Past+Board+Statements

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Dr. Balentine, President Grant, and Governing Board Members: I am speaking to you on behalf of the fourteen library staff members who signed a letter that was sent via email on 5/11/09 as to the state of our district libraries, specifically in regard to the elimination of two full-time library positions: one at Amphitheater High School and the other at Wetmore in the Elementary Library Office, and the loss of several classified positions. I have read the past Board meeting minutes and I know that these times of budget cuts are painful for everyone. As a group we are all very grateful to be able to work everyday with students and faculty doing a job we love, and at this time we feel compelled to make a statement about issues that are of growing concern. Our district libraries have fallen prey to declining enrollment, although not necessarily declining usage. In times of economic adversity, libraries provide for those who do not have equal access as school libraries are the great equalizer. Although enrollment numbers do provide a type of benchmark to justify providing services, we feel this benchmark is outdated. There are enormous discrepancies in library services across our school district and we collectively accept full responsibility for not realizing the consequences of not taking action sooner. One of our most important jobs as librarians is to advocate for our students. The loss of library positions, in a time when libraries are needed most, means we have not done our job. Libraries have changed dramatically in the last 10 years based on user needs and the role of librarians has adjusted to meet these needs. It is up to us to prepare our students for the 21st Century in many different literacies; many that our teachers need our assistance in teaching. We want to provide quality library services to all students, level the playing field, and bridge the digital divide in our district schools. In order to do this we need to work together with district and school administrators to establish standards for library staffing. Why do we have school libraries with record numbers of circulations, patrons, and classes that are understaffed? If it is due to enrollment then why do we have schools with similar enrollments that are staffed differently? Who determines staffing and shouldn’t it be based on meaningful data like user needs and usage rather than enrollment figures? Libraries have been around for so long because they listen and adjust to what their users need. Libraries will continue to thrive only if they adjust. We feel it is time for the Amphitheater School District to do the same. Please work with us to establish district standards to guide school administrators when there are times of cutbacks and also in times of plenty. Libraries are the core of any instructional institution but sometimes their value is seen as less than. The library is really one huge classroom. There’s a saying ’“Nobody graduated from a library; nobody graduated without one.” Amphitheater School District provides the highest quality education possible. Our school libraries and their staff are an essential part of that education. ======

Dear Dr. Balentine & Amphitheater Governing Board Members:
 * From: **  Malapanes, Beth
 * Sent: ** Monday, May 11, 2009 1:13 PM
 * To: ** Balentine, Vicki; Grant, Jeff; Boros, Diana; Barrabee, Kent; Clymer, Patricia; Loomis, Linda
 * Cc: ** Eiting, Cathy; Nelson, Patrick; Althouse, Eileen; Andrews, Stephanie; Alzner, David; Devine, Vanessa; Gautier, Pamela; Joyce, Marcia; Malapanes, Beth; Mora-Brown, Margie; O'Meara, Lisa; Nason, Ron; Petersen, Cinda; Robbeloth, Linda; Schwartz, Judy; Schwarz, Kathy
 * Subject: ** Letter from District Library Staff

