are interested in adopting an animal companion to expand your family, as many of our students are, here are some good resources for you.

There are MANY animals needing fosters while they wait for their furever home. Perhaps you could offer a safe space for them - cats, dogs, and also rabbits? Contact the animal shelters for more information.

Many of these places teach you how to properly take care of your animals, too, so that these innocents can get the best chance at life and companionship.

Pawmetto Lifeline

https://pawmettolifeline.org/

Hoppy Hearts SC

(803) 575-2080
hoppyheartssc@gmail.com

Here is a link to some important information regarding proper rabbit care. These delicate creatures are often misunderstood. If given proper care, they should live between 8-14 years or longer. Please do your research as they are a long term commitment and best taken care of overall by adults.

https://houserabbit.org/spanish-resources

https://houserabbit.org/handouts

Kershaw County Humane Society

https://kchumanesociety.org/

Humane Society Richland County

https://adoptourstrays.com/adoptables/

Humane Society South Carolina

https://humanesc.org/adopt/

City of Columbia Animal Services

https://animalservices.columbiasc.gov/

We Are Zeus Rescue

https://wearezeus.org/