Mary Lee Clark Elementary School

Media Center

Monthly Report: April 2017

Part A: Program Evaluation

Executive Summary

Mary Lee Clark Elementary Schools media center is the heart of the school. It is

where each school day begins with a broadcast of the morning announcements.

Students enter the media center at least once daily and teachers often find themselves

in the media center during planning or after school. The media center is overseen by

one media specialist that has one paraprofessional to assist her with media tasks.

MLCES is part of a school district that has implemented 1:1 technology devices,

therefore, there is an abundance of technology within the school. Mrs. Sweatt, the

media specialist is in charge of the technology within the school. In addition to

technology and technology troubleshooting, Mrs. Sweatt, is in charge of updating the

school website, Facebook, and Instagram accounts regularly. Mrs. Sweatt often

provides staff development on web 2.0 tools or online programs that the county has

purchased for staff and student use. This occurs as needed throughout the school year.

Mrs. Sweatt is a highly recognized individual among the schools students and

staff, as well as, the other media specialists in the county. Mrs. Sweatt was the 2017

Camden County Media Specialist of the Year. She shows leadership and promotes a

love for learning and reading within the school. She works hard to make the media
center a welcoming place for students to work and find resources. She enjoys assisting

students in their learning and encourages them to try challenging and rigorous tasks.

A recommendation for the MLCES media center is to raise its awareness of

digital citizenship and digital literacy by adding more signage and direct instruction

specific to each grade level. Adding these resources to the media center would help

students become safer while online as well as leave behind a positive digital footprint.

The MLCES media center evaluation was completed by a process of

observations, interview with specific personnel at MLCES, the study of the school

website, and reviewing the district media handbook. All data sources were used in order

to complete a full analysis of the media center and its operations, as well as its

efficiency for students and faculty.

Organizational Chart of Roles and Responsibilities of MLCES Media Center

The following organizational chart depicts the roles and responsibilities of the

personnel involved with technology at Mary Lee Clark Elementary School.

Methods for Evaluation

In order to provide the most comprehensive and encompassing information,

multiple evaluative methods were used. Over 50 hours were spent observing Mrs.

Sweatt, the MLCES Media Specialists (Appendix A). Interviews with various grade level

teachers were conducted (Appendix B). Also, an interview with Mrs. Sweatt was

performed during the field experience (Appendix C), use and navigation of the media

center website (Appendix D), and careful study of the Camden County Media Center

Handbook (Appendix E) were used as sources of study for this evaluation.

Media Center Goals and Function of the Facility

The mission of the media center is the same as the school, Mary Lee Clark

Elementary School, in partnership with parents and community, will provide a safe

positive learning environment nurturing every students potential. This mission is clearly
followed as seen in the setup and daily activities of the media center. The media center

has always been the technology hub of the school. The media center supports the

faculty by providing technology and literacy resources for all 511 students enrolled at

MLCES. The media center is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. per county policy.

This allows students time to come in before and after school for books or technological

issues.

The media center houses 27 Chromebook carts, 450 Chromebooks, and 31

ipads. These items are checked out to teachers at the beginning of the school year and

returned at the end of the school year. Each teacher receives 1 Chromebook cart, the

number of Chromebooks matching their enrollment roster with the exception of

kindergarten. Kindergarten only receives 12 Chromebooks. Each teacher also receives

one ipad for classroom use.

In addition to the Chromebooks and ipads, MLCES has one computer lab with 28

Thin Clients. This computer lab is used daily for resources classes, but unoccupied

times are available for teachers to sign up and use for their class. The media center

also has 3 desktop computers available for student use.

The overall learning climate of the media center is inviting. The walls are painted

white with the back focal wall having a mural depicting our coastal community with

marsh grass, water, and wildlife. It is well lit and has a lot of tall windows with blinds to

attract natural lighting and block a glare when needed. Throughout the library there are

book displays with characters and framed colorful pictures drawn by illustrators who

have visited the school. Book shelves are neat and uncluttered and marked logically by

the Dewey decimal system for students to easily find what they are looking for.
 The media center hosts a variety of different regions throughout making it a

social learning environment. There is an instructional area, technology production area,

librarian office, computer workstation area, and several sections throughout the library

set up for reading or collaborative group work. The chairs and tables are set up for

collaborative groups and arranged so that all students are able to view the Smart Board.

The technology production area is equipped with the necessary technology needed for

the technology team (4th and 5th graders) to broadcast the morning news live to the

entire school. The computer workstation is equipped with three computers that share

one printer. The librarians office is not available to the students. Digital resources that

are available for teachers to check out are housed in this area. The furnishing

throughout the library consists of rectangle shaped tables and hard wooden chairs.

In addition to the physical attributes, the media center offers a variety of digital

resources. Wireless access for students using their assigned Chromebook is available.

The virtual library offers a variety of online resources to students at home. These

resources are available in many different formats: e-books, video, print, journals, and

more. Links to the district website, local public library, and school website are available

on the media center website. There is evidence that the site supports learning and

school goals. There are several links on the home page that connect you to resources

that are particular to the school itself.

Overall, the media center functions well. The media specialist has taught all

students grades kindergarten through fifth the return and check out procedure of books

and materials. Although the media center is rich with information, it is lacking in

information for students with special needs such as braille reading, sound recorded
books, and ESL books. However, there is not a high need for these types of books right

now in our school population. The media center environment is conducive to learning. It

offers resources in many different formats. It is set up for groups to work collaboratively.

A computer station area is set up for students to search for materials and conduct

research.

Center Activities

Daily activities of the media center include students checking in and out books

throughout the day, morning news broadcasting at 7:45 a.m., and library resource

classes. Teachers may sign their class up for 6 consecutive weeks of media resource.

This allows teachers to have an extra planning time while their students are learning

more about the media center, internet use, and how to use research resources both

digital and print. Mrs. Sweatt has a full time media paraprofessional that assists with

checking books in and out, restocking book shelves, laminating, and supervising

students. The media paraprofessional is a great asset to the MLCES media center and

allows the media specialist to be readily available with technology issues or literacy

needs. The media center also has regular parent volunteers that assist Mrs. Sweatt and

the media paraprofessional as needed.

Evaluation

It is clear that the MLCES media center is instrumental in providing resources

and instruction to the students and faculty that make up the school. The mission of
providing a safe positive learning environment nurturing every students potential is

clearly being met in the media center. The nurturing of potential is met by the districts

technological movement of 1:1 technology among the students and continued at the

school level with instruction and resources to help students meet their potential in the

21st century.

It is clear that Mrs. Sweatt, the media specialist wears many hats in the media

center, but she does it with a smile each and every day. Mrs. Sweatt is available to

teachers throughout the day in between instruction of her resource classes. She

responds quickly to any problem or question that a teacher has. Problems are typically

resolved in the same school day unless it requires the assistance of the technology

specialist at the county level. This is only made feasible by having the media

paraprofessional to keep watch and assist in the media center.

As for technology, the school has quite a bit to offer since the school district has

implemented 1:1 devices in its three-year technology plan. Each student in grades 1 5

have a Chromebook for daily use at school. Kindergarten classes are each given 12

Chromebooks for student use. The district is currently piloting Chromebook usage at the

kindergarten level. Each classroom is equipped with a teacher laptop, docking station,

document camera, and SMART Board. In addition, teachers are also given an ipad for

use in their classroom.

An area of growth for the media center is to have more digital literacy and digital

citizenship awareness signage to keep students aware of their responsibilities while

using technology and the internet. The idea of having specific digital citizenship lessons
for each grade level at the beginning of the year would also be helpful for increasing

positive student instruction and usage for online activities.

Appendices

Appendix A: Observation Checklist

Media Center Observation Checklist: Evidence of in Observed

Media Center

1 Technology is sufficient and available to students and

staf
2 Media Center resources are maintained, current, and
reliable
3 Technology literacy is promoted and supported
4 Staf technology integration is supported with staf
development
5 Technology issues are handled in a timely manner
6 Methods of obtaining technology and planning is
implemented
7 School website and Facebook are maintained and
current
8 Development of password needs and structure is evident
9 Classes are developed and maintained for student
success
10 Information for technology is communicated to staf and
students
11 The planning for literacy to promote future success is
integral and demonstrated in curriculum design

Appendix B: Interview Questions for the Media Specialist

 Interview Questions for Media Specialist/Technology Coordinator
1 Can you provide the mission and goals of the MLCES media center
2 Who are the centers stakeholders?
3 What are the jobs and responsibilities of key personnel who staf
the center?
4 What activities are used daily by the media center?
5 What technology is evident and used for the media center
6 What technology tools are available to staf members and students?
7 How is instructional technology planned and delivered to staf
members?
8 How is instruction in the media center integral to student success
and acquisition of life-long skills?
9 What personnel supports is given to implement goals for the media
center?
10 What is the history of the MLCES media center
11 How does instruction and implementation of technology align with
school, county, and district expectations?
12 What professional communities are represented through
membership and participation?
13 How does the media specialist support use of instructional
technology applications with staf?
14 How is instruction used in collaboration with faculty and staf?

Appendix C: Interview Questions for Faculty of MLCES

Interview Questions for Teachers of MLCES

How does the MLCES media center support our technological
1
needs?
2. What technology resources are available to you?
What is the speed of requests concerning technology and literacy
3.
being met?
In what ways do you and your students interact with the media
4.
center?
5. How can the services of the media center be improved?
What professional development resources do you utilize on a
6.
regular basis?
7. How can the media center collaborate with classrooms in the
 development of curriculum needs?
8. How can the media center promote a love for reading to students?
Is the media center accessible by students needs of research and
9.
project-based learning?
Appendix D: Mary Lee Clark Elementary School Media Center
Website

MLCES Media Center website

Appendix E: Camden County Schools Media Handbook

County Media Handbook