Volume 40, Issue 4 FALL/WINTER 2013
From the Editor of Learning & Media The blustery, wet, and snowy days of our Pennsylvania fall and winter are finally and hopefully beginning to change to the hope of better weather. I know I am one of many who has longed for the sun, warmth and activities we see and enjoy in the spring. PSLA has been preparing for those exciting times. In this issue the candidates for office are profiled so that you can vote with confidence soon. Remember the upcoming annual PSLA conference in May. At the conference you can even become a contributor to Learning & Media this year by living a dream of becoming an author and seeing yourself in print soon.
Table of Contents
Our members have shared their advocacy and passions. Learning & Media can only be as good as our membership’s commitment to providing a quality journal that helps our membership stay informed and knowledgeable in their field. Join us for the 41st Annual Pennsylvania School Librarians Association Conference at the Hershey Lodge and Conference Center on May 1, 2, and 3, 2014. The theme is “School Libraries: Common Core of Learning.” Sally Myers, Editor
Ruby is the gemstone
Table of Contents President’s Message Meet the Candidates PTA: A parent Group Not Like the Others Invest in Reading at Hempfield Schools Archives 1
2 3-13 14 15 15-16
President's Message Eileen Kern, President, PSLA Start spreading the news School libraries are here to stay You need to be a part of it Over the past two years, I have been asked, if libraries in general will continue to exist. My answer has always been a definitive YES! I explained that the role of a school library program has not changed. It is to provide the tools for every student to effectively pursue information and develop ideas as they construct, and share knowledge within the global society. The PSLA Strategic Plan for 2012-2018 calls for the Association to strengthen and expand our partnership network. To this end the leadership of PSLA is communicating with other organizations to spread the news on the importance of a school library program and school librarians. PSLA has participated in conversations and events with the following groups: • PA Association of Elementary and Secondary Principals • PA Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development • PA PTA • PA School Boards Association • PA Association of School Administrators • PA Institute of Certified Public Accountants • Keystone Consortium of Educational Associations o Keystone State Reading Association o PA Association for Educational Communication and Technology o PA Association for Middle Level Education o PA Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators o PA Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts o PA Music Educators Association o PA Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance o PA State Modern Language Association • PA Library Association As we continue to talk to the above listed groups, PSLA plans to expand our network and engage in conversation with civic groups. Governor Corbett and PDE held the Governor’s Symposium on Early Childhood Education. The focus was RISE: Ready by Grade Three. The event was by invitation only and was limited to sixty guests. Cathi Fuhrman and I represented PSLA. We shared at the breakout sessions how A Model Curriculum for PA School Library Programs could address the PA Comprehensive Literacy Plan and aid in the Building of a STEM Foundation. PSLA participated in the poster walk. The leaders of PSLA are the spreading news on the importance of school library programs. Are you spreading the news? You need to be talking to stakeholders in your local community. The stakeholders are not only in the educational community, but in the community at-large. The taxpayers within the community influence the members of the school board. So start 2
Start spreading the news -----The role school libraries play----Students need to have it!!!!
MEET THE CANDIDATES By Robert McConnell, PSLA Nominating Chair The PSLA Nominating Committee would like to introduce you to the candidates who have agreed to serve on the PSLA Board. The secretary, treasurer and directors will be elected for a two-year term while the vice president will serve a four-year term. Serving on the Board means these individuals will be responsible for assisting the president in developing policies and procedures for the organization in all matters of state and national issues dealing with the school library profession. Your vote is crucial for maintaining a strong, viable organization. Elections will be held on March 4, 2014 to March 25, 2014 for all positions. Again, this year the elections will take place using electronic ballots. Directions for voting will be sent to the email address associated with your PSLA membership several weeks before the election, and will also be posted on the PSLA Webpage. Reminders to vote will be sent over the PSLA Listserv. Complete biographical information will be included in the online ballot. No information will be sent through the mail. As a member of PSLA, you will be asked to vote for a vice president, secretary, treasurer and two directors. This article will give you the opportunity to learn more about the candidates including their backgrounds, interests and goals for PSLA.
The PSLA Candidates for the Board of Directors
NAME: Allison Burrell CANDIDATE FOR: Vice President SCHOOL DISTRICT: Southern Columbia Area SCHOOL: G. C. Hartman Elementary Center, Southern Columbia Middle School, Southern Columbia High School TITLE/POSITION: Librarian, Grades K-12 EXPERIENCE IN PSLA: • Member, PSLA Board of Directors 2013 • Trainer, Model Curriculum for PA School Library Programs 2013 • Regional Coordinator for Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CS IU- IU 16) - 2012-13 • Co-chair, Professional Development Committee (2012- present • Member, PA Model Library Curriculum Committee 2012-present • Member, PSLA Social Media Task Force 2012-present • Expert witness, PA House Hearing on School Libraries Aug. 2012 • Founder, PSLA Solo/ Shared Librarians Special Interest Group 2012 • Participant, Professional Judgment Panel on 21st Century Librarian Infrastructure Needs 2011 • Member, PSLA Student Committee 2011- 2013 • Founder and manager, PSLA's FaceBook page, 2011- present • Presenter, PSLA Conference 2011-2013 3
• Moderator, PSLA Conference 2011-2013 • Presenter, PSLA Conference poster session 2010 SERVICE IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS: • Member, American Library Association (ALA) • Member, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) • Member, American Association of School Librarians (AASL) • Member, PAGE (PA Association for Gifted Education) • Member, ISTE (International Society for Technology Education) - Presenter, SIGMS Technology Playground, Denver, CO (2010 Conference) • Board of Directors, PAECT (Penn. Assoc. for Educational Communications and Technology); secretary (2012-present) • Member, NEA/ PSEA • Presenter, Heartland Conference Technology Integration Institute • Collaborator, Joint project with Bloomsburg University research librarian - Research on high school students’ information literacy skills and their preparation for college-level research - Presentation at PaLA annual conference • Presenter, Intermediate Unit Curriculum Collaboration Presentations (Web 2.0 and research skills for social studies and language arts/ library groups) • Participant, IU Learning Focused Schools curriculum collaboration • Presenter, 2011 PAGE annual conference: “Opening Up Options for Upper Middle and High School Gifted Students” • Member, First cohort of Partners in History grant to collaborate with the Pennsylvania State Museum and PA State Archives • Presenter, Differentiated Instruction presentation for middle school staff PRIORITY GOALS FOR PSLA: My goals for 2014-2016 revolve around a theme of access: innovative methods of access to professional development and resources for all librarians in times of tight finances, equitable access to resources for all schools across the state, regardless of their size or budgets and access to support for solo and shared librarians. As districts’ budgets are squeezed and less money is available for conference attendance, if any is available at all, we need to find innovative ways to deliver professional development and resources to all of our librarians. As beneficial as our annual conference is to so many librarians, there are many more who could benefit from alternative delivery methods. I feel that we are making great strides toward finding new ways to deliver content to our librarians, particularly with our recent licensing for Adobe Connect. This progress needs to continue so that we can make quality, online professional development from PSLA a reality. Secondly, beyond professional development, librarians in smaller districts and those with lesser budgets often struggle to provide resources to their students and faculty. We need to continue to ensure that we advocate for state-shared resources to help these situations. Lastly, as school district budgets tighten, solo and shared librarians comprise an increasingly large portion of our membership. These librarians need an extra measure of support from our organization, as they frequently do not have as much local support or contacts as other librarians do. At this point, their needs must be clarified in order to provide that support; I hope to further develop the Solo/Shared Special Interest Group to make this happen. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT JOB: I am currently the sole librarian for grades K-12 in the Southern Columbia Area School District, after being the 7-12 librarian for 2-1/2 years and a 5th grade teacher for 10 years before that. My district encompasses three schools, housed in two buildings. These schools serve approximately 1465 students. I also serve as a gifted support teacher for grades 9-12. In addition, I am a technology lead teacher, assisting in professional development, introducing technology initiatives and supporting teachers’ technology needs. 4
SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS: • technology • professional development • education of the gifted and talented AWARDS AND/OR RECOGNITIONS RECEIVED: • Invited and participated in to School Library Journal Leadership Summit, 2012 & 2013 • Article published in School Library Monthly: "Simple Advocacy: Maintaining Perspective.” • Article published in PSLA Learning & Media: “Helping Students to Transition to College-Level Work: Can Collaboration Between Librarians Make a Difference?” SPECIAL PERSONAL INTERESTS: • Spending time with my family • Church activities (Family Ministries and Women’s Group) • Participating in obstacle races/ mud runs and 5Ks - training for my first sprint triathlon next summer • Leading Weight Watchers meetings • Reading • Camping • Hiking • Coaching youth soccer OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION: From the time I first became involved with PSLA, I have realized the amazing resources we as librarians have at our fingertips through our organization. Many of us do not have adequate support in our own districts and local areas and truly need to make connections across the state to fulfill the needs of our students and our own professional development. I truly recognize the need for professional development specific to librarian needs and the importance of our organization in providing that to librarians in our state. As a result, I feel that if I were elected vice president, I would be able to assist PSLA in helping all librarians in our state reach their students more effectively.
NAME: Lindsey Long CANDIDATE FOR: Secretary SCHOOL DISTRICT: Lower Dauphin School District SCHOOL: Nye Elementary and Conewago Elementary TITLE/POSITION: Librarian EXPERIENCE IN PSLA: PSLA Secretary, 2010-present PSLA member, 2006-present Technology committee member, 2010-2013 Media Selection & Review committee member, present Media Selection & Review Best of the Best sub-committee co-chair, present 5
SERVICE IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS: CHAIN/IU 15 Advisory Council, 2008-2012 PRIORITY GOALS FOR PSLA: Pennsylvania’s librarians continue to advocate for strong school library programs and yet many are still underfunded, understaffed, and undervalued by administration. I feel that PSLA must support members and advocate for school library programs by doing two things: continuing to provide professional development opportunities for librarians and other educators and continuing advocacy efforts with stakeholder groups. PSLA must develop and offer professional development workshops and tools not only through in-person workshops, like at the annual conference, but by also utilizing technology and offering opportunities for development through Internet products like Adobe Connect. There are still many questions surrounding Pennsylvania’s new Educator Effectiveness System and PSLA must continue to find answers and educate members on the important aspects of this system. Our Professional Development committee has been working hard on developing more trainings and I’m excited to see what they have to offer. In addition, PSLA must continue to network with other groups of educators, lawmakers, and community members to share statistics and information about the importance of school libraries and school librarians. We, the members of PSLA, already know how school librarians make a difference—we need to share this message with decision makers so that they can also understand our value. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT JOB This is my seventh year as a school librarian and my fifth year in the Lower Dauphin School District. I split my time in half between two elementary schools, Nye Elementary School (about 360 students) and Conewago Elementary School (about 190 students). I teach library class to third, fourth, and fifth grades, and supervise story time and book exchange with kindergarten, first grade, and second grade, which is run by a library aide since I am half-time at each building. In addition to my role as school librarian I am coordinator of the annual Academic Fair and I participate as an activity leader at NASA, our wintertime after school activities program. SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS: Collection development, technology SPECIAL PERSONAL INTERESTS: Reading, traveling, crafting, cooking
NAME: Natalie Hawley CANDIDATE FOR: Treasurer TITLE/POSITION: Retired Elementary School Librarian EXPERIENCE IN PSLA: Current PSLA Treasurer Conference Committee Awards Committee Budget & Finance Committee SERVICE IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS: 6
MEA AASL Beta Rho of DKG PRIORITY GOALS FOR PSLA We all know that school administrators are going to do whatever fits their “bottom line”. There is nothing PSLA can do about this unfortunate issue. However, we can educate our members on good practices to prove their worth. We need to give them the best tools to arm themselves with advocacy for their programs and to provide them with good classroom models as they adjust to more and more outside responsibilities. We have good librarians; we just need to teach them to be more assertive within their buildings as well as their community. Getting the parents on your side, and you might have a fighting chance for a more unified voice. SPECIAL PERSONAL INTERESTS: Spending time with my grandchildren; quilting; gardening; and avoiding winter weather
NAME: Erika Rhodeside CANDIDATE FOR: Treasurer SCHOOL DISTRICT: Warwick School District SCHOOL: Warwick High School TITLE/POSITION: Librarian EXPERIENCE IN PSLA: Member 2009 – Present PSLA Committee – Budget and Finance 2012-2013 PSLA Technology 2013 PRIORITY GOALS FOR PSLA Goals: My goal is to promote integrated information and technology services in school curriculum through collaboration with other professional organizations and school leaders. The priority for PSLA should be a focus on professional development in information technology to help its members collaborate with their school community. PSLA should prioritize the use of emerging collaborative information technology tools so that we can model best practices in all areas of the library profession. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT JOB: I am the Librarian responsible for all library operations including original cataloging, collection development, ordering and circulation. I am responsible for the development and implementation of technology and information science curriculum and research curriculum. Supervise two paraprofessional library aides. Warwick High School has approximately 1300 students. SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS: Women in STEM, Computer Science, Debate Team AWARDS AND/OR RECOGNITIONS RECEIVED: Graduate Student Honors in the Learning Technologies 7
CK-12 Champion SPECIAL PERSONAL INTERESTS: Open Source Software, Science fiction in all of its media forms, hiking and camping OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION: I have extensive experience in bookkeeping and accounting practices. Prior to becoming a librarian, I worked as a branch accountant for a medium size real estate escrow company where I managed two large escrow accounts and the branch accounts receivable and payable. I also managed a bookstore where I prepared daily and weekly sales reports and deposit reports.
