Here is what you will do:    

1. Start with a Happy Holidays template from Canva and customize as desired or design something on your own
2. From Canva, click Share then Download, select File Type JPG or PNG, click the Download button and open the file
3. Use Save as or copy and paste to move the file to your Cobb OneDrive
   • The File Explorer app can be used for this step
4. Submit/Upload your greeting file in the form to have it displayed on the media center monitor in December and to enter our drawing
   • Login on your Cobb County laptop and go to the drawing entry form, click upload and find the holiday greeting file that you saved, then submit (names are automatically recorded in the form using your Cobb Office 365 email)

If you use GALILEO for research, this is your annual chance to let developers know what works and what changes you would like to see.  Participants will be entered in a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card!  The GALILEO Survey is open November 1-17.  The survey may be accessed from the top banner in GALILEO or the QR code below.  If you need help logging into GALILEO off-campus, see the KMHS library password list.  

Wondering what to do with your future?  What are you going to study in college?  Maybe technical school is a better idea?  
 
The Media Center just purchased many new career guides which are on display in the Media Center, and available for check-out.  Come see them at the Barbie/Ken display in the non-fiction area.  Barbie is known for the many career paths she has chosen throughout the years.  Barbie (and Ken) can be whatever they want to be, and so can you if you're prepared and research the options.  These books are thin, easy to read guides that tell you about different job titles in an industry, the expected salary range, educational requirements, work setting, and future outlook of growth.  The new career guides contain up to date information on salary and cover many new topics including Gaming, Social Media, Hi-Tech careers and other more traditional jobs.  Come check them out!

For online career research, we recommend the Occupational Outlook Handbook.  Click on an occupation group at the left of the OOH home page to start with a list of brief job descriptions and their median pay.  

PSAT Day at KMHS is Friday, October 20th.  This year students will be taking the digital version of the PSAT.  All 10th grade students, and those in 11th grade who have signed up, will take the test using their Cobb issued Dell laptop.  Students scheduled to take the test will participate in a digital readiness check on October 11.  

Prepare in advance by checking that your laptop is updated.  Learn more about the test from CollegeBoard's PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide.

Complete the KMHS library's current "Show What You Know" challenge for an entry in our drawing for a new pair of ManeMedia.info headphones.  One student per grade with a correct entry will be selected to win.  For assistance with MLA formatting, explore resources linked under www.ManeMedia.info/#citations.  

​​By the way, these headphones are also available for students to borrow!    

​Entries will be accepted through the end of our next asynchronous learning day, Monday, October 16, 2023.

You will never be bored if you have a book that interests you.  Fortunately, we all have access to an abundant collection of eBooks and audiobooks that we can download for free.  Use Library PASS to access collections from Cobb Public Libraries or explore other options listed in the Leisure Reading and Listening section of ManeMedia.info or on our Audiobooks access page.  If you are looking for books to help you learn about a topic of interest try searching the eBook Collections under the research area of ManeMedia.info. 

Use unexpected quiet time to read, reflect, and relate!  Non-fiction and fiction books help us learn when we take time to reflect.  A novel may help you relate to people living in a different environment or those with perspectives or character traits you have not previously considered.  Informational texts enhance learning even more when you think about how the presented material relates to concepts that you already understand.  

Use your spare time to read or listen to books and you will develop strengthened literacy skills along with new insights.  Let me know if I can assist you with accessing resources linked from ManeMedia.info. 

Supporting a Culture of Learning and Student Success,
Dr. Bryan

Prepare to use your laptop on the first day of school.  If you have not used your school laptop during the summer, it is time to start charging and updating, so you will be ready for activities on August 1.  Leave your computer connected to power overnight for a full charge, and keep it powered on while updates are downloading and being installed.  To begin updates, login and type "update" in the Windows search box on the lower left of the screen (see image below).  Software updates will download and install automatically, but will be halted if your computer is turned off or goes to sleep.  Keep checking on the progress until all updates are complete.  You may need to restart your computer a couple of times to complete all updates if you have not used it for a couple of months.      

Students who bring a personal laptop to use on campus will need to install the CCSD security certificate to use school Wi-Fi.  Additional support for CCSD's student laptop program and Microsoft Office 365 is linked from ManeMedia.info/Technology.  

Students and staff may use the CCSDWireless network for free internet access on their personal devices!  To get started at school follow the 3 basic steps below, or start at home for quick access when you arrive on campus.  Click the image to access the district page with additional help.  The current initial password to begin access is byod1234​.

​Troubleshooting

• In a browser go to cert.cobbk12.org and download the appropriate security certificate for your device.
  ​
• See specific instructions about how to install the certificate for your device on the CCSDWireless support page.

Advanced preparation will improve your chance of getting hired!  Start with the ManeMedia Info Blog post Resume Help for Teens so you will be ready with all the information required for applications.  A printed resume offers a concise summary of your experience and qualifications, have a crisp copy available to hand a potential employer or attach as a PDF to job inquiries that you email to prospective employers.  Watch for hiring signs in the area where you hope to work and take a picture with info on how to apply, then be thorough and thoughtful when completing your application to make a good first impression.   