We acknowledge the shared sacrifices necessary during our state’s current budget crisis and our district’s declining enrollment. We are also aware that Wetmore has sustained the deepest cuts; however we are very concerned that the reduction in force impacting Amphitheater libraries--a full-time librarian position at Amphitheater High School and the Head of Elementary Libraries—are reductions that will impact our district library services and students for years to come. The Board has continually expressed appreciation to the library staff throughout the District for their contributions. At the middle schools and high schools, librarians are certified teachers who directly instruct thousands of students each year in information literacy and 21st Century Skills. Librarians collaborate with other teachers to implement Arizona State Standards that are not addressed elsewhere in the curriculum, including most of the proposed new Arizona Technology Standards, 21st Century Skills, and American Association of School Libraries Standards. directly impact North Central Accreditation, Project Excel, Career Ladder, AIMS, Accelerated Reader, MAP, and Terra Nova. The district has publicly committed to building 21st Century Schools by investing large amounts of tax payer funds, and the loss of the Amphitheater High School librarian’s position, essentially 10% of the district’s certified school library media specialists, will negatively impact this progress by diminishing the number of face-to-face instructional hours of the aforementioned standards. If this reduction was based on low enrollment numbers, we are not sure why this position was completely eliminated rather than reduced to a part-time position. In addition, the Head of Elementary Libraries has also been eliminated. This position has been in existence in our district for at least thirty years serving as vital support to our elementary library assistants. It is our request that that this position be petitioned for reinstatement once economic positioning is improved, as Dr. Balentine requested at the April 14th Board meeting when referring to district-wide cuts, documented in those minutes. “She indicated that the cuts being proposed herein are doable but difficult and noted that once economic positioning is improved, expects to return and petition for the return of administrative support.” It is our firm belief that it is our district librarians and library assistants who will prepare vast numbers of our students for the 21st Century. Thus, we request that the Amphitheater School District direct administrative leaders to recognize the serious impact these personnel changes will have on district libraries. Librarians and library staff fill many gaps in our district’s curriculum and without these positions and the support for these positions, who is going to prepare our students for the 21st Century? As a group, we are requesting to be involved with district administration in a process to establish district standards for certified library staffing and to assist our elementary libraries with their procedures due to the recent loss of the Head of the Elementary Libraries. We believe that libraries and library staff must be held accountable to more than arbitrary enrollment numbers. Administrators should assess our libraries using meaningful data like book circulations, usage statistics, lesson plans and standards addressed. We have formed a committee and look forward to working together with the District to establish these standards. We want to ensure that when a student graduates from any of our district schools, he or she is a proficient user of library, information, and technology resources, and that this guarantee to our students is not be hindered by a school’s low enrollment. In closing, we appreciate you allowing us to express our concerns regarding this matter. We are committed to preparing all Amphitheater students for the 21st Century and we passionately believe that libraries are the key. Please help us continue our mission to provide Amphitheater students and staff with the quality library services they deserve as we are reminded of a quote by Harold Howe, former U.S. Commissioner of Education. “What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it thinks about education.” We would also contend that what a school district thinks about its libraries is a measure of what it thinks about education. Respectfully submitted by: Eileen Althouse, Library Assistant, Painted Sky Stephanie Andrews-Librarian, La Cima Middle School David Alzner-Librarian, Canyon del Oro High School Vanessa Devine-Head of Elementary Libraries Pam Gautier-Librarian, Cross Middle School Marcia Joyce-Library Assistant, Holoway Elementary School Beth Malapanes-Librarian, Canyon del Oro High School Margie Mora-Brown-Librarian, Amphitheater High School Lisa O’Meara-Library Clerk, Copper Creek Elementary School Ron Nason-Librarian, Amphitheater Middle School Cinda Petersen-Library Assistant, Donaldson Elementary School Linda Robbeloth-Librarian, Amphitheater High School Judy Schwartz-Library Assistant, Copper Creek Elementary School Kathy Schwarz-Library Assistant, Hareleson Elementary

2 Full-Time Librarians 1 Full-Time Library Assistant 1 .5 Library Clerk 1 .5 Library Media Technician I
 * Board Meeting 3/10/09 Sample Allocations (M & O) for Projected Enrollment 1677 for Sample High School**

