Memorandum

To: Statesboro High School administration

From: Hannah Sikes, in collaboration with Amy Altman

Date: 04/04/22

GADOE Library Media Program Self-Evaluation Results

A blank rubric may be accessed here. The completed rubric for the Statesboro High School

media program may be accessed here. Green check marks indicate where a particular score

has been assigned.

Summary

Category 1 - Student Achievement and Instruction

Information literacy skills are integrated into the curriculum through the collaborative effort of

SHS media specialists and teachers at a proficient level. The library media specialists

participate in collaborative planning primarily when initiated by the classroom teacher. Through

collaborative planning and teaching, the library media program is an extension of classroom

instruction. The library media center offers events and activities as well as bulletin boards and

displays suited to a wide range of interests. The media specialists select resources suited to

diverse learning abilities and styles and inform classroom teachers of the availability of these

resources. Classroom teachers are responsible for assessing student achievement.

Category 2 - Staffing

While there is no library paraprofessional, there are two full-time media specialists and a

full-time technology liaison in the media center. This ensures that support personnel are

available at all times in the media center.

Category 3 - Facilities, Access, and Resources

The media center is available to students and faculty before school. Flexible scheduling and the

presence of multiple media specialists and a technology liaison ensures that students and

faculty can be assisted during all hours of operation. The library exceeds the minimum square

footage requirement and can accommodate individual, group, and class activities, events,

presentations, production space, and storage. Shelving, storage areas, and electric wiring meet

the needs of the collection. Individuals with disabilities can easily access the facilities.

There are whiteboards and a Promethean board located in the computer lab area. These

resources are used frequently. This is in keeping with white boards and Promethean boards in

classrooms throughout the building. Wireless connectivity throughout the school enables access

to print and non-print resources. Resources are recorded in MARC format and the OPAC is

readily accessible throughout the school. Students are provided instruction in accessing Galileo.

Some library resources are available outside of the school via Internet connection. Students use

library technology independently for extended projects and information retrieval.

Category 4 - Administrative Support

The system media contact person maintains communication between library media specialists

throughout the district. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person meetings took place

regularly. Links are provided on the school and district websites regarding library media center

announcements. The school principal is supportive of the library media program and meets with

the media specialists occasionally. A library media advisory committee determines the library

media policy which is updated annually. Library staff use the library media policy as a guiding

document for the operation of the media center. The library media center receives an annual

allocation for expenditures each year.

Category 5 - Staff Development

The library media specialists continually enhance their professional and technology skills. The

media specialists routinely lead professional development sessions within the school based on

faculty needs. Assistance and resources are provided individually as well.

Action Items - Basic

#2. Collaborative planning includes both the Library Media Specialists and teachers to ensure

use of library media center resources that support on-going classroom instruction and

implementation of state curriculum and the GPS and CCGPS.

To move into the Proficient rating, the media specialists should seek involvement with grade

level and subject team meetings and/or PLCs. While it may not be reasonable to expect the

media specialists to attend all or any of these meetings, it may be possible to work with

instructional leads or grade-level administrators to stay up-to-speed on what is being covered.

This will allow for more collaborative planning opportunities initiated by the media specialists.

The media specialists can approach the instructional leads and/or administrators at the end of

the 2021-2022 school year to make this practice standard for the 2022-2023 school year.

#6. Student achievement is routinely assessed.

For activities and lessons taking place in the media center, or for guided reading activities taking

place in the classroom, the media specialists and teacher should collaborate on rubrics or other

grading metrics. Standardized rubric templates can be created and shared with the faculty for

use with media center or guided reading activities. Individualized collaborative opportunities

should be undertaken with teachers prior to the start of a lesson/activity or guided reading unit.

The media specialists should make this desire known to instructional leads and administrators in

order to make this practice standard for the 2022-2023 school year.
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#7. One of the national educational technology goals states: “Effective and engaging software

and on-line resources will be an integral part of every school’s curriculum.” The GALILEO Virtual

Library provides Georgia students and teachers access to exceptional on-line resources at no

cost to the local school district.

The GALILEO password is currently disseminated in a timely manner and students are given

one-time or individual instruction in accessing GALILEO. A training video, such as an

instructional screencast, can be created at little or no cost and made mandatory viewing in

homeroom or ELA classes at the start of each school year. This video can also be shared with

students and faculty via email and posted to district and school webpages, including but not

limited to the media center’s page on the school website. The media specialists can also work

with instructional leads and ELA teachers to ensure that all ELA classes complete a mandatory

trip to the media center for instruction on GALILEO during the months of August and

September. The media specialists can also work with instructional leads to ensure that training

on GALILEO is provided to teachers during meetings or PLCs. The media specialists should

make this desire known to instructional leads and administrators in order to make this practice

standard for the 2022-2023 school year.

Action Item - Proficient

8. There shall be a plan for flexibly scheduled library media center access for students and

teachers in groups or as individuals simultaneously throughout each instructional day.

Accessibility shall refer to the facility, the staff, and the resources and shall be based on

instructional need.

To move from proficient to exemplary in this area, all that is needed is the inclusion of evening

hours to the library’s schedule. Evening hours or events can be implemented once or twice a

month to allow students and parents extra access to books, computers, printing stations, and

other library resources. Suggested after-hours programming includes FAFSA information and
 Sikes 5

application sessions, student job fairs, and college or career information sessions. It is likely that

only one media specialist would be required to supervise these events. These can be

implemented on a monthly basis during the 2022-2023 school year and, if there is sufficient

attendance, can be gradually increased in frequency.