The Sora App can be downloaded on Kindle, Nook, Android, Apple iOS, Mac OS X and Windows.
On your app store look for Sora
Contents
Welcome back to a brand-new school year!
September always feels like the ultimate fresh start. As routines shift and we settle back into autumn schedules, your e-library is ready to support your fresh learning goals, cozy reading nights, and curiosity. The school e-library is open 24/7 all year round, giving you instant access to thousands of eBooks, audiobooks, and research tools right from your phone, tablet, or school Chromebook.
Here is everything you need to know to get started this September:
📖 1. Read and Listen Anywhere
No need to worry about lost books or late fees. You can log into our digital reading app anytime to check out the latest graphic novels, popular fiction series, and audiobooks.
Tip for Students: Try our companion audio app for your walk or bus ride to school!
How to Log In: Use your school student ID number as your username and your standard school password.
🔍 2. Master Your Research Projects
Middle school assignments require reliable sources. Skip the random internet searches and use our pre-approved research databases. Found here.They are perfect for science, history, and English reports:
Digital Encyclopedias: Quick, accurate facts for any subject.
Multimedia Resources: Access historical videos, safe image libraries, and interactive maps.
Magazine Databases: Read current, kid-friendly articles on science, sports, and world events.
💡 Need Help?
If you forget your login details, cannot find a specific resource, or need help finding a book for an assignment, send an email to your school library specialist.
Let's make it a fantastic year of reading and learning!
Ready to read what you want, when you want? Meet Sora, our school’s NEW digital reading app. With Sora, you can borrow thousands of amazing eBooks and audiobooks for free on your school Chromebook, phone, or tablet.
No late fees, no lost books, and no trips to the library required!
🚀 How to Get Started in 3 Easy Steps
Download or Open the App
On a school Chromebook: Click the Sora icon in your app launcher or go to soraapp.com.
On your phone or tablet: Download the free Sora app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Find Our School: Open the app and click "Find my school."
Search for Rocky View Schools.
Log In and Explore! Click "Sign In."
Use your standard school login credentials (the same username and password you use to log into your school computer or Google account).
🔥 Cool Features You’ll Love
Audiobooks for on-the-go: Put on your headphones and listen to a great book while walking to school, doing chores, or relaxing.
Customize your screen: Change the background color, text size, and even switch to a font designed specifically to help readers with dyslexia.
Earn badges: Track your reading streaks, unlock achievements, and see your personal reading stats.
Keep your place: Sora automatically remembers exactly where you stopped reading or listening, even if you switch from your Chromebook to your phone.
💡 Pro-Tip: Add Your Public Library!
Want even more books? You can connect your local public library account right inside Sora. Tap the menu icon, select "Add a public library," and search for Airdrie Public Library. Now you can search both collections at the exact same time! Happy reading!
If you get stuck or need your login information reset, email Mrs.Frey at kfrey@rockyview.ab.ca
Dear Readers,
What can you do with just a single dot? On September 15th, millions of students, teachers, and book lovers around the world will celebrate International Dot Day—a global celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration!
Inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ classic storybook, The Dot, this day encourages everyone to "make your mark and see where it takes you."
Your e-library is packed with digital resources to help readers of all ages unleash their inner artist, writer, or innovator this month. Here is how you can participate from home or school:
Read or Listen to "The Dot"
Rediscover the book that started it all! Log into our digital reading platform to instantly borrow The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. For young readers: Check out the beautifully narrated e-Audiobook or read-along versions.
Get Creative with Digital Tools
Dot Day isn't just about paper and crayons. You can use your library card to access creative digital databases and video tutorials. Learn how to make your digital mark with:
Creative crafting video tutorials for all skill levels.
Beginner-friendly graphic design and digital illustration courses.
Animation and storytelling templates for kids.
Share Your Art With Us!
We want to see where your creativity takes you. Create your own dot-inspired artwork, take a photo, and share with your teacher!
Happy creating, and remember to make your mark!
On September 30, Canada observes the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This is a critical day dedicated to honouring the children who never returned home, residential school survivors, and the families and communities who continue to experience the ongoing impacts of the residential school system. It also coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a movement started by survivor Phyllis Webstad to remind us all that "Every Child Matters."
As an e-library community, we believe learning the true history of our country is the first step toward reconciliation. We invite you to explore, read, and listen to Indigenous voices through our digital collection this month.
Featured E-Books & Audiobooks
Log into your library app account today to check out these incredible titles by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis creators:
"Phyllis's Orange Shirt" by Phyllis Webstad (Available in E-Book)The true story behind Orange Shirt Day, perfect for a quick, impactful read.
"The Barren Grounds" by David A. Robertson (Available in E-Book & Audiobook) An exciting fantasy quest featuring two Indigenous foster children who step through a portal into another world.
"Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story" by David A. Robertson (Available in Graphic Novel/Comic format)A powerful graphic novel based on the true story of a residential school survivor, emphasizing resilience and strength.
Digital Learning Hub
Want to discover more on your own? Check out these quick, safe online resources linked directly to our library page:
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR): View interactive educational resources and survivor stories directly on the NCTR Education Platform.
The 94 Calls to Action: Learn about the steps libraries, schools, and communities are taking to build a better future by reading the Calgary Public Library Truth and Reconciliation Hub.
How You Can Take Action
Reconciliation isn't just about reading—it's about reflection and change. Here are a few ways you can participate this month:
Wear an orange shirt on September 30 to spark conversation and show solidarity.
Read to remember. Set a personal goal to read at least one book by an Indigenous author this month.
Talk about it. Share what you are learning with your friends, classmates, and family members.
“The truth opens our minds. Reconciliation opens our hearts.”
The Witness Blanket truth, art and reconciliation
by Carey Newman
For more than 150 years, thousands of Indigenous children were taken from their families and sent to residential schools across Canada. Artist Carey Newman created the Witness Blanket to make sure that history is never forgotten.
The Blanket is a living work of art--a collection of hundreds of objects from those schools. It includes everything from photos, bricks, hockey skates, graduation certificates, dolls and piano keys to braids of hair. Behind every piece is a story. And behind every story is a residential school Survivor, including Carey's father.
This book is a collection of truths about what happened at those schools, but it's also a beacon of hope and a step on the journey toward reconciliation
Interest Level: Grades 3-6
With Marigold, you will have access to more than 25 excellent resources ranging in content from eBook and eAudiobooks, to study and test prep resources, research portals, language learning courses, and more.
Students in grades 1-7 need a permission form to access Marigold resources. To receive your Marigold login, please fill out this permission form and send it to kfreyrockyview.ab.ca
Find her
By Ginger Reno
Five years, three months, and twelve days.
That's how long Wren's mother has been missing.
An Edgar Award Nominee
A Jane Addams Children's Book Award Finalist
In dreams, Wren can see her again: her eyes, her hair, her smile. She can even hear her laugh. Her mother, one of hundreds of Native Americans considered missing or murdered in Oklahoma. Sometimes it seems like Wren and her grandmother are the only people still looking. Even more frustrating, Wren's overprotective father won't talk about it.
Wren refuses to give up, though. And an opportunity to find lost pets seems like a real way to hone her detective skills. But everything changes when one of the missing pets is found badly hurt. Soon, there are others.
With help from an unlikely friend, Wren vows to unmask whoever is behind the animal abuse. If she can do this, maybe she can do the same for her mother's case. She'll just have to keep it secret from her father who will certainly put an end to all her sleuthing if he finds out.
Find Her explores the crisis of missing Indigenous women from the perspective of a sensitive young Cherokee girl who yearns to find her mother, while also navigating a chilling town mystery, a new friendship, and a family in need of healing.
Featured Marigold Resource
Featured Marigold Resource
Readers' advisory resource with relevant book lists and read-alikes so you can find your next favourite book.
What is "Readers' Advisory"?
Readers' advisory is about recommending and researching books for someone. You may be doing readers' advisory without even knowing it! Part of a librarians, or Learning Commons Facilitators, job is bringing people and books/resources together. Sometimes we need something to help us and NoveList is a wonderful resource to help. NoveList uses book lists and read-alikes to help you find something that you will like.
Contact
Hello!
My name is Mrs. Frey and I am the new Learning Commons Facilitator for Discovery Trails Online School.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with me, request a book or provide feedback my email is kfrey@rvschools.ab.ca
Thank you!
"Libraries were full of ideas—perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons" - Sarah J. Maas