NAME: Allison Mackley CANDIDATE FOR: Board Director SCHOOL DISTRICT: Derry Township School District SCHOOL: Hershey High School TITLE/POSITION: Librarian EXPERIENCE IN PSLA: Assistant Editor – PSLA Learning and Media, 2008 – present Writing and Development Team – Pennsylvania Model Library Curriculum, 2012 – present Leadership Team Book Review Project, 2013 - present Keynote Speaker with Eileen Kern – Library Model Curriculum – PA Forward Information Literacy Summit – July 2013 SERVICE IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS: Co-chair - PA Forward Information Literacy Summit at Pennsylvania State University – PaLA, July 2013 Co-chair – PA Forward Information Literacy Planning Team – PaLA, 2012 – present Steering Committee – PA Forward Initiative – PaLA, 2011 - present Best Practices in Libraries – Programs and Services Committee – PaLA, 2013 – present Planning Team – Pennsylvania Academy of Leadership Studies – PaLA, 2010 – present Instructional Technology Coach – DTSD, 2012 - present Comprehensive Planning/Strategic Planning Committee – DTSD, 2012 – present Steering Committee - Act 48 Professional Development - DTSD, 2011 – present 21st Century Learning Environment Committee, 2010 - present PRIORITY GOALS FOR PSLA: Library Model Curriculum – By embedding the Library Model Curriculum into elementary library courses and secondary content area curriculum, the library program will not only be strengthened, but it will also have a positive impact on student achievement. Librarians must situate themselves on curriculum writing and development teams to integrate the standards, concepts and competencies into a rigorous and relevant curriculum. This integration will encourage collaboration among faculty members and serve as an advocacy tool to strengthen the understanding of the essential services of school librarians. Teacher Effectiveness – As the Pennsylvania Department of Education implements the new teacher effectiveness model, school librarians have an opportunity to demonstrate their expertise in teaching and 8
learning strategies that help to increase student achievement. School librarians must know and understand the implications of the system, as school administrators take into consideration building level data, teacher specific data, elective data and observation evidence. PSLA has provided specific examples for school librarians to achieve success, but as members of the state association, we must also find ways to connect and to share best practices with one another. Relationships with Legislators – It is through positive relationships with legislators that school librarians can increase the importance of positioning certified librarians in every school library. Through critical and crucial conversations with legislators, opportunities become available, data are shared, and essential actions take place. Partnering with other Professional Organizations – There is strength in healthy, effective partnerships. According to PSLA’s Mission our ultimate goal is “to develop competent, confident, and inquisitive learners.” We do not have to strive to meet this goal alone. By working with partner organizations, we can meet this goal by gathering new perspectives, sharing the work with others, educating diverse populations about the essential nature of libraries and putting the learner’s needs at the front of our agenda. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT JOB: Hershey High School, which enrolls 1,200 students, is in a suburban school district in Hershey, PA. As a National Board Certified school librarian, I collaborate with teachers to educate students across the content areas in grades 9 – 12. As part of my role as librarian, I represent the high school as a department chair, provide support to teachers as one of the Instructional Technology Coaches, and participate on the curriculum writing teams for English, science and social studies. In addition, I contribute to my professional learning community by presenting at state conferences with my colleagues and serving as one of the Middle States Internal Coordinators. SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS: I am actively involved at the local and state levels to promote school library program services, professional learning networks, 21st century teaching and learning, collaborative culture, teacher leadership, professional learning, and curriculum development. AWARDS AND/OR RECOGNITIONS RECEIVED: National Board Certified Teacher Librarian, 2012 - present Certificate of Merit for Leadership – Pennsylvania Library Association, September 2013 Honor Recipient – American Library Association Leadership Institute: Leading to the Future, June 2013 Author – “Murmuration: Building a Participatory Culture” – Teacher Librarian, April 2013 Panelist – PA Information Literacy Learning Community Conference, July 2011 PALS (Pennsylvania Library Association Academy of Leadership Studies), June 2010 PA Keystone Technology Integrator - PDE, January 2010 Author – “The Promise of Patrons: Weaving the Library into the Curriculum” – Learning and Media, 2009 SPECIAL PERSONAL INTERESTS: Reading and Writing (professional and personal), Travel, especially to experience local food and culture, Camping and Kayaking, Photography and Living and Learning
