Assignment+4

Alyssa Lipton LIS 620 – Prof. Chapman Assignment # 4


 * __ Part A __**

__Task #1 and #5__: This is my scored rubric. I do not have access to a scanner.


 * __TEACHING FOR LEARNING__**

Instructional Design Proficient Collaborative Planning Distinguished Information Literacy Proficient Reading Distinguished Assessment for Learning Proficient Teaching for Diverse Learning Needs Distinguished Inquiry Learning Distinguished Intellectual Freedom Distinguished Social Learning Proficient Social Responsibility Distinguished

Staffing Distinguished Professional Development Basic Resources and Materials Proficient Resource Sharing Basic Equitable Access Distinguished Educational Technology Distinguished Climate Conducive to Learning Distinguished Budget Distinguished Facility Distinguished
 * __BUILDING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT__**


 * __EMPOWERING LEARNING THROUGH LEADERSHIP__**

Instructional Leadership Proficient Administrative Support Proficient Program Planning and Evaluation Basic Communication Proficient Reporting Basic Program Advocacy Basic

__Task # 2__

**__ School Library Evaluation __**

After reading all of the literature from this course, and from experiencing on-the-job action, it is evident that this library reaches and surpasses most standards of excellence. Much of this is to the credit of Ms. Waltzman who expertly directs positive energy into her teaching and leadership. Also, the school community and administration should be acknowledged for making education a priority, and for recognizing the library as the learning center of the school. The five areas I want to focus on here are: School Library Program Planning and Evaluation, Communication/Reporting, Instructional Leadership, Staff, Budget, and Administrative Support. There are very few areas of weakness in my field observation school library. My only major criticism is in this first and second category: School Library Program vision and mission, and Communication/Reporting. The reality is that everything is in place and running at top quality, but this is not recorded or proclaimed anywhere. It is unfortunate that with such a rich and successful program, the Scarsdale Middle School librarians have for some reason omitted articulating a brief program vision or mission statement. Perhaps because of their stable budget and positive reputation, they do not feel the urgency to articulate the program goals. But they do indeed live, breathe, and work their program everyday, and so should have a written mission statement in place to let others know the ongoing program vision. On the home screen of the Scarsdale Middle School website, there is nothing about a mission or vision. When clicking on the link “About Us”, there is one line that reads, “Welcome! The library is the place to come for independent research, classroom projects, pleasure reading, and special events. We look forward to seeing you.” (Scarsdale Middle School Library website) While this is warm and simple, it staggeringly understates the importance and impact of the library program. Scarsdale Middle School Library is actually a working library learning commons with a deeply entrenched understanding of a successful school learning program. So officially STATE it!!!! The category of Advocacy/Reporting/Communication falls under this umbrella of articulating a mission statement. Again here, in Scarsdale Middle School, the librarians are a presence in the school; professional development and collaboration is omnipresent; the students are achieving; and the 21st century learning standards are at the forefront of the library program. But, referring to the rubric, regrettably a “written, coordinated, comprehensive action plan for creating support and marketing the library media program within the greater school community” does not exist. If I were to be hired as a librarian there, one of the first things I would do would be to write a mission statement, distribute it to administrators and faculty, and put it up on the library website. Then I would formulate a Program Advocacy statement to be reviewed and revised annually. The fact is that all of the positive action IS being carried out in the Scarsdale Middle School library on a daily basis, but they are lacking written policies and pronouncements of their great work. Scarsdale Middle School is amply staffed, and in this case, with skilled and competent employees. Ms. Elizabeth Waltzman and Ms. Sharon Waskow are the two full-time library media specialists. Largely because of their able support staff, they can spend their time truly being teacher-librarians. This staffing increases student learning through ample access to certified library media specialists and well-qualified support staff. (NYS Rubric) Randee Horowitz is a part-time administrative aide who works 16 hours per week. She is responsible for ordering supplies, books and library materials, and for cataloging. Barbara Capulli is an administrative aide who works 25 hours per week. She is in charge of circulation, all check-ins, overdue notices, and lunch passes. She works every day from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Melissa Kazan (our classmate and my dear friend) is a part-time administrative aide who works 14 hours per week. She is responsible for maintaining the library website and for arranging author visits. At Scarsdale Middle School, parent volunteers who dedicate time each week to working in the library do 90% of the shelving. In this way, the library forms a connection to parents and the community by welcoming volunteerism, and shelving actually gets done efficiently. Clearly, this library is an exceptional facility with incredible staff members and funding. Oftentimes, budget and staffing are linked due to district resources. The librarians and staff members of Scarsdale Middle School Library are grateful for their more than adequate funding. I would say that their library falls solidly in the “distinguished” box of the New York State Department of Education School Library Media Program Evaluation Rubric for the Budget category. According to the chart, indeed the Scarsdale Middle School Library has “adequate and sustained funding to support student needs to attain the learning standards and achieve school goals”. Elizabeth Waltzman, my mentor, provided me with a copy of the school library budget from 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011. The population of Scarsdale Middle School is approximately 1,180 students. The funding is truly unbelievable and wonderful. The budget breakdown is as follows:

2008-2009
 * Category || Budget Code || Amount ||
 * Supplies

Periodicals & Media

Library Books

Video Conferences || 10-2110-3140-06

10-2110-3970-06

10-2110-3990-06

10-2110-3240-06 || $4,450.00

$6,000.00

$15,500.00

$8,000.00 || The total Scarsdale Middle School Library Budget for 2008-2009: $33,950.00

2009-2010
 * Category || Budget Code || Amount ||
 * Supplies

Periodicals & Media

Library Books

Video Conferences

Film Rental || 10-2110-3140-06

10-2110-3970-06

10-2110-3990-06

10-2110-3240-06

10-2110-4340-06 || $4,500.00

$7,200.00

$16,000.00

$4,000.00

$2,500.00 || The total Scarsdale Middle School Library Budget for 2009-2010: $34,200.00

2010-2011
 * Category || Budget Code || Amount ||
 * Supplies

Periodicals & Media

Library Books

Video Conferences

Film Rental || 10-2110-3140-06

10-2110-3970-06

10-2110-3990-06

10-2110-3240-06

10-2110-4340-06 || $6,936.00

$6,208.00

$17,460.00

$2,910.00

$1,940.00 || The total Scarsdale Middle School Library Budget for 2010-2011: $35,454.00

Often a budget is submitted asking for more funds than needed knowing that they will get a little bit less than they ask for. Most years, they opt to encumber money with Baker & Taylor to use for the following year. Randee Horowitz, one of the library aides responsible for ordering, cataloguing, and budgeting says that she wishes she could give a portion of her budget each year to less fortunate schools. As noted in a previous paper, during the reorganization of the library that took place during my field observation, the fiction books that we weeded were boxed up and donated to Mount Vernon Middle School Library to the librarian’s great pleasure. I understand that it is rare and amazing to work in a school library like this one – how lucky am I and how much did I learn?!?!?! And yes, they are fully aware of how fortunate they are to have such adequate funding. Lastly, for the category of Administrative Support, I would say that Scarsdale Middle School also falls into the distinguished box here. Student achievement is definitely increased because of the funding and the support of the administration and the entire school focus on academics. I would send my children to this school! However, as noted in an earlier paper, perhaps the administration should put their mouths where their money is (yes, I am aware this is the opposite of the actual adage). During my entire duration of my field observation, not once did an administrator visit the library, and according to the librarians, they rarely do. I think a friendly visit, or perhaps even some of their own experimental learning in the library, would be a positive display of support and faith in the Scarsdale Middle School library media program. If I were hired here, I would create a program in which they were invited in and included in a collaborative learning project. Overall, I could not have had a more ideal introduction to a working, energized, intellectual, and achieving school library program. Ms. Waltzman is now a mentor and friend, and I feel so fortunate to have had this field observation experience. As the AASL states, this is truly a school where the librarians ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. I hope to someday bring to my future school library all that I have learned from Ms. Waltzman and the Scarsdale Middle School Library program.

**__ WORKS CITED __**

[]

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American Association of School Librarians. (2009). //Empowering learners: Guidelines for school library media programs//. Chicago, Ill.: American Association of School Librarians.

