Perry Community School District Library Improvement Plan
Final version, May 23, 2016
Vision of the Perry Community School District library system:
Ensure learning for all students and teachers through inquiring, creating, and problem solving to create a love of learning.
Perry Community School District libraries strive to
Create engaging, collaborative spaces filled with diverse resources and opportunities for inquiring, creating, and problem solving.
Teach students to become effective users of current information and technology.
Support teachers as they develop cross-curricular units of instruction.
Maintain up-to-date collections of fiction and nonfiction resources for students and teachers.
Communicate and increase accessibility among community, families, students and teachers about available resources and upcoming events.
Encourage students to take responsibility for learning.
Develop an appreciation for reading and libraries that will facilitate lifelong learning.
Objective / Indicator(s) of Success / Specific Steps / Resources Needed / Dates / Follow -UpCreate a K-12 library plan for improvement to meet all areas of noncompliance from our site visit by the Iowa DE in January 2015. / Our State School Improvement Consultant will approve the plan for meeting the requirements. / 1. The District Library Team will develop an action plan addressing each area of noncompliance from the DE site visit.
2. This team will include the following: one of the elementary principals, middle school principal, Director of Teaching & Learning, District Teacher Librarian, district library paraprofessionals, & classroom teachers representing each building.
3. The Director of Teaching Learning will submit the completed plan to our DE School Improvement Consultant by June 1, 2015. / Time to meet to craft the library plan.
Copies of the document, Preparing a School Library Program Development Plan from the Iowa DE. / April 16 &30, May 7 & 21, 2015 / The plan was submitted and approved by the State School Improvement Consultant.
Establish a District Library Team that will regularly review and revise the library program beginning with the 2015-16 school year. / 1. There will be a District Library Team, with representatives from each building, the district, community, & Perry City Library, that meets monthly until all areas of noncompliance are effectively addressed.
2. This committee will then change to an advisory capacity and meet quarterly or as determined by the committee. / 1. Create a District Library Team. Members include Cathy Petersen, District Teacher Librarian, Karen Sackett and Nancy Sawyer, library paraprofessionals, teachers Janna Bjork, Julie Elliott, Jessica Harstad (elem), Laura Coller, Charlotte McDonald, (MS), Wendy Bollhoefer (HS), Chris Creason (community member), administrators Carol Ryerson (MS Assist. Principal), Joel Martin (Co-Elem Principal), Kevin Vidergar (Director of Teaching & Learning), and Mary Murphy (City of Perry Library Director).
2. Create a schedule of monthly meetings and tasks to accomplish during each meeting. / Meeting schedule and resources to support the work of creating a plan for improving the district library system. / Mtgs. for 2015-16:Oct. 21, Nov. 10, Dec. 8, 2015; Jan. 12, Feb. 9, Mar. 8, Apr. 12, May 10, 2016 / The team completed the action plan in May 2016. The District Library Team will beginimplementation during the 2016-17 school year, and full implementation will occur by the end of the 2017-18 school year.
Objective / Indicator(s) of Success / Specific Steps / Resources Needed / Dates / Follow -Up
Develop a clear vision of what the district library program should become. / 1. The District Library Team will present to the school board and public a clear and compelling vision for the district library program.
2. The vision will address, either directly or indirectly, each of the objectives listed below. / The District Library Team will use a variety of resources, including meeting with the Director of Library Services for Heartland AEA, reading articles, visiting other school libraries, and viewing videos on a variety of school libraries. The team will use these experiences to craft a vision statement for the Perry Library program. Refer to the plan adopted by the team for the 2015-16 school year for specific steps. / Time to meet; schedule meeting with AEA Library Director; review examples, etc. / Oct. 21, 2015 through May 10, 2016. / Vision statement completed March 8, 2016.
*Vision statement is found at the beginning of this document.
Ensure that the school library program is regularly reviewed, revised, and designed to improve library collections. (LP4, 218-IAC 12.3(11) / The library includes a current and diverse collection of fiction and nonfiction in a variety of formats to support student and curriculum needs. /
- District library staff will create a timeline for reviewing the collection in each building library and publicizing the results.
- This timeline will be followed during each school year.
- The results of the inventory will be published on each school’s website prior to the beginning of the next academic year.
- The District Teacher Librarian will review progress quarterly with theDistrict Library Advisory Committee.
Ensure that the district library collection includes a current and diverse collection of fiction and non-fiction in a variety of formats. (LP9, 218-IAC 12.3(11) / The library program provides for methods to improve library collections to meet student and staff needs, including establishing a diverse collection of fiction and non-fiction in a variety of formats. / 1. District library staff will work with consultants from Follett to complete an inventory of the current collection in each building.
2. This information will be submitted to the consultant at Follett.
3. The consultant at Follett will create a plan for updating the collection.
4. District library staff will consult with teachers concerning their building’s collection and plans for updating the collection.