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NAME: Erin Parkinson CANDIDATE FOR: Board of Directors SCHOOL DISTRICT: Ellwood City Area School District SCHOOL: Lincoln Jr/Sr High School TITLE/POSITION: Librarian EXPERIENCE IN PSLA: Member since 2010 YA Top 40 committee member Summer 2011 – present PSLA Media Selection and Review co-chair since Summer 2012 SERVICE IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS: Lincoln High School Drama Club director, grades 9-12 Lincoln Book Club Sponsor grades 7-8 and grades 9-12 An active member of St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Parish in Rochester, PA, where I am a cantor, lector, Confirmation teacher, and pack take-out meals at most fish fry fundraisers PRIORITY GOALS FOR PSLA: As PSLA looks to the future, I feel it is important to focus efforts on education/advocacy work, technology integration, and the changing role of librarians. As an organization, we have the ability to not only advocate for school libraries with our legislators, but we must also advocate amongst and educate our communities, faculties, and administrators about the importance of certified library professionals within the school for collaboration and teaching, while also encouraging and advocating for information literacy offerings. It is part of our duty as an organization to maintain high levels of involvement and education within our school communities and communities at large through collaborative projects. Additionally, we must look to changes in technology as they apply to adaptations and changes in the description of “librarian” or “library media specialist”. We must continue our work transitioning to PA Common Core Standards and the library model curriculum, while also providing professional development opportunities not only for PSLA members and librarians, but also for teachers, administrators, and families about the importance of information literacy skills, collaboration between teachers, librarians, and administrators, and technology to enhance student learning, all made possible through the use of a certified, highly-qualified, school librarian. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT JOB: Lincoln Jr/Sr High School is a 7-12 school with approximately 1,000 students and 85 faculty/staff members. My current job services both students and faculty through collection development of both print and non-print resources, co-teaching and co-planning, I.M.C. and Book clubs, test administration for both Foresight Baseline testing and Study Island, grant writing (both for library resources and classroom resources), monitoring On Hands Schools and data about students, and general library duties, such as cataloging, processing, teaching, and monitoring students. Additionally, I offer professional development during in-service days and after school for faculty members and provide secretarial duties, such as laminating, Scantron maintenance and ordering, and general technology assistance. SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS: Young Adult Literature; Collaborative Teaching OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION: Beginning in the Winter edition, I will be writing a quarterly column for Learning and Media 10
NAME: Stephanie Sweeney Pennucci CANDIDATE FOR: Board of Directors SCHOOL DISTRICT: Garnet Valley School District SCHOOL: Garnet Valley High School TITLE/POSITION: Librarian EXPERIENCE IN PSLA: Member and conference attendee since freshman year in 1998 Electronic Communications Committee Co-Chair & Webmaster 2012-Present Regional Coordinator Committee Chair 2011-2012 LANLEB Regional Coordinator 2008-2011 Presenter, State Conference 2010, 2012, 2013 Panelist, State Conference 2012, 2013 Moderator, State Conference Workshop presenter: Copyright 2009 SERVICE IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS: Commonwealth Libraries Digital Curation Workshop Trainer 2011-12 Databases evaluator for Power Library 2012 Access PA Co-Regional Group Director LANLEB Region IU 13 2006-2011 Lancaster-Lebanon Librarians Association 2006-2008, Vice-president 2006-2008 American Library Association 2002-present Young Adult Library Services Association American Association of School Librarians Educators of Library