__Task# 3__ - Inquiry learning and differentiated teaching is happening in this library. Although this library is blessed with two full-time librarians, they do not seem to work together and support each other well. A goal would be for both librarians to collaborate on inquiry learning, and to perhaps share their lessons with each other. - Also I did not see any rubrics. I know that the librarians at this school do not want any part of grading, but perhaps there should be a rubric to keep their goals at the forefront of their minds, and also to share with other teachers and administrators. - I know that networking is out of these librarians’ comfort zones, and they do not feel pressure to attend conferences or to do public relations. One of the librarians does not attend conferences at all, and the other seems to attend conferences just to say she saw new technology. Perhaps a goal is to find a professional organization or conference that they are truly interested in, and make a point to attend. Even to start participating in a professional blog might make a difference. - Ms. Waltzman does such inspiring research projects with the students, that sometimes there are articles on her in the local Scarsdale newspaper. She does so much good work that should receive more attention, but she does not report or publicize her program. She should start with a contribution to an LMS journal or document the work in a report to her district. Also, one of her administrative aides could also be in charge of some PR for the library and promoting the program. - Ms. Waltzman has done a phenomenal job of getting classroom teachers to plan units from the ground up to include the library. Year after year, she works with teachers planning, revising, and fine-tuning units to meet the learning standards. As a goal, she should continue to reach out to more staff members who have been reluctant to incorporate meaningful library research into their curriculum. - Much of Scarsdale Library’s program is organic with very little written policy in place. Maybe if they made a professional handout graphically explaining inquiry learning and their instructional design, classroom teachers might have a better idea of how to plan with the library in mind. - There are outdated policies from 20 years ago, non-specific, and never referenced. The library/district needs to update weeding policies, Internet policies, and goals/objectives. The reality is that the library is functioning beautifully, but could be even better. - There is no Library Advisory Committee, so a goal would be to form one. - Although the facility is working as a learning commons, with an amazing Mac computer area, an ergonomic and flexible table/chairs space, a Smart library classroom, and a large circulation area, there are funds for improvements, but there seems to be no planning for any future changes. Perhaps looking into new displays or furniture might be a goal. - To continue with the book re-shelving project and using the shelf backers to make the books more forward on the shelf to invite easy browsing.
 * Instructional Design**
 * Instructional Leadership**
 * Inquiry Learning**
 * Program Planning and Evaluation**
 * Facility**

__Task # 4__ - As stated in my paper in Task # 2, this is a draft of a mission statement I might put onto the Scarsdale Middle School Library website to promote our goals.

The mission of the Scarsdale Middle School Library Learning Commons is to create a place of teaching and learning, collaboration, creativity, change, inquiry, communication, professional development, and community. Our solid library media program should be bolstered by a foundation of school-wide participation in achieving competency in multiple literacies through inquiry learning, experiment, instruction, experience, and collaboration. We aim to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. The school librarians will empower students to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information. We will do this through planning an ergonomic flexible facility to accommodate all types of learning, programs, and special events. We will also ensure equitable access to our physical and virtual collection with ample support from qualified teacher-librarians. Through our leadership, our school library learning commons will be the center of academic scholarship and intellectual progress within our school community. **__PART B: I will submit my hours to you in January. I observed at Scarsdale Middle School and Byram HIlls High School. I have another appointment at Scarsdale, and appointments at Coman Hill Elementary School and Wampus Elementary school for after the break.__** **__PART C:__** 1. I think the greatest challenge facing new LMSs is how to balance being EVERYTHING and yet concentrating on specifics. What I mean is that in most buildings, there is only one LMS who runs the library learning commons, co-teaches, manages circulation, collection, budget, public relations, reporting, curriculum design, instructional design and leadership, technology standards, 21st century skills, and so much more. I think it must take some time before each LMS finds his/her balance. I am also wondering how virtual reference works in schools. I do believe that students should be able to email a reference question to librarians, but again, that is another added responsibility for the library program. There is SO much to do in one's first year of being an LMS, the most important being forming relationships with teachers and students, articulating the mission statement of the learning commons, and setting up reporting to show assessment and showcase work. 2. This course has really taught me how meaningful curriculum can be when created by LMSs along with teachers using UBD, so I would say that instructional design is a key component of the rubric. Inquiry learning, to practice critical thinking, research, creativity, and collaboration is important too. A good budget is always a bonus. 3. As a new LMS, I think my program would excel from the positive relationships I form with colleagues and with my students. I put a lot of energy into my work and into the projects/learning in my curriculum. The hardest part would be to push myself to make time to experiment with new databases, technology, and resources. I would want to do everything, and sometimes that overwhelming feeling leads to little getting done. I am also a voracious reader, and I feel a responsibility to keep abreast of what my students are reading, so I use a lot of my free time reading everything. As with everything, the first year would be a balancing act.