5. District library staff will use this plan to create a budget.
6The District Teacher Librarian will share this plan with the superintendent and the school board during the 2016-17 school year, with the intent to establish a district account for improving the district library collections.
In subsequent years, the District Teacher Librarian will use the process listed in steps 1-5 to create an annual plan for improving the district library collections. / Contact information for consultants at Follett.
Members of the District Library Advisory Committee have copies of these reports. / District library staff met on Monday, March 28, 2016 to complete submission of collection information to the Follett consultant. She was able to run reports for each library. / A plan and budget for updating the library’s collection will be shared with the District Library Advisory Committee during the first quarterly meeting of each school year.
Ensure that the district library plan includes annual updating and replacing library materials, supports, and equipment. (LP10, 218-IAC 12.3(11) / A plan for annual updating and replacing of library materials, supports, and equipment is in place. / 1. Data generated from the review of the collection will be used to propose creating a district account to support the district library program. This account will provide yearly support.
2. The District Teacher Librarian will share this proposal with the superintendent and school board.
3. In addition, the District Teacher Librarian and District Library Advisory Committee will pursue various grants to obtain funds for purchases beyond books and technology. / Collaborate with consultants from Follett to create helpful reports on the collection age, what needs to be weeded, potential costs for replacing weeded books, etc. / The District Teacher Librarian will create this plan during the first semester of 2016-17. / The District Teacher Librarian will share the plan with the District Library Advisory Committee and seek their support for sharing the plan with the superintendent and school board.
Objective / Indicator(s) of Success / Specific Steps / Resources Needed / Dates / Follow -Up
Increase connections with parents and the community. (LP5, 218-IAC 12.3(11) / Each school library in the district will have an interactive web page accessible by students, parents, community members, and staff. / 1. The District Library Team will review library websites & identify essential elements to include in our building library websites during the 2015-16 school year.
2. The Director of Teaching & Learning will work with the district technology director and the teacher of high school web design classes to build the web pages using guidance from the District Library Team.
3. The District Teacher Librarian will review and update the web pages monthly. / Samples of effective library web pages from other school districts. / This work will occur during team meetings throughout the 2015-16 school year.
Step 2 will occur during April and May, 2016. / Web pages for each school library will be ready for release to the public by September 1, 2016.
The District Library Advisory Committee will review web pages quarterly.
Objective / Indicator(s) of Success / Specific Steps / Resources Needed / Dates / Follow -Up
Ensure that the district library program supports the district’s school improvement plan. (LP6, 218-IAC 12.3(11) / 1. The District Teacher Librarian directs the library program and provides services and instruction in support of building curricular goals.
2. The District Teacher Librarian meets with teams of teachers (e.g., team of math or literacy teachers, etc.) within each building to share special expertise in identifying resources and technologies to support teaching and learning. / 1. The District Teacher Librarian will work closely with the Director of Teaching & Learning and instructional coaches to support initiatives in each building.
2. The District Teacher Librarian will design a schedule that identifies time for collaboration with teachers in each building. (For example: The District Teacher Librarian might periodically join a grade level or content area PLC when the PLC is focusing on a learning objective connected to information literacy learning.)
3. The District Teacher Librarian will meet monthly with the Director of Teaching Learning. During this meeting, the District Teacher Librarian will share a log of interactions with teachers demonstrating resources and technologies shared. / Implementing the
Common Core State Standards The Role of the School Librarian (2013) / Meetings between the District Teacher Librarian and teachers will begin during the first quarter of 2016-17 and continue as an ongoing action. / The District Teacher Librarian will meet with the Director of Teaching Learning to share evidence of progress toward supporting curricular goals through instruction, services, and collaboration.
Create engaging, collaborative spaces filled with diverse resources and opportunities for inquiring, creating, and problem solving. / Ensure that each library includes an inviting, collaborative space for reading, study, and/or creating things (e.g., makerspace). / 1 Identify specific space in each library that will be converted to collaborative meeting spaces.
2. Identify the specific furniture and other things that will go into each space.
3. Publicize the proposed changes to create interest and build support.
4. Write grants to obtain funds to purchase the needed furniture and other materials.
5. Publicize the changes as they are made to continue to create interest and build support among students, teachers, parents, & community. / Web sites and resources on makerspaces.
Visits to school libraries with makerspaces. / The District Teacher Librarian will develop plans for implementing makerspaces during the first semester of 2016-17 and begin implementing them during the second semester of 2016-17. / The District Teacher Librarian will report progress to the District Library Advisory Committee each quarter.
Objective / Indicator(s) of Success / Specific Steps / Resources Needed / Dates / Follow -Up
The school library program promotes literacy through reader guidance and activities that develop capable and independent readers. / 1. Instruction includes access, evaluation, use, creation and communication of information and emphasizes use of inquiry and critical thinking.