Media Specialists Section Association of College & Research Libraries Distance Learning Section Education & Behavioral Sciences Section Intellectual Freedom Round Table Pennsylvania Library Association 2010-present Association of Educational Communications & Technology 2007-present Pennsylvania Association of Educational Communications & Technology 2007-present International Association for K-12 Online Learning 2012-present PRIORITY GOALS FOR PSLA: The library profession and PSLA have to become more vocal about what we do and the impact we have on students. Our present leadership has done a tremendous amount of work in this area and has already accomplished a great deal, but the membership needs to become more involved. Positions are posted daily for information literacy librarians in higher ed, yet K-12 librarians are cut at the same rate. We need to do three things: • Publish – share our successes in the PSLA journal and other non-library journals, local newspapers and school newsletters. 11
• •
Advocate – everyone needs to take one meeting with a politician at the state and/or federal level and attend one school board meeting every year. Collaborate – work not only with your building’s teachers, but with your district curriculum supervisor to acquire information literacy skills integrated into the entire curriculum.
In classrooms, we strive to collaborate with teachers in other curricular areas to meet the educational needs of our students. Similarly, partnering with more professional organizations, not just those in education, is the next step to gaining the advocates we need to support libraries of all types. We need to expand these relationships on the personal and organizational level. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT JOB: High school librarian for over 1500 students in grades 9-12 Areas of focus are creating a 24/7 web presence with LibGuides and ebooks and updating the curriculum Working closely with district Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction to integrate information literacy skills and effective research strategies into the high school curriculum Book Club advisor Present professional development workshops for teachers on information literacy and educational technology Serves as an adjunct for Clarion University (library science) and Arcadia University (educational technology & information literacy) SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS: distance education, curriculum and instruction, Web 2.0 AWARDS AND/OR RECOGNITIONS RECEIVED: 2013-14 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) K-12 Library Collection Development Grant - Western Civilizations resources 2013 Donorschoose.org – Helping future educators teach pre-schoolers 2012 Garnet Valley SD Mini Grant - World Language and ESL resources 2012 Garnet Valley High School Home & School Association – Everybody collection for special education students 2011 Garnet Valley SD Mini Grant - STEM print and ebook resources SPECIAL PERSONAL INTERESTS: Reading, spending time and traveling with my new husband, genealogy
NAME: Jeff Weiss CANDIDATE FOR: Board of Directors SCHOOL DISTRICT: Bradford Area School District SCHOOL: Bradford Area High School TITLE/POSITION: Librarian EXPERIENCE IN PSLA: Member 15 years Regional Coordinator for IU-9 Conference moderator 12
Presenter at two conferences and five PSLA/PDE sponsored workshops: Beyond Collaboration: Blueprints for Team-teaching the Research Process Interactive Storytelling using Shakespeare’s Globe Theater How Good Is Good? Driving School Library Program Improvement with PDE 428 Assessment Primer: the Why, What and How Assessment Planner: the Why, What and How Collection Evaluation: Knowing What You Have and What You Need Learning 4 Life™- School Library Programs Retooled and Relevant High school representative on PSLA/PDE Model Curriculum team (two years). SERVICE IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS: Pennsylvania Department of Education: LSTA Grant Evaluator (at least 6 years) Seneca IU-9: Workshop presenter for librarians and literacy coaches: Building Collaborative Partnerships: Collaborations, Perceptions, and Libraries Collaboration “201”: What It Can Look Like; Making It Happen An Introduction to the Model Curriculum One Book Bradford Committee (one year) First Baptist Church, Bradford PA: Moderator, Congregational Secretary, music ministry, Middle School Sunday School teacher, Pastoral Search Committee Youth for Christ of the Bradford Area: past Treasurer (8 years) PRIORITY GOALS FOR PSLA: Continuing to develop and implement a solid curriculum of information literacy statewide. This is a key component of a well-rounded education if our students are to be college, career, and citizen ready, and if our profession is to be seen as valuable. Providing librarians with professional development to assist them in implementing instruction that adds recognizable value – not only to their districts’ general curriculum and their students’ growth, but also to highstakes measures such as PSSAs, Keystones, and school performance profiles – and advocating for themselves when they accomplish this. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT JOB: Bradford Area High School Library serves 850 students and 68 faculty members in a comprehensive facility that offers both academic and vocational studies. I teach grade levels nine through twelve, but focus instruction on the ninth and tenth grades. This year, I am conducting action research on the effect that color coding the fiction section according to genres has on student fiction reading habits. Supervisory Roles: For the past ten years, I have also overseen and coordinated the graduation projects for our seniors. I serve as a “Lead Teacher” and a member of the building-level leadership team. Unofficially, I lead the other librarians in the district. Lastly, I chaperone the marching band. SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS: Curriculum Development Perceptions about the school library and the role they play. AWARDS AND/OR RECOGNITIONS RECEIVED: Lambda Iota Tau (International Literature Honorary) Kappa Delta Pi (International Education Honorary) H.W. Wilson Scholarship PSLA Outstanding Student Librarian, 1998 Clarion University Outstanding Graduate Student, 1997-98 Beta Phi Mu (International Library and Information Studies Honorary) 13
SPECIAL PERSONAL INTERESTS: Genealogy and family history, Music (choral singing and piano), Architecture and Cuckoo clock repair.
PTA: A Parent Group Not Like the Others Deborah Dunstone, President, Pennsylvania PTA Do you, as a parent, or perhaps as a child, recall singing along to the lyrics of the familiar Sesame Street song, “One of these things [is not like the others]”? Is the tune going through your head right now? Many of us are familiar with common proprietary eponyms like Coke, Band Aid, Kleenex, Scotch Tape, even BVDs. We realize that while these brand names have fallen into general use, all carbonated soft drinks, plastic adhesive bandage strips, facial tissues, pressure sensitive tape and men’s underwear do not perform the same. The same can be said for parent groups. Parent groups, by whatever name they are called, do good things for the children at their local schools. But, not all parent groups are created equal. Yes, one of these things is not like the others – PTA stands out from all the rest! Having a PTA in your school, means that your autonomous parent group has the support of a national structure. A local school’s PTA is part of a state and national association, committed to a common mission and purpose, that is, “to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.”1 The National Parent Teacher Association®(PTA®) comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of children and youth.2 For over 115 years, PTA has been a driving force in establishing school lunch programs, childhood immunizations programs, school bus safety, child labor laws and more. Today, we continue the fight for full funding, quality teachers, strengthening family engagement in education, and we stand side by side with your membership in advocating for quality school library programs. Yes, one of these things is not like the others – PTA has, for more than a century, changed the lives of children across our nation, and continues to do so today. Do you want to learn more about what PTA can offer you and your school? Contact the Pennsylvania PTA at 717-564-8985 or info@papta.orgto join as an individual member of the statewide PTA unit, Keystone PTA, or to start a PTA in your school. Make the call today and Harness the power of PTA to: Increase parent involvement and volunteerism Implement programs to enhance arts education, promote healthy lifestyles, and strengthen family-school partnerships Qualify for grants and awards to support such programs Communicate with families more effectively Partner with other community organizations Enhance fundraising efforts Realize measurable results in student achievement2 Yes, there are all kinds of parent groups; but there is only one PTA. To paraphrase Big Bird’s lyrics, PTA is a parent group “not like the others”!Join us and be exceptional! _________________________
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"National Parent Teacher Association." National Parent Teacher Association.National Parent Teacher Association, n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2013. <http://www.pta.org/>. 2 National PTA. Why Your School Needs a PTA. [Alexandria]: National PTA, 2010.
