2019-2020 Learning Opportunities

Focus Area PLTs

We facilitated 3 professional learning days for each focus area:

After schools closed due to COVID-19, we created a virtual PLT course in Canvas to replace the 4th PLT day that was scheduled.

These face-to-face PLT days provided participants with the opportunity to work collaboratively with other colleagues on similar projects related to their focus area. In several instances, we invited other departments to share information with these cohorts to help support them in their work:

  • Eric Hoth, Information Security Architect, collaborated with our Data & Privacy PLT.

  • Amanda Clayton shared blended learning resources with the Professional Learning PLT.

  • Kevin Harvey from Tech Services worked with the Budget & Resources and Technology & Infrastructure PLTs to discuss long-term device planning.

  • Chris Shearer from Tech Services shared accessibility tools for creating inclusive online environments with the Use of Space & Time PLT.

  • Teresa Bunner from the Office of Equity Affairs adapted her training on Engaging Classroom Environments for 2 sessions of our Equity & Cultural Competency PLT.

  • Erika Woodard and the Maker team (Kurt Hurelbrink, Tanya Churchill, Jennifer Underhill, and Walter Tallman) presented a session on connecting Maker to the curriculum for the Curriculum & Instructuion PLT.

In addition, we were able to bring in school librarian experts both in-person and virtually to speak to their colleagues about the exemplar work they've done:

  • Julie Stivers (Mt. Vernon Middle), Angie Headley (Combs ES), and Emma Fox (Salem ES) presented to the Family & Community Partnerships PLT about the family engagement strategies they've used.

  • Rachel Genesky (Millbrook HS) presented via Google Meet to the Data & Privacy PLT to share how they worked with their administration to implement stronger practices among teachers.

  • Kate Caflisch (Oak Grove ES) presented to the Data & Privacy PLT to share the training her MTAC developed for their staff.

  • Ashley Clark and Karen Proctor (Dillard Drive ES) joined the Budget & Resources PLT via Google Meet to share the steps they took to advocate for a budget, utilizing their MTAC and collection management/technology planning.

  • Michelle Townsend (Fuquay-Varina MS) and Kristel Behrend and Jennifer Koch (Knightdale HS) joined the Use of Space & Time PLT via Google Meet to show how they utilize the spaces in their libraries for Maker activities.

  • Karen Waller (Timber Drive ES) presented to the Family & Community Partnerships PLT to share how she has curated and utilized Discovery Bags in her collection as a family engagement tool.

  • Jane Miller (Fuquay Varina ES) and Stacy Darwin (Abbotts Creek ES) presented to the Equity & Cultural Competency PLT about strategies they used to create a more equitable library environment.

Participant feedback from PLT days was overwhelmingly positive, particularly noting an appreciation of the time to spend working uninterrupted on projects in collaboration with colleagues.

Curated Digital Resources

Within the WakeForward platform, we provided a curated list of digital resources to support learning in each focus area (see the example of Family & Community Partnerships resources in the image below). School library media coordinators could work through these resources on their own, or in collaboration with their colleagues during face-to-face PLTs.

Canvas Courses to Support WakeForward

We modified the Toolkits that we created during the first year of WakeForward so that they better integrated with WakeLearns to provide credit for participants. Enrollment in courses for the 2019-2020 school year was as follows:

Collection Management for School Library Media Coordinators: 20

Copyright and Fair Use for Educators: 102

Research and Inquiry for School Library Media Coordinators: 12

Survey of K-8 Literature for School Library Media Coordinators: 25

Survey of Young Adult Literature for School Library Media Coordinators: 13

Data Privacy for Educators: 101

Convergence

For this year's Convergence, we asked each school librarian to bring a member of their MTAC with them to participate in the professional learning and further build collaboration. We closed out the day with a session in which MTAC teams met with their area Digital Learning Cooridnators in order to unpack their learning and determine how to share with their colleagues.

We also held our first Idea Lab, during which many school librarians had the opportunity to demonstrate leadership by sharing their ideas and best practices with others in attendance.

Learning Opportunities from other WCPSS departments

The addition of District Professional Learning days provided school library media coordinators the opportunity to attend training offered by content area experts across many disciplines, without having to utilize funding for a substitute. We encouraged school library media coordinators to attend trainings offered by:

  • Special Education Services;

  • Office of Equity Affairs;

  • Literacy;

  • Science;

  • Digital Learning Coordinators.

We also worked with the Office of Equity Affairs to create a Safe Zone training specifically for our school library media staff.