3. National Library Week Presentation To acknowledge National Library Week, April 13-19, 2007, Ms. Beth Malapanes, Librarian at Canyon del Oro High School and Ms. Toby Smitt, Librarian at Cross Middle School – along with other District library personnel, were in attendance in honor of the upcoming library-week celebration. Ms. Smitt provided a summary of the progress in student and library practices within the district during her 22-year tenure. She cited examples indicative of the importance in the collaborative process between teachers and library media specialists resulting in successful student endeavors. Media specialists (i.e. librarians) are continuously exploring more creative ways to connect students with books. Several library personnel were in attendance and acknowledged. A brief video, created by Mr. Ron Nason, Librarian at Amphitheater Middle School, which was filmed at various Amphi libraries was shown. Ms. Malapanes thanked the Board for its support through the years and extended invitations to them to visit any of the District libraries during Library Week. The Board expressed appreciation to the library staff throughout the District for their contributions. Dr. Barrabee thanked the library staff for their strong support of “freedom of speech” and their approach with both censorship in ensuring age-appropriate materials and, in the support of “diversity” and tolerance.
 * Here are the minutes from 4/8/08 Board Meeting**

School Libraries Work 2008 from Scholastic []
 * Notes taken at library meeting 4/23/09**

Libraries do more than checkout books. Start off by saying loss is devastating. We are losing a full-time librarian position and a full-time position in the elementary library office is not being replaced. We understand this was a site-based decisison.

POINTS TO CONSIDER: Sharing impact, elementary libraries no Vanessa ordering books, elem. libraries don’t have certified staff, kids research skills, classified staff not supposed to teach, percentage of loss of of 1/11 certfied positions and Vanessas loss is 1/1 of of elementray library office, computer labs, technology skills, how we have an impact on reading skills, this is what we teach kids, safety issues when we have high volume and less staff, bridge from elem. to middle to high school as far as information literacy

We impact 21st Century Skills, Project Excel, Career, Ladder, JTED, new tech skills, AIMS, AR, MAP, Terra Nova.

ALL the Standards: we cover New AZ Tech Standards (Passed TODAY I think) many are library standards (who will cover these and all the tech standards that don't get covered that we cover), 21st Century Standards, AASL Standards for School Libraries

Certified historical context of Amphitheater Public Schools Did Amphi used to have teacher-librarians at the elementary schools? No, not since I have been here, only for K-8 schools. Book selection. Book ordering using Finance Plus. Book processing (most books come processed, but I do have to print cards and labels for gift, book fair books, etc.) Order all supplies. Check in all book and supply orders. Chair and organize monthly meetings. Help with special projects in libraries (weeding, book fairs, etc.) Circulation Plus and Catalog Plus support agreement renewals for all schools. Orders magazines for nine schools, also distributes, and claims. **Here's what will happen if she is not here:** If library assistants do not have time to order, collections will get dated, and not used. Students will not have access to the most current resources to support new curriculum alignment. Time spent on ordering and processing will negatively impact time for student interaction. Library Assistants considering closing library one day for technical/processing/clerical duties Possibly have checkout for upper grades only and no library skills in the larger schools Collection will become old and books worn with no time to repair Larger population schools may have to go to biweekly and shorter classes No one source for supplementary library materials--the circulating dolls, etc. Lack of continuity and balance amongst elementary libraries in collection development and processing Concern book and supply monies will not be accounted for at each site Possibly teachers will take over instructing students in library skills and book selection while LAs offer technical assistance only. Time to read professional reviews to guarantee a quality collection and learn district procurement procedures Large turnaround and circulation numbers at Copper Creek with Accelerated Reader--how will numbers be affected? Creative aspects of library (displays, bulletin boards, contests new & interesting programs and lessons) will be hampered or eliminated. How will reading scores be impacted with the loss of library assistants working directly with students
 * Vannesa has been in her position 23 years. This is what she says:**
 * Here's what Vanessa does:**

START LETTER HERE CLICK EDIT AND BEGIN TYPING: Dear Dr. Ballantine & Amphitheater Board Members:

We acknowledge the shared sacrifice necessary in a time of budget cuts; however we are concerned that the reduction in force impacting Amphitheater libraries--a full-time librarian position at Amphi High School and the head of Elementary Libraries--cuts too deeply from our school libraries.(Suggested replacement of first paragraph)

I t is __with respect__ that we write to you concerning personnel issues that have occurred over the last few weeks. We are specifically troubled about the Reductions in Force as applicable to Amphitheater libraries. We are losing a full-time librarian position at Amphi High School and the full-time Head of Elementary Libraries.

