18/19

Evidence & Reflection

Highlights of 2018-19 academic year

Physical space transformed due to receiving of Active Learning Grant
Awarded two grants for more diverse books and graphic novels.
Students had the opportunity to hear three authors.
Widespread implementation of students' digital portfolio.

Objective 1: Build Community Partnerships

Over the course of the 18/19 academic year, an audit of our media program indicated that the DRMS media program needed to be more active in building community partnerships. Based on this audit, the media specialist will work to build/strengthen partnerships with the following: Colleges/Universities, Book stores, Guest speakers, Digital collaboration (Skype, Zoom etc.), Families and the Parent Teacher Association.

University Community

The media program has continued its collaboration with guest speaker Brian Sturm, a UNC-Chapel Hill professor we have consulted with for our Storytellers Club since the 2017/18 school year. He has offered his expertise via online consultations. The expected outcome is for students to engage in more authentic learning opportunities and to strengthen our ties with the community.

REFLECTION:

The direct impact this work has had on our students is to provide them with collegiate expertise. They were fortunate enough to collaborate with a university professor and grown from this opportunity.

This work relates to our focus area of building community relationships because we strengthen the relationship between the university and our school.

The evidence linked shows how other media programs can benefit in the future by using technology to connect our students with experts.

Local Book Stores

The media program worked with Quail Ridge Book Store to host Amal Unbound author Aisha Saeed who spoke with 6th and 7th graders about the culture of Palestine and the writing process. The expected outcome was increased global awareness and increased access to diverse resources.

In March the media program worked with Quail Ridge Book Store to host Keith O'Brien, author of Fly Girls How Five Daring Women Defied Odds and Made Aviation History. The expected outcome was increased understanding of women who blazed trails for later generations and celebrating Women's History Month. The hope was students would also get excited about this book and in turn readership would increase.

REFLECTION:

The direct impact this work has had on our students is that students became excited about reading and learned from each author visit.

This work relates to our focus area of building community relationships because Mrs. Myers worked in coordination with locally owned Quail Ridge Book Store to have these authors visit our school. We sold the books from Quail Ridge and we were able to keep a portion of the proceeds for the learning commons. This mutually beneficial arrangement improved the relationship between our school and this local business.

The evidence linked is a photo from the author Aisha Seed who visited as well and was sponsored by Quail Ridge. It shows how other media programs can benefit in the future from hosting authors. Our students were engaged and learned a lot about the writing process. Further, she taught our students much about the culture of Pakistan. Each author visit is a learning opportunity and other schools can learn from that.

Global Community

The media program has continued its digital collaboration with our Russian ePals through weekly Skype sessions. Several 8th grade and 6th grade students have learned a great deal about the Russian culture and improved their cultural awareness. The expected outcome is increased global awareness.

Additionally track 4, sixth grade had a question and answer session about the space race to better understand the Soviet perspective and then they compared it to the American perspective.

REFLECTION:

The direct impact this work has had on our students is that it has been an enrichment activity for our academically gifted and they have developed international friendships with our ePals and learning about their culture. They have also created technology products about our culture to share with our friends overseas.

This work relates to our focus area of building community relationships because we have extended our community globally.

The evidence linked is a photo of a Skype session with our Russian friends in which they provided the Soviet perspective on the space race for our 6th graders. This evidence shows how other media programs can benefit in the future because we used our global community to provide different perspectives for our students. We also integrated technology to make this connection possible.

PTA Community

The media program continued its collaboration with PTA by working with them to sell books to bring in authors Aisha Saeed and Keith O'Brien, as well as by managing our book fair.

REFLECTION:

The direct impact this work has had on our students is PTA has provided opportunities for our students in terms of hearing from professional writers. They learned about the culture of Pakistan, the writing process, and the history of female aviators through these visits. Students were also given the opportunity to ask questions of these authors and read their books.

This work relates to our focus area of building community relationships because we are strengthening our bonds with our PTA and our local book store.

The evidence linked show a photo of one of our author visits. Other media programs can benefit in the future by learning how to build those bonds with local businesses and parents to provide unique cultural opportunities for students.

Digital Collaboration

Author Jennifer Brown Skyped with 8.1 students on World Read Aloud Day Feb. 1.

REFLECTION:

The direct impact this work has had on our students is they saw how technology in terms of social networking via Twitter and Skype can provide opportunities to learn and build relationships with young adult writers.

This work relates to our focus area of building community relationships because we used the social network platform of Twitter to contact Jennifer Brown, a renowned young adult author, to speak with our 8th graders on World Read Aloud Day.

The evidence, which is a photo of the Skype session, shows how other media programs can benefit in the future because they can see how easy it is to build a network of guest speakers using social media. Mrs. Myers found a Twitter feed about available authors for World Read Aloud Day and Jennifer Brown Skyped twice with our 8th graders.

Family Engagement

A couple MTAC members attended Convergence sessions to cultivate ideas for building family partnerships. One of the sessions sparked an idea for a parent/students/grade level reading. The media specialist implemented a reading program with interested 6th grade parents and students. They will plan to read the book Refugee and have a book discussion/luncheon in May and an evening event with a guest speaker in which all parents and students who read the book will be invited. This initiative is called Durant Reads Together.

