Skip to main content

Schools

Quick Links

Library

Two young girls stand in front of a bookshelf filled with colorful books.

 

 

Welcome to the Central Heights Elementary Library!

Our library is a joyful place where young minds are encouraged to explore, imagine, and grow through the magic of books. Mrs. Michele Coats, our dedicated librarian, is passionate about helping students discover the love of reading early in life. Research shows that reading at a young age builds a strong foundation for academic success, boosts vocabulary and comprehension, and helps children develop empathy and creativity. Here at Central Heights, we believe that every book opens a door to possibility—and we’re excited to help each child take that first step on their reading journey!

 

Mission Statement: The mission of the CHISD Libraries is to foster the love of reading for pleasure and information by connecting our students, faculty, and administration with the resources, technology, and critical thinking skills they need to inspire learning. We will enrich lives by maintaining a nurturing, safe, fun, and inviting environment for all and strive to meet the needs of all ethnic, cultural, and educational differences for all patrons to excel in our global community. We will collaborate with teachers, administrators, and parents to inspire learning and ensure that we have adequate resources to become 21st century learners.

 

Vision: Our vision is to empower students to become ethical users, critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, and skillful researchers. We will ensure equality and freedom to access all information for our diverse population.

 

Goals:

• To ensure that our students acquire information literacy skills

• To develop and maintain a balanced, extensive, and accessible

collection of print and non-print material for all our patrons

• To use the relevance of materials that supports and enriches

curriculum

• To prompt curiosity, which leads to individual learning, creativity,

and research

• To promote literacy and the joy of reading

 

 

Headshot of Michele Coats, Elementary Librarian, smiling at the camera.

 

 

 

 

 

Library Links

 

 

 

Library Activities

 

 

  • The Texas Bluebonnet Award in one of the most prestigious children's choice literary awards in the United States. Each year, 20 books are chosen for the Texas Bluebonnet Reading List. Schools/ libraries around the state participate in the program, encouraging students to read a minimum of 5 books from the list. The favorite book is chosen by the readers and receives an award in the spring. The prizes for our CHES contest for students in grades 3-5 are listed below:

    Bluebonnet Books
    Read 5 books – earn a certificate, cast a vote in January, earn a book nook token & earn a $5 Chick-fil-a Gift Card
    Read 10 books – earn a book nook token, enjoy the Bluebonnet Ice Cream Float Party, FREE book from spring CHES book fair
    Read 15 books – All students reading 15 or more Bluebonnet books will be invited to attend the Bluebonnet breakfast (off campus) 

     

📚 NEW Changes for Library Information for Parents/Guardians

Dear Parents and Guardians of CHISD Students,

Our Central Heights Librarians are excited to partner with you in supporting your child’s reading journey and in fostering a lifelong love of learning.

In compliance with new laws passed by the Texas Legislature in June 2025, a few important updates are being implemented in our school libraries:

  1. Parent Permissions

    • Parents must opt in or opt out regarding their child’s ability to check out books containing mature content.

    • For elementary students, parents must also indicate whether their child is allowed to attend Book Fairs and use the BookNook vending machines.

    • Most families have already completed this step in Parent Portal. If you have not completed this task, please log into your Parent Portal and take care of this as soon as possible (this is a state requirement).

  2. Email Notifications

    • Effective immediately, the primary parent/guardian listed in our student information system will receive an email notification each time their child checks out a library book.

    • These notifications serve as a record of all student checkouts.

  3. Parent Library Accounts

    • Parents and guardians now have the option to create an online account to:

      • View all books currently checked out.

      • Indicate any titles they prefer their child not to borrow.

    • Instructions for setting up this account are included in the attached document.

We appreciate your partnership as we continue to encourage reading while ensuring transparency and parental choice. 

Destiny Account Setup Instructions

Destiny Account Setup Instructions (Spanish)

Reading from a very young age is one of the most important steps in a child’s development, laying the groundwork for language skills, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of learning. Early exposure to books helps children build vocabulary, strengthen their imagination, and develop the confidence they need to become successful, independent readers.