2. The District Teacher Librarian and classroom teachers collaborate to develop, teach, and evaluate information literacy learning experiences. / 1. The District Teacher Librarian will develop and teach lessons to support information literacy using the 21st Century skills from the Iowa Core.
2. The District Teacher Librarian will work with library paraprofessionals to teach lessons.
3. Books in the elementary library will be labeled with reading levels correlated to the literacy curriculum. / Implementing the
Common Core State Standards The Role of the School Librarian (2013) / This work will begin during the 2016-17 school year.
Books in the elementary library will be labeled by the end of the first semester of the 2016-17 school year. / The District Teacher Librarian will report progress to the District Library Advisory Committee each quarter.
Ensure that the district library plan supports continued professional learning for the District Teacher Librarian and library paraprofessionals (LP7, 218-IAC 12.3(11) / Access or support for professional development for the District Teacher Librarian and library paraprofessionals is provided. / 1. When creating thedistrict library plan, district library staff will identify needs for additional learning.
2. District library staff will work with their building principals and the Director of Teaching & Learning to attend professional learning opportunities as needed. / The District Teacher Librarian will identify trainings and professional learning opportunities as needed. / This is an ongoing action. / The District Teacher Librarian will report progress to the District Library Advisory Committee each quarter.
Objective / Indicator(s) of Success / Specific Steps / Resources Needed / Dates / Follow -Up
Ensure that the district library program provides current technology and electronic resources. (LP8, 218-IAC 12.3(11) / 1.Current technologyelectronic resources are provided to ensure that students become skillful, discriminating users of information.
2. The District Teacher Librarian and the library paraprofessionals will teach lessons in the library using technology (e.g., laptop, projector, document camera, etc.).
3. Teachers in each building will become knowledgeable of information acquisition resources available through the building library.
4. The District Teacher Librarian and classroom teachers collaborate to enhance learning and teaching through technology. / 1. Each school library web site will include links to free resources and tools.
2. The District Teacher Librarian will meet with teams of teachers as identified previously.
3. The District Teacher Librarian will share resources for acquiring information with teachers.
4. The District Teacher Librarian, Director of Teaching & Learning, and building principals will collaborate to ensure that each library is equipped with current technology and electronic resources. / Connect with Heartland AEA Library & Digital Resources department.
Lists of grants that the District Teacher Librarian can pursue in order to seek funds to support some of the equipment needs in each school library. / Target date is to have the building library web pages ready for the public by September 1, 2016. / The District Teacher Librarian will report progress to the District Library Advisory Committee each quarter.
Objective / Indicator(s) of Success / Specific Steps / Resources Needed / Dates / Follow -Up
The Board has adopted policies to address selection and reconsideration of school library materials, confidentiality of student library records, and legal and ethical use of information resources including plagiarism and intellectual property rights. / 1. The district will have a plagiarism policy in place.The policy will be shared with the superintendent and the school board.
2. The District Library Advisory Committee will review the various policies listed in this objective and ensure that they reflect the district library vision and are current/up to date. / 1. The District Library Advisory Committee will review sample plagiarism policies.
2. The District Library Advisory Committeewill craft a policy for the district based on the samples.
3. The District Library Advisory Committeewill share the proposed policy with teachers and administrators in each building to get feedback.
4. The District Library Advisory Committeewill meet to review feedback and revise the policy as needed.
5. The policy will be shared with the superintendent and the school board.
6. The policy will be shared with all teachers, administrators, students, and posted on the district webpages.
7. The District Teacher Librarian will review the board policies listed in the objective and suggest revisions as needed to the superintendent. / This step will occur during the 2016-2017 school year. / The District Teacher Librarian will report progress to the District Library Advisory Committee each quarter.
Ensure that the job descriptions for the District Teacher Librarian and the library paraprofessionals, including responsibilities, are updated to accurately reflect the current library improvement plan. / 1. A qualified teacher librarian works with students, teachers, support staff and administrators.
2. Qualified libraryparaprofessionalswork with the teacher librarian to support the district library program. / 1. Obtain copies of the current job descriptions for the District Teacher Librarian and library paraprofessionals.
2. District library staff will review the job descriptions and edit/revise them in order to accurately reflect the current plan for improving the district library program.
3. The district library staff will share their work with the District Library Advisory Committee.
4. The district library staff and the District Library Advisory Committee will present the revised job descriptions to the superintendent for approval. / BOEE document of library job description:
/ This step will occur during the 2016-2017 school year. / The District Teacher Librarian will report progress to the District Library Advisory Committee until this task is completed.
Mission of the Perry Community School District: To develop knowledgeable, skilled, and productive citizens of character. 1