REFLECTION:

The direct impact this work has had on our sixth grade students is they were given an opportunity to read a book alongside their parental figure and discuss the book. The school provided discussion questions, and a culminating luncheon/presentation with a teacher who was one a refugee speaking.

This work relates to our focus area of building community relationships because we purposely invited students and parents to read with us and to discuss the book online. We wanted it to be a true community event linking the school and the families.

The evidence linked is a flyer for the event, advertising it to the students and parents. It shows how other media programs can benefit in the future because we successfully reached several families. Sadly, the event could have had more buy-in but assessing students and parents at the start of the year may have helped with that.

Objective 2: Increased Budget & Resources

A strong school library program consistently invests in resources, both print and digital, that align with school and community goals to support student learning. Over the course of the 18/19 academic year, our media program will advocate for funds and apply for grants to improve our print resources. Budget and resources includes the following: Long-term, multi-year (living) planning both for collection management and technology; Consistent and predictable sources of funding; Adequate access to resources; Resources are current, diverse, inclusive, accessible (in a variety of formats), support both the curriculum and student interests; Support is provided for professional learning and collaboration to make maximum use of resources; Processes are in place for advocating for, reviewing, and evaluating resources; and Collections are weeded/ERDed regularly.

MTAC

The media program has reinstated its MTAC which had been defunct for a couple of years. They have met several times. This group has set the groundwork for the Wake Forward initiative.

REFLECTION:

The direct impact this work has had on our students is that we were able to identify areas that needed more resources, such as technology, and which types of equipment.

This work relates to our focus area of budget and resources because the initial assessment proved we needed to advocate for more funding, which prompted Mrs. Myers to write two Donors Choose grants.

The evidence linked is a photo of our community. It represents the various departments in our school which were represented in our spending plan. Other media programs can benefit in the future from seeing our work because it was truly collaborative and all departments and grade levels were taken into consideration.

Collection Analysis

The media specialist has conducted collection analysis in order to identify strengths and needs in the current collection. She has analyzed the Titlewave collection analysis and surveyed students, teachers, and parents for feedback regarding the collection.

REFLECTION:

The direct impact this work has had on our students is that more we were able to determine what print resources we have and what we need based on curriculum and collection comparisons.

This work relates to our focus area of budget and resources because we were able to make the best use of our funds by determining our needs. The focus was on fiction purchases this year because Mrs. Myers focused more on that in terms of assessing student and teacher needs. Next year, she hopes to get more work done on the Padlet to work more in-depth on the non-fiction piece of the collection.

Other media programs can benefit in the future from this because they can understand the importance of this collection analysis and how it should guide purchases.

Mrs. Myers attended a professional learning event at Fall Convergence about analyzing the collection which helped guide her.

Grants

The media specialist attended a Convergence session on grants and was awarded for two Donors Choose grants to support diverse literature and graphic novels for our reluctant readers.

One grant was for graphic novels. Another grant was for diverse literature.

REFLECTION:

The direct impact this work has had on our students is that when we realized this need we actively sought to find funding sources to provide more diverse fiction books and graphic novels for reluctant readers. Because of this many more diverse books and graphic novels have been added to the collection this year.

This work relates to our focus area of budget and resources because we needed alternative funding sources due to our needs and Mrs. Myers sought options. Additionally she created survey assessments that were given to staff, students, and parents for feedback about the media program. This solicited feedback helped guide purchases for the media center.

Mrs. Myers attended a professional learning event at Fall Convergence about grants, which helped her to decide to write a couple of Donors Choose grants.

Surveys & Advisory Board

The media specialist has also built a library advisory board that includes two or more "reluctant readers" from our 7th grade to provide input on what materials would attract them to the media center. Understanding the needs and wants of our reluctant readers can help guide budgetary decisions.

REFLECTION:

The direct impact this work has had on our students is they were able to actually see how their input made a difference. Their feedback was taken into consideration when purchases were made these students saw that.

This work relates to our focus area of budget and resources because without their feedback we wouldn't have known what the students were needing. I had no idea they wanted more ebooks and audiobooks but they do. They also want more books about themselves. They provided insightful reasons as to why there is a decline in reading from 6th to 7th to 8th grades.

The evidence shows how other media programs can benefit in the future by just listening to their students and asking for feedback.

COLLECTION MANAGEMENT PLAN

The collection management plan has been updated. The media specialist has been working on a padlet to analyze curriculum needs in regards to the collection. The padlet is a work in progress but more extensive work will occur with non-fiction in the next school year, as this school year the focus has been on fiction and increasing literacy among our students.

2019-2022 drms collection management plan

Reflection:

The direct impact this work has had on our students and teachers is that print materials purchased for the media center will align more with curriculum and staff and student wants and needs.

This work relates to our focus area of budget and resources because our collection plan guides our purchases for print. We are able to see what we have and what we need.

The evidence linked is our updated collection management plan. It shows how other media programs can benefit in the future because this plan is a living document that changes based on the changing needs of the school.

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