__The Board has continually expressed appreciation to the library staff throughout the District for their contributions.__ Librarians are teachers who directly instruct thousands of students a year in information literacy skills and 21st Century Skills. Librarians collaborate with other teachers to implement Arizona State Standards that are not addressed elsewhere in the curriculum, including most of the new Arizona Technology Standards, of which many are library/information literacy standards, 21st Century Skills, and American Association of School Libraries Standards. The district has publicly committed to building 21st Century Schools by investing large amounts of tax payer funds, and the loss of essentially 10% of the certified school library media specialists will negatively impact this progress __by diminishing__ the number of face-to-face instructional hours with students.

Our elementary libraries have already been negatively impacted by previous budget cuts. When certified teacher librarians were replaced by classified personnel, the crucial role of a teacher-librarian teaching information literacy was lost. When library clerk positions were cut, elementary librarians took on the additional tasks of shelving and checking out books. Now, the crucial role of developing a library collection that supports independent reading and supplements the curriculum as well as cataloging and processing books--previously performed by the head of Elementary Libraries--has also been cut. Elementary librarians cannot adequately take on this additional responsibility along with all the others. Not only will this negatively impact reading scores; it will also severely impede Amphitheater's goal of teaching 21st Century skills in elementary schools since information literacy is a key part of 21st Century skills. (Suggested replacement of 3rd and 4th paragraphs. Bulletin boards, displays, etc. can be done by classified personnel--teaching, collection development, and cataloging cannot.)

At the elementary level, without the Head of the Elementary Library Position, the Library Assistants and Library Clerks will now be responsible for collection development__, book, magazine and supplies ordering as well as renewing Circulation Plus and Catalog Plus support agreements. To retain continuity and balance amongst the elementary libraries as well as fulfill the needs of their site readers and meet district curriculum objectives, budgeting, and administrative tasks, elementary librarians will need to collaborate with a district administrator.__

With the loss of this critical Elementary Libraries position, time spent on ordering, budgeting, and processing will negatively impact time for student interaction; turnaround and circulation numbers will greatly be affected. __An imperative aspect of all libraries is the creation of library displays, bulletin boards, contests, and new and interesting programs and lessons to enbolden reading and literary appreciation__. These activities will be hampered or eliminated. Finally, reading scores will be impacted with the loss of library personnel working directly with students by limiting access to updated resources and reader's advisory.

__Insert key points here on how Amphi High's program will be impacted__

It is our request that the Amphitheater School District __direct administrative leaders to recognize the serious impact these personnel changes will have on libraries. Building principals must take an active roll with teachers and librarians in answering the questions: "What should a school library media specialist look like? What should be the focus of today's school library program? How will you meet the goals you set for students with what you have?__

__Eliminate Gemma or Balentine quote__

__The underlined text is the combined opinions of Tami and myself. The elemination of text is to ensure the Board is not placed in an "accusatory" framework, in other words quoting what was said previously under more positive economical times and tossing it back at them. I would like our letter to address the seriousness of these cuts, the specifics of the impact, and the need for their cooperation to collaborate on changes.

It is very difficult to specifically show how librarians directly impact Career Ladder, JTED, AIMS, Accelerated Reader, etc.- so best to leave those claims out.__ I (Pam) have researched information literacy instruction for libraries at the CAR level all year and intend to apply for a district staff development option. I very much directly impact work done with Career Ladder (I was also on the steering committee). Also, I have had a huge impact on our Accelerated Reader program this year and last and have parent and teacher statements to support this. THe only thing I would agree to leaving out is JTED. I also don't believe that quoting Dr. Gemma regarding the importance of the library as the hub of the school for 21st century Skills is "tossing it back at them." It simply supports our assertions.