Invest in Reading at Hempfield Schools Heather Lister PSLA Intellectual Freedom Committee Chair K-6 Elementary Librarian, Hempfield School District You may have had authors, illustrators, editors, and public librarians visit your library to talk to your students, but have you ever considered an accountant? With the help of a posting on the PSLA listserv, I was able to do just that. PSLA’s partnership with PA Forward granted an opportunity to work with the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Librarians (PICPA) in a program called Invest in Reading. The program is aimed for 2nd and 3rd grade students to discuss financial literacy. Economics is a unit of study in both our 2nd and 3rd grade curriculum. While I try to collaborate with teachers as much as possible, I didn’t see myself having much involvement in the economics unit (and aside from contacting PICPA, I really didn’t). The organization did everything! They let me pick the time and dates and they found the speakers. They even donated copies of the books to the school library. Best of all – it was completely free! There were two separate programs, one for each grade. The 2nd grade program consisted of reading Bunny Money by Rosemary Wells. The students were able to participate by using fake money to follow along with the narrative of the story. Each time Max purchased something, fake money was taken away from the students. In the end, Max didn’t have enough money to buy a present for his grandmother because he spent his money on frivolous things. Following the story, the group had a rich discussion on wants versus needs. For the third grade program, Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst was read. Following the story, the students completed a worksheet circling things that were needs. Then students came up with items that they wanted, and discussed ways to raise the money to purchase that item. Both programs were incredibly engaging and acted as a springboard for further discussion in the classrooms. This program was not only beneficial to the students, but it made me realize something about my role as a librarian. My job is to help the teachers deliver the curriculum in the most meaningful, engaging way possible. Sometimes that equates to a collaborative research lesson involving the library resources. Other times, such as this one, it means just the opposite. Other than making that initial phone call, I had very little involvement, but the teachers were thrilled with my help. The program received such positive feedback from the students and teachers. Our local newspaper featured an article on the event (http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/914538_Accountant-teaches-value-of-money-by-reading-to-Hempfieldstudents.html). Not only do we plan to participate again next year, but we are planning on expanding it to other elementary schools within the district. *****************************************************************************************
ARCHIVES Committee I think it was my reputation as a pack rat that landed me in the Archives chair position. I must admit that I love local history and can easily fritter away hours digging into “old stuff.” I started digging into the PSLA archives last summer at the same time that I was supervising a student internship at the State Archives in Harrisburg. It was perfect timing because records from 1930 - 2010 had recently been moved to be 15
permanently housed in the State Archives. Eighty years’ worth of history was contained in 18 cartons and 3 oversized boxes. Searching the Archives website, you will find a description of those records: The Pennsylvania School Librarians Association is a nonprofit organization formed to provide educational opportunities and professional development for its members and to provide information to the public on school library programs in the public, private, and parochial schools of Pennsylvania. The Association provides educational opportunities through publications, workshops, seminars, and conferences. Among the materials are the Constitution and Bylaws, 1964-1972; Minutes of the Board of Directors, 1978-2002; Committee Reports, 1980-2009; Executive Council Records, 1966-1971; Advisory Council Minutes, 1974-2009; Presidents' Records, 1964-2010; Secretary Records, Treasurers Records, and Position Papers, 1977-1984; Workshop Materials, 1985-2000; Policies, 1989-1991; Conference Records, 1977-1994; Publicity Materials, 1966-2001; Newsletters, 1973-2009; Pennsylvania Council of School Librarians Newsletter, 1930-1938, Pennsylvania School Library Association and Governor's Committee on Education, 1960-1990; and School Library Standards, 1954-1970. That leaves the records since 2010. Paulette Braucher-Watton has joined the committee and, with the help of President Eileen Kern, we have been working on organizing photos and other materials from recent conferences, presidents, etc. Eventually (when my spare room can hold no more) another trip will be made to Harrisburg to deliver records from Nancy Smith Latanision’s term of office. Apparently my pack-rat tendency was inherited. The attached photo comes from my mother’s scrapbook. The 1972 Conference was the last one held at a university. It was held at what was then Kutztown State College and I was in my first year as a school librarian in the Parkland School District. Having just celebrated our ruby (40th) anniversary, we know that the official start of PSLA Conferences as we know them was in 1973. I’m looking forward to sifting through the archives and bringing back more “moments in history” for all to enjoy. --- Dr. Eloise M. Long, Professor Kutztown University
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