[palib] PAHS Library
- From: "Pamela Walton" <Pamela_Walton@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: palib@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 09:24:48 -0700
How lovely to have a place to discuss area library issues!
This is my first communication because I have only been at work one day
since our meeting.
There is bad news as far as my position at the high school library - my
principal informed me that I have to teach a class in addition to my
present duties. Since I cannot get all the work done being in the Library
full-time, this will be a magical trick to accomplish! Plus, the only
high school area that I have expertise at the high school level is the
Library. I haven't been in front of a classroom for 30 years, and then it
was 2nd and 3rd grade!
Would you want your child to have me for a teacher in any subject but
Library??? No training, no experience except for Library.
The district also cut the elementary Librarian position, and I am waiting
to hear if the middle schools were cut.
An e-mail from our superintendent, Gary Cohn, seemed to hint that his wife
is on your Board of Directors, and that perhaps the public library will
replace our function??? I am certain you are all overjoyed to hear that
news. Actually, one of our district administrators stated that the new
Jefferson would not need a library since the PA Public Library was so
close - their students could just walk up the hill and use it. Luckily
his idea was not adopted.
The school librarians would be extremely grateful for any communications
you are willing to send to our district administration relative to the
cuts of school librarians. According to Northwest Accreditation
Standards, a high school of our size requires at least one full-time
Librarian plus additional staff for schools over 500. Both the PAHS
principal and our district superintendent brushed the standards off as
unimportant. When we showed the results of several recent research
projects which verify that school libraries that were staffed with
certificated Librarians had higher test scores than those that do not,
this was also brushed aside as unimportant.
The removal of the one elementary Librarian from our 6 elementary schools
is incredible as this is where library information skills need to be
introduced and practiced. This will not happen without a Librarian,
except in the case where a teacher realizes the value to her/his students
and teaches information skills.
It is my sincere belief that Library Standards were included in the
Northwest Accreditation to hold administrators accountable. This is not
happening in our district.
thanks for listening, Pam Walton P.S. There is about a 90% chance that
my husband will be taking a job in Centralia, and I am extremely concerned
that my position may not be replaced even at part-time.
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