Check It Out

Yearlong Reading Challenge

This year I encouraged students to keep track of their reading hours.  The challenge: read 3500 hours during the year. And if they did reach goal? Then what? The winning classroom could dress me up as a character of their choice.

This year the school recorded 2650 hours of reading.  Just shy of the goal. (No dress-up for me.) Three classes recorded over 100 hours, two classes recorded over 200 hours and three classes recorded over 300 hours.  Among those three competition was fierce.

It is interesting to see how individual teachers approach this challenge.  Some with real vigor and encouragement. Others not so much.  Some tie it in with their classroom reading time recording. Others let students take responsibility.

Funny how what looks great on paper doesn’t necessarily translate into practical application.  I get lost in the minutia of writing out individual stars for students who read a certain amount of hours.  I stopped the idea of building a Lego castle based on hours years ago. 

I noticed, however, that students would track their hours just because.  And isn’t that my ultimate goal?  Yesterday when I announced that the winning three classrooms would get popsicles for their efforts, the response was amazing.  One girl’s parents wrote that their daughter had to go to the dentist and hoped would not miss getting a popsicle.  Another boy, a 5th grader, was so excited, his mother emailed the teacher wondering what she had to buy for the class not knowing that MsMac was purchasing.  Sometimes it is the little things.

 I donated $30.00 to the Humane Society as a way to acknowledge their effort.  We have a “Read to the Dog” program.  Lisa, a Humane Society volunteer and her dog, Chance come weekly and listen to kids read. As a thank you to them, we collect food and supplies for the Humane Society.  I am thinking perhaps next year a donation to the Humane Society will be the ”prize” for the reading challenge. 

Returning Library Books

Library books were due June 5.  Yesterday I called almost 90 parents to remind their child that the book needed to be returned or the fine paid.  Fifth grade will suffer the most if fines are not paid.  Imagine next fall, excited to be a middle schoolers. Activities to participate in and then be told, “You have a library fine.” Some fifth graders do not beleive this news. 

As I write this post, a fifth grader is in the library reading and finishhing the last thirty pages of his book.  Another fifth grader told my assistant, “please come back, I have 10 pages left.”  I guess there can be worst things in the world than getting a library book returned.

Then there are the students who do not have the financial means to pay for lost books.  Today two brothers came in with four books from their home libraries.  The books are slightly rag tagged but the pride in the two that they had taken responsibility: priceless. 

That’s the lesson here, take responsibility.  Do the right thing.  Which is exactly what another fifth grader did; paid up on a fine from fourth grade.  Last year her denied losing the book.  This year he went with “I already paid.” (no record).  In the end, he paid and announced to me that he had signed up for the summer reading program at his grandma’s library.  Hooray!

Summer might be hit and miss with Tuesday Tidbits. Have a wonderful summer and read!

MsMac

Three weeks ago, I wrote about our district’s budget woes and its effect on the library program.  It was a horrible week not knowing the district’s budget plans.  So much of the budget is dependent on what our state legislature decides.  The session ended last week but a special session will be called in the next few weeks.  It could mean more cuts to education.

However, a group of library media specialists, the teacher’s union and district officials met recently to discuss cuts to the library program as well as how the library budget is managed.  You see, when the announcement was made that the library budget would be cut by 50% next year, it was also decided that the money would go directly to the building and the building would decide how much the library would get. I felt like the library had heart surgery(more like heart removal surgery).

Wow!  I have read what has happened in other districts in this scenario. It does not favor libraries and actually creates “library haves” and “library have-nots”.  This is clearly illustrated by the current way elementary libraries are budgeted any building money.  I, for example,  am given $75.00 per year of the building budget, another school in the district gets $300.00 and still others do not receive any funds from their building budget.    This is the way it has been for a neighboring district as well; money disseminated to the library based on what the administration deems important or the type of relationship a library media specialist may have the principal.  Should it really be that way?  Should libraries be funded on a whim?  I think not.

Our meeting with the district went well.  I think the group conveyed the importance of having a “baseline budget” that is consistent through out the district configured by a set amount times the number of students in the school.  As someone in the meeting pointed out, “how can you have books for one library and no books for another?”. 

It was an eye opener for me how complex my job is to an outsider. I was asked why library should get a baseline budget when the art department does not.  I found myself talking about how we support the core curriculum of the school: literacy, science, math, social studies and the arts.  We are not an entity that accumulates books and materials that are never used.  It is used by all. (At least if I am doing my job it is.)

In the end, it was decided that for this next year, the budget would be cut 50% but the library media specialist would still maintain the budget.  We will need to be vigilant that the budget continues to be maintained by us.  I think the district would very much like to move to have just one budget, the building budget.  It is our job to communicate our expertise in collection development and our passion to maintian equity throughout the school district.

We still are awaiting the fate of our assistants.  Hopefully, they will be maintained at a full time level and not be reduced to half time status.  It was disturbing to be asked at a school board meeting if I thought that volunteers could do my assistant’s job.  

The library is recuperating from heart surgery. It does need any post surgery complications.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

I modeled the following list poem for students.

Library Books

Whisper to students
“pick me, pick me”
Light up with anticipation
To be the selected one
The one checked out
Library books
Shake the dust off
Each night
Limber spines bend
as they play limbo,
Dance the title tango, or
Trick the
Librarian by
Switching places with
Notable nonfiction
Library books
Recite favorite passages
Written by
favorite author, the
One who brought
then to life first
Library books
Standing still
In the quiet

Happy Reading.

MsMac

This marks my 251 post on the blog! Hooray!

Today my morning begins with a meeting at the district office to discuss the library budget for the coming year. It will not be pretty, The one thing I know now is that the majority of the building administrators are supportive of the need for libraries to be funded. The majority are not interested in using the library money for anything but library books and materials.

Been writing poetry as examples for students.  Last week it was to write list poem about school.  Here is mine:

library books
sit on shelves
speak to
one another
when kids, staff leave
at day’s end
“She dog eared my pages! can you believe that?”
“He cried at the end.”
“I have not been checked out in a long, long, while.”
“I heard that if you sit on the shelf too long, you get discarded.”
“Is it true? Did Charlie really get stolen?”
library books
gossipers in the
night.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

 Yesterday was a terrible day for me. More bad news about budget: library budget cut in half and then to find out that on top of all the state cuts to teacher’s salaries, the bonus for being a national board certified teacher may be on the chopping block.  I am working on this article to submit to the local paper to raise awareness about the library program:

Shh! Quiet! As The District Cuts the Heart of the School Out: The Library Program

This is my thirty-fifth year of teaching. For years, I have listened to friends and colleagues discussing the budget woes in the neighboring state to the south. Perhaps I was a bit smug to think budget woes would not be in my vocabulary. I was wrong.
My district declares that all students should be able to be “world competitive upon graduation.” Yet, during this economic crisis, the district wants to cut back on the library media program. Research has shown libraries to be integral programs for students to become world competitive.
However, this district is about to cut the heart out of the school, the library program, by making cuts in the number hours support staff works and by slashing funding for books, programs and materials.
It’s a quiet proposal, not one that many patrons would think about until the impact of the cuts realized. It undermines two of the four pillars of a great library media program: staffing, budget, facilities, and student learning goals.
On paper, it might make sense. The library media program looks healthy and strong. Every school building has a minimum of one fulltime certified library media specialist and a fulltime library assistant. Cutting assistant time in half saves a potential six hundred thousand dollars for the district.
Any cut means cuts to kids. Currently, the elementary library media specialist provides a thirty-minute planning time for each classroom teacher. At middle and high school level, classes sign-up to work on research projects, get questions answered and find resources for assignments. It is possible for over 150 students to visit the library on a daily basis.
While classes are in session, other students use the library for book check out, research, a place to go for recess, and a quiet place to read. Staff members come to the library to get resources for upcoming units of study. The assistant locates and checks out the books for them. If classroom audio visual or computer equipment fails, either the assistant or the library media specialist leaves the library to troubleshoot. Reduction in staff means staff and students will have to wait.
Today, the services offered in the library have grown with technology demands. Technology has both simplified and complicated teaching in the library. Students are required to be productive users of technology, as well as academic users of technology. This requires that the library media specialist collaborate closely with staff to engage students in thinking strategies for the 21st century. The ability to do this will be extremely limited if the library media specialist must take on the duties of library materials processing and data entry, jobs of the library assistant.
Currently, the library budget is an average of $11.50 per student for books, programs, and materials. The average cost of library books is $20.00 per book. The district is preparing to reduce the budget by half. The library media program supports the core curriculum: literacy, math, science, and social studies. Will I be forced to rely on book fair sales to raise money for library books? Selection of materials to support the core needs is part of my training as a library media specialist.
I wonder how I will support the needs of staff and students when the budget cut in half. The average age of my collection is twenty years old How will I ensure that the collection does not fall behind any further in currency? Teachers used the titles in the collection more than ever as mentor texts for students.
In addition, district administration wants every child to have the opportunity to check out book whether their book is overdue or they have a book fines. As of last fall, approximately $38,000 dollars in outstanding school fines owed to the district. I admit there are some circumstances in which the child should not be held hostage because the library book is missing. Where is the fiscal responsibility in allowing students to have books when they have unpaid fines?
My district needs to consider options that will save money in ways aside from reducing important services to students and staff every day. Options could include being very selective with information databases, limiting assistant hours to student attendance days and hours, and developing a plan to curtail the rising dollars in lost or overdue materials.
Study after study has shown a clear correlation to student achievement and fully funded library programs, which includes a full-time staff assistant. The district, known for its strong library program, is dangerously coming close to stepping backward. Why take a step backward? How disheartening to hear about potential cuts to the program because of its strengths. Let’s continue to strive to be world-competitive upon graduation and keep the heart of the school in place. A fully funded library media program enables students to compete in a 21st century world.

