New Requirements for School Libraries

This information will be of special interest to those districts going through the accreditation process this year. There is a new requirement for school library programs on the On-Site Document Review Checklist for Public School Districts. (These requirements do not apply to accredited non-public schools).

POLICIES
Chapter 12 General Accreditation 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 281—IAC 12.3(12)(c)

Guidance
IASB Sample Policies: 506.1 (last updated, 10/10/02), 605.1, 605.3, 605.7 (all last updated, 8/31/07)

Discussion
Most districts have these four policies in place, as they have been part of the American Association for School Librarians guidelines for years. The concern may be on the age of the policies and their relevance in this Internet age. Carol Greta and Mary Gannon will explain these policy requirements at an ICN session Monday, November 17 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Registration is at http://www.iptv.org/iowa_database/event-detail.cfm?ID=9091. A statewide group is working with IASB to update sample policies. Sample policies will be at http://www.iasl-ia.org/resources.php.

LIBRARY PROGRAM
Library program 281—IAC 12.3(12): a. The district employs a qualified teacher librarian. Evidence: Provide the name and folder number for the person(s) employed as teacher librarian or a copy of his/her license. This includes information for individuals whose services are contracted through another district or AEA. b. Program is regularly reviewed and revised and designed to provide:
• methods to improve library collections to meet student and staff needs
• connections with parents and the community
• support for the district’s school improvement plan
• access to or support for professional development for the teacher librarian
• current technology and electronic resources
• current and diverse collection of fiction and nonfiction materials in a variety of formats
• a plan for annually updating and replacing library materials, supports, and equipment

Guidance
A reference document entitled “Iowa School Library Program Guidelines: Libraries, Literacy, and Learning for the 21st Century” is available for download from the Iowa Department of Education Web site at http://www.iowa.gov/educate/content/view/959/1594/.

Discussion
School Library Program Guidelines can be used to audit the status of a district's program. Find these guidelines at http://www.iowa.gov/educate/content/view/959/493/. These guidelines help determine whether the school library program is at Level 1 (meeting the requirement), Level 2 (making progress) or Level 3 (best practice). Many teacher librarians use this as a planning tool with the principal and curriculum coordinator as it solicits evidence that guidelines are/are not being met, actions and goals. It can also be used as an organizational tool when preparing for a school improvement site visit.

New Heartland Instructional Resources Web page

We have recently added a Web page for new and veteran teachers that contains a 10-minute overview video of Heartland resources plus links to resources for teachers. The URL for the site is http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/mentoring/newteacher/index.html. This page provides teachers with resource support so they have meaningful, direct connections to their curriculum.

The page includes links and full-text PDFs to instructional materials and Heartland's online catalogs, online databases and resources, support materials and instructions for ordering materials, subscribing to an online newsletter for teachers and a link to the World of Media, which is a monthly newsletter with instructional materials, resources and technology to support teaching and learning.

Please take some time to check out this valuable resource and share it with your teachers, especially your mentoring program facilitators. This is an important resource for facilitators to add to your school's mentoring program. If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Richardson, Instructional Materials Consultant, at (515) 270-0405, ext. 14522 or 800-362-2720 or at mrichardson@aea11.k12.ia.us.

Early Childhood Professional Development Opportunities

Heartland is offering a variety of professional development events and support for programs and schools that want to learn about the Quality Preschool Program Standards and related early childhood topics. The document linked to below provides a summary of the opportunities available. Heartland partnership directors and early childhood staff members can provide additional information if you have questions. Click here for the list of events.

ELL Webcast Opportunity

Title III is happy to present an opportunity for you and your staff to attend a Webcast, free of charge.

Falling Through the Cracks: Meeting the Needs of Adolescent English Language Learners
October 28, 2008
2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Conference Rooms 3 & 4
6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston
Maximum Participants: 30

To register for the Webcast, go to the Heartland Professional Development Web site at https://prodev.aea11.k12.ia.us/4DCGI/ES005392110901.

When it comