Memorandum

To: D. Sheffield, Principal

CC: Media Committee

From: Amy Walker

Date: 11/13/10

Re: Summary of Results from Library Media Rubric http://tinyurl.com/7b5vfb

Category 1: Students and Instruction

There are six indicators in this area. The first evaluates how efficiently the
Information Literacy Standards are integrated into content instruction. The media
center was given a rating of proficient in this area. The media specialist works to
integrate Information Literacy skills into the curriculum by discussing the
standards with students at the beginning of the school year and exhibiting an
awareness of the standards. The media specialist conducts a media center
orientation to familiarize students with the collection and facility.

The second indicator requires that the media specialist collaborate with other
teachers to ensure use of library media center resources that support on-going
classroom instruction and implementation of state curriculum. The media center
was given a rating of proficient in this area. In an effort to ensure collaborative
planning, the media specialist sends memos in an effort to encourage classroom
teachers to utilize resources in the media center. In an effort to advance the media
program to exemplary in this area, the media specialist will undergo the following
actions. First, the media specialist will attend departmental meetings at least once
a month. The media specialist will share resources that will promote
incorporating literacy skills into the classroom curriculum. The media specialist
will also send weekly emails to teachers with new ideas of how to increase
information literacy skills in any content classroom.

The third indicator requires the media staff to be engaged in an active teaching
role. The media center was rated as basic in this area. Although the media
specialist works with classroom teachers, very little “teaching” time is allocated to
the media specialist. To improve in this area, the media specialist will implement
the following action plan. First, teachers and the media specialist will increase
their collaborative efforts to develop shared assignments. The media specialist is
required to assume the role of teacher in at least one portion of a shared lesson.
The media specialist is also required to work with teachers to create student
assessments. These assessments and lesson plans detailing collaborative efforts
will be detailed in monthly reports to the principal and shared in a monthly
newsletter to all teachers and staff.

The forth indicator states that the library media center resources encourage and
support reading, viewing, and listening. The media center was given a rating on
proficient in this area. The media center promotes the reading of many books
through visual displays and announcements of new arrivals in the media center.
The media specialist acts as the school’s AR program administrator and assists
teachers with any technical difficulties that they may encounter. Also, the
resources in the media center reflect a wide variety of interests and perspectives.

The fifth indicator mandates that the media center provide services to students
who have diverse learning abilities, styles, and needs. The media center was
given a rating of exemplary in this area. The media specialist is knowledgeable
about the Lexile framework and STAR testing and gathers data to give to
classroom teachers in order to ensure students accommodations are meet. The
media specialist also houses early childhood books in the library, as well as books
for ESL students.

The sixth indicator requires that the media specialist routinely assess student
achievement. The media center was given a score of exemplary in this area.
The media specialist works in conjunction with teachers to test students and
assess data through various types of student reports.

Category 2: Staffing
There are two indicators in this area. The first area states that a school system
shall provide no less than half-time services of a library media specialist for each
school less than base size and shall provide adult supervision in the library media
center for the entire instructional day. Our school is base size; therefore, we did
not rate the media center in this section.

The second section states that a school system shall employ a fulltime library
media specialist for each base size school or larger. The media center was given
an exemplary score in this area. One part-time media paraprofessional is
employed in the media center. The media specialist is always available to assist
teachers and students.

Category 3: Facilities, Access, and Resources

There are six indicators in this category. The first indicator states that there
should be a plan for flexibly scheduled library media center access for students
and teachers in groups or as individuals simultaneously throughout each
instructional day. The media center was given a rating of exemplary in this area.
The second indicator covers the school library media center square footage
requirements based on FTE. The facility was given an exemplary rating in this
area.

The third indicator states that the media distribution system for television and
radio programs is available. The media center was given an exemplary score in
this area.

The forth indicator requires print and non-print resources and access to online
information are basic to a library media program. The library houses 12
computers that students are able to utilize throughout the day. The media center
was given an exemplary rating in this area. Students are encouraged to use the
library media center technology independently for extended projects and
information retrieval. The media center houses about 14 books per student.

The fifth indicator states that all library media resources are managed for
maximum efficient use. The library media center has an electronic online public
access catalog (Destiny). The media center was given an exemplary rating in this
area.

The sixth indicator supports the national educational technology goal that states,
“Effective and engaging software and on-line resources will be an integral part of
every school’s curriculum.” The GALILEO on-line service provides Georgia
students and teachers access to exceptional on-line resources at no cost to the
local school district. . Searches performed in GALILEO databases will exceed
one million annually and the number of full content items viewed will exceed one
million annually. The media center was given an exemplary rating in this area.
Galileo services are utilized and results of the usage amount is announced at the
end of each school year. Staff Development is available for instructional uses of
Galileo. Students are taught how to use Galileo by their classroom teachers and
the media specialist scaffolds students and staff members when needed.

Category 4: Administrative Support

There are four indicators in this category. The first indicator states that the local
system superintendent shall appoint a system media contact person (SMCP) to
serve as a liaison to the department. The media center received an exemplary
rating in this area.

The second indicator states that administrative staff support at both the school and
district levels is essential for the development of a strong library media program.
The media center received an exemplary rating in this area.

The third indicator requires that the board of education shall adopt a library media
policy that provides for the establishment of a media committee at the system
level and at each school. A library media committee makes recommendations and
 decisions relating to the operations of the library media program. The media
center received a rating of exemplary in this area.

The forth indicator requires that local Board approved library media policy is
current. This policy requires development of procedures for the school system and
for selecting materials locally, handling requests for reconsideration of materials,
considering gifts of instructional resources, using non-school owned materials,
and complying with the copyright law. The media center received an exemplary
rating in this area.

The fifth indicator mandates that each local school system shall spend 100 percent
of the funds designated for library media center costs. The media center received
an exemplary score in this area.

Category 5: Staff Development

The indicator in this category states that staff development opportunities are
available both for the library media staff to enhance their own professional
knowledge and for the library media staff to provide information and technology
literacy skills to other teachers and administrative staff. The media center was
given an exemplary rating in this area.

The media center was ranked “basic” in the

following areas:
• Media Staff engaged in teaching roles

The media center was ranked “proficient” in the

following areas:
• Information Literacy Standards
• Media Specialist collaboration with teachers
• Resources encourage and support reading,
viewing, and listening.

The media center was ranked “exemplary” in the

following areas:
• Diverse learners
• Assesses student achievement
• Employs a full-time media specialist
• Square footage
• Media Distribution system
• Print/ non-print resources
• Galileo

CONFIDENTIAL
 • Category 4: Administrative Support
• Category 5: Staff Development

An action plan has been included for each area marked basic or proficient.