Kepp reading. Keep using the library.

MsMac

National Poetry Month is a week away. Here’s a sneak peak at what I will be doing as well as some great happenings in the kidlit world for National Poetry Month.

April is our state testing month so it is a great time for me to immerse students in poetry.  I will be sharing a variety of poems throughout the month, encouraging students to carry a poem in their pocket, and having them write, write, write.

Last year I tried a “Poetry Postcard Project“. Lots of fun.  I am holding the second annual “Write a Poem-Send a Postcard” event with my students.  Students will send off an original poem to people who would like to receive a poem. And we may just drop random poems around the school.  If you wish to receive a poetry postcard, contact me. 

I am committed to “30 Days=30 Poems”  This is my third year of setting this goal for myself.

Other Poetry News:

Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect has planned a poetry extravaganza. I hope I can keep up.  She is interview thirty plus poets over the month. Incredible!

Greg at Gotta Book is posting a previously unpublished poem from a variety of poets during the month.

Anastasia has created a blog for student poems about school.  You can find that at Pencil Talk.  Hopefully some of my students will write a poem about school so I can share it with Anastasia.

Sylvia at Poetry for Children will be talking up lots of poetry books throughout April.

It is going to be a grand month!

Happy Reading.

MsMac

It was busy day on the library today. Today I mentored a colleague as she created a blog for libraries.  Today I wrote to parents about the impact of the budget cuts on the library program.  This blog was put  on the back burner.

This evening however, I want to share the open letter to parents and introduce you to a new blog.  There is also a gour on Facebook.

Dear Parents,
I don’t know how aware of the looming budget challenges facing Washington state. You may have seen in the local newspaper that these challenges will affect the Evergreen School District. It means that Silver Star will be affected.
The district has a proposed list of cuts posted on its website: http://www.evergreenps.org/Pages/default.aspx. It is difficult to know exactly how the cuts will happen until the work of the legislature is complete.
However, I want to share with you that one of the largest proposed cuts affects the library program. It is proposed that the library assistants be cut to half time. In my view, this will affect the entire school. Having a full time library assistant makes it possible:

• For students to be in the library at all times of the school day.
• For students to have two qualified adults to help with research skills.
• For me to collaborate with teachers and provide seamless lessons between the classroom and the library. This is a critical piece in student achievement.
• For students to have two qualified adults who help students to find “just fit” books.

I recognize that there may need to be cuts but I am hopeful that they will be minimal. Evergreen is known for its great library media program throughout the state and now it is facing a pretty dramatic cut.
The district wants to hear from parents and patrons. They have had several public meeting to take input from the community. I am hoping that parents will speak up for libraries and ask the district to re-consider the library media assistant reduction.

There are several places that parents can get information and/or let the public know of their support for libraries and all programs that directly impact students.

Please feel free to visit:
http://cutthecuts.blogspot.com

or on Facebook there is a “Cut the Cuts to Kids” group.

You can also email the school board and the superintendent as well.

In my thirty-five years of teaching, I have never had to ask for parent support in this manner. The district has a goal that students graduate able to compete in the world community. A key component is a fully funded library media program. It makes me sad to think that our school district is going to suffer from budget cuts. This translates into kids losing out.

Sincerely,
Jone Rush MacCulloch, NBCT AKA “Ms Mac”
Library Media Specialist
Silver Star School

I never thought I would have to ask for parents and the community to support libraries.  This makes me so sad.

My colleague and her assistant have created Cut the Cuts: Libraries are Academic, a blog to inform students, parents, and the community about the importance of libraries. Visit and comment especially if you are a member of my school community.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

The snow is all gone. The rain and wind are here!  I just read an email about the dismal state of affairs for education in Washington and am trying to stay focused and positive.

If this were Monday, I would be talking about the CYBILS Nonfiction Picture Books shortlist.  The first day back was rather wild so Nonfiction Monday did not get written.  I do want to share about the CYBILS and the process.

First:  My team: Tricia, Debbie, Beckie, Dave and led by Fiona were fabulous.  We seemed to work well together.  Our biggest challenged appeared to be getting copies of all the nominees. This brings me to my second point

Second: In fact, I received two books after our finalist list was sent in and I know another team member received books too late as well.  It is a shame that some nominees could not be fully considered.  I looked and looked within the public library systems and my own district for some of the new titles to no avail.  I hope the publishers will really consider sending nominees to the panel members next year in a timely manner.  The CYBILS does such a great job of promoting books.

For the past two years, I have served as a poetry judge which I loved doing. What I noticed about being on the panel to decide the shortlist for the NFP Books was less stress. I wonder if that is the way others feel.  It felt good to be able to nominate five -seven titles and not just say definitively, “This is THE one. This is the best!”  I mean they are all great books. 

I found for me drawn to books with engaging information for readers of all levels.  Kid appeal and saturated with information were two important criteria for me.  Almost all the books were filled with lots of information but some more than others really smacked of kid appeal, the kind of book that is likely to be on student hold lists.   The judges will have their work cut out for them as they decide CYBILS Award for the Nonfiction Picture book from the following list:

Astronaut Handbook, written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy
         If any one book will spark the curiousity about becoming an astronaut, it it this book!  The illustrations are bold and engaging.  The text is written at a level that explains some pretty difficult concepts.  I thought immediately of a few students who are interest in the space field.

Duel!: Burr and Hamilton’s Deadly War of Words, written by Dennis
Brindell Fradin and illustrated by Larry Day
           I doubt that this title will stay on the shelves.  If a teacher doesn’t have it check out, it will be in the hands of students eager for information about some pretty famous characters of early America.

Fabulous Fishes, written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale
       Playful and yet nonfiction, the line-up begins now with Fabulous Fishes for those marine biology scientists.  The illustrations are spectacularly colorful.

Nic Bishop Frogs, written and photographed by Nic Bishop
        Anyone who has read Nic Bishop’s Spiders knows that he is brilliant behind the camera.  This new addition does not disappoint.  I am left wondering where to sign-up for photography classes by this author.

A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, written by Jen
Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet
    The story behind one of my favorite poets.  Bryant has made more of his poetry accessible to the younger students and Sweet’s illustrations are a major compliment to the text. I cannot wait until April to pair this with last year’s CYBILS for poetry: This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman.
Wanda GÃg: The Girl Who Lived to Draw, written and illustrated by Deborah
Kogan Ray
    This book charmed me with a quiet story of Wanda Gag who wrote Millions of Cats(always a favorite). The author pulled from Gag’s own journal entries to tell the story of a remarkable person.

Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa, written and
illustrated by Jeanette Winter
       I loved the illustrations in this story.  And Winter tells anincredible slice of life about 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner. Wangari Maathai.  In this time of environmental concerns, this story brings to the forefront the power of one person’s actions in the world.

So if you have not had an opportunity to read any of these, head to your own library and check them out.  You can also check out other finalists here.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

The library media specialists met last week during early release(and actually this is the second meeting we have had).  Why is this blog worthy, you ask?  Because last year we were not allowed to meet during school time, we were told to stay in our building and collaborate. 

News flash: Sometimes our buildings had other things planned and staying to collaborate was not part of the plan.  Luckily, many of us have wonderful building administrators who understood and supported our need to meet.

This year is different.  The library media program has been moved back under the umbrella of curriculum (we were two years under instructional technology).  This means a change in district office managers and a recognition that meeting BOTH with staff and our colleagues is necessary.

So getting back to last week’s meeting.  Two big topics included protecting the right to read and collaborating with teachers.

My district has a long history with book challenges.  I had a book challenge during my first year (26 years ago) as a library media specialist.  Last spring, Feed by MT Anderson was challenged at the middle school and moved to high school. It also resulted in a review of the reconsideration policy. As a group we spent time at this meeting discussing about what to do when a parent/s is concerned about what their child is reading. 

The other part of the meeting centered around collaboration with staff.  This is always a tricky subject.  First of all, teachers are so overwhelmed and over loaded with “must dos” for the classroom.  Asking them to collaborate with you or offering to collaborate with them often results with a glassy-eyed looked, “Oh, no, you want me to do what?”

So some of our conversation centered around ways to sneak in collaboration.  I look for teachers open to the idea.  It has worked well with fifth grade as I love American Colonial Life and the American Revolutionary War. So I can easily teach research skills around these topics and work with fifth grade.  This year I am hoping that the third grade team will be open to working together on comparing two cultures: the tribes of the northwest.

I had an “AHA” moment last week during the meeting when a colleague share frustration of doing research for teachers.  The concern was planning out and researching for curriculum only to have it change the following year.  It was referred to as “a waste of time”.  WHOA!  Is that not what collaboration is all about?  Meeting teachers where they need the support?  Knowing your students and changing to meet their needs? Sure this year they may need help with “XYZ” and next year it could be ”ABC”.  I am still stunned by the comment a week later. 

So my “aha” moment?  That in order to collaborate with staff, you have to be flexible and change of lessons is inevitable. I do not think I have ever had a period of time where my lessons looked exactly the same.  When I first began in the library, teaching the card catalog and the Dewey Decimal system made sense. Now can you imagine spending weeks on these things?  It goes back to what is my personal mission for the library:

I want students to
~love reading
~be able to find what they are looking for
~love learning

I want teachers to
~ know that I support them
~ I will meet them wherever the curriculum takes them
~I will collaborate in any small way that I can

And you know, I think this is where the process of the national board certification process kicks in.  A teacher who goes through the process gets that your curriculum may change from year to year. Gets that what you research and plan with a teacher might not be a yearly event.  I am thankful for that experience last year because I find myself being more open to change and flexibility.

What are your thoughts about collaboration and the library media program?

Happy Reading.

MsMac

 We have a short week at my school. Today is the last day and then we get the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving.  Justina Chen Headley writes about what makes her thankful.  It seems good way to go for this week (and actually each day).

I have much to be thankful:

I work in a fabulously supportive school.  I did not become a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) without the staff, students, and parents of Silver Star.  I am thankful for their support.

My dear friend, Barbara (she and I student taught together), was my editor before I sent my portfolios off to be scored.  I am thankful for her editing skills.

Last night I received word about a grant to purchase multiple copies of a variety of gingerbread man stories to share at a Family Library Night.  I am thankful for the Evergreen Foundation for granting me a way to involve parents.

My aunt visited my school yesterday and the students loved showing her the books they were checking out.  One student called her “Miss Mac, grandma!”  Hilarious.  I am thankful that my aunt still travels at 89 years of age.

The “Comment Challenge” has been a challenge but fun. I discovered some great blogs such as Write About Now and Charlotte’s Library.  I am thankful for both Pam and Lee for challenging us to comment. I commented on 104 blogs during the challenge.

I am thankful for the blogging community- such a great way to connect.

I am thankful for the family that loves and cares for me. I am blessed.

What are you thankful for this day?

Happy Reading.

MsMac