Our local Walmart is hiring.  Info on the image below will lead you to the application.  You may be able to find online resources that will familiarize you with the application process for a larger company, such as Walmart.  Smaller businesses will have a less formal process.  If you plan to apply to Walmart take a look at these links so you will be prepared for the process:

• Quick Overview Video about Walmart's Application Process
• The Walmart Hiring Process: From Application to Interview to Orientation

​Starting prepared with information about yourself and the prospective employer will help you interview with confidence.  Good luck with your job search!

​Developing your resume before you start applying for a job will make the process easier and give you confidence when you meet a potential employer.  KMHS Media Staff are here to help you compose and format your resume.  High school students starting their first resume may be confused by using a template designed for professionals, so try ManeMedia’s Resume Starter for High School Students (more at end of post).  Adapt any template to best represent you, by adding or removing section headers; see a list of suggestions below.  Keep formatting consistent and have someone assist with proofreading your final copy to make sure that it is error free!

High School Resume Starter Docs:  HS_Resume1.doc, HS_Resume2.doc, HS Resume Google Doc
    Find Word files (.doc) in your downloads after clicking the link)

The KMHS Media Center has a new printer designed to print 4”X6” photos on glossy photographic paper.  Save the photo that you want to print on a flash drive, and you will be ready to head to our Canon SELPHY printer.  Photo prints cost 25 cents each. Ask library media staff if you need assistance with file format or saving on a flash drive.   

​​Place your photo of a special occasion or person where you will see it regularly to lift your spirits!

​The latest book display in the Media Center highlights books about summer, beaches, and keeping cool!  The Have a Cool Summer popsicle banner and Beach Reads displays were created using our new Makerspace tool, the VariQuest Cutout Maker 1800 which allows you to make die cuts of 25 fonts and hundreds of programmed shapes using the VariQuest content guide software.  The fonts and shapes are scalable to fit from 2-12 inches on heavy construction paper.  Fonts can be cut as single letters or linked together.  Shapes of different colors can be layered to create more colorful and dynamic displays or bulletin boards.  Please ask us for guidance on starting a project and using the simple software.  Get a head start by viewing the VariQuest Content Guide.

Let us know!  Take our Print Magazine Purchasing Survey so we order magazines that you would like available in Kennesaw Mountain High’s library next school year.  Please provide input by the end of April.  We are required to enter our order for the following school year during the first week of May.

Interested in digital magazines you can download on the go?  Learn how you can get free access to over 200 eMagazines from our previous post. 

If you would like to receive information about joining next year's team, please complete the KM’s HRRB Interest Form or talk to Dr. Bryan in the Media Center.  Learn more on our introductory team info page.

​​View the status of your KM library account:

1. Log on to a Cobb County computer or login to Cobb Office365 on a personal device
2. Select the Book Catalog (found on ManeMedia.info’s home page)
3. Click Log In (upper right) 
4. Click blue button, to log in with Cobb County Schools  
5. Select My Info from the top menu 

Once you are logged in, you may:

• View the Due Date for items that you currently have checked out
• Select Renew to add 3 weeks from the current date
  (Renew only works prior to the original due date) 
• See if any Fines are on your account for late returns, lost books, or printing charges
  • Fines for late returns are discounted by 50% or more for those who clear the fine promptly
  • Discounts are not available for lost materials or printing charges
• Select View History in the upper right to see previous checkout data for your account  

To check the status of a Cobb County Public Library account, use your Library PASS login.

We love to build our collection based on student suggestions.  If you do not find what you are looking for when you search our book catalog,  please complete our suggestion form so we may add your request to a future book purchase.  We can acquire eBooks quickly; however, print books may not arrive until the semester following submission of your request.   

Start your search to find the right audiobook for you at www.ManeMedia.info/audiobooks.   Use your student ID as the library card number and your four-digit birthdate (MMDD) to borrow a book.  Then enjoy, by using the Sora or Libby app on your phone.  For assistance contact staff in the KMHS media center or call the CCPL support phone number listed on MMI’s audiobooks page.   

Research studies indicate that listening to an audiobook has many of the same advantages as reading, plus some additional benefits.  Enjoy free access to 1000’s of audiobooks in our collections and suggest a purchase if we do not already have what you want.

See ManeMedia.info's More for Students - Test Prep section for a link to the official DOE study guides.  You can also try the online test format or find other resources for a variety of test prep needs.  Stop by the media center for assistance with any of these resources.  

​A fan of Kiera Cass’ The Selection series says “if you watch the TV show The Bachelor you will love The Selection books!”  All five books in the series are available in the KMHS Media Center, or you can borrow the eBook or audiobook versions by searching with the author’s name in our Sora App.

Looking for something different?  Browse books available in our print collection by selecting your favorite genre in using Destiny Discover, or explore eBook and audiobook options linked under the leisure reading section of our library website at www.ManeMedia.info/#ebooks.

If you do not find what you want, you may request that we purchase a new book or series using our suggestions form.  Student suggestions are our favorite way to build the KMHS library collection!  

We currently have a free trial for MLA Handbook Plus, a rich resource for finding citation examples and learning more about MLA Style.  I have permission from the company representative to share my temporary login with students and staff. Students can find the login information in their CTLS Learn Announcements Feed, or stop by the Media Center for assistance.  

Not sure where to start?  My favorite page is Appendix 2, which has an extensive list of citation examples, use Ctrl+F and search a term, like post, or a phrase, like social media, to find relevant examples.

Please let us know if you would like ongoing access to these resources!  Feel free to email Dr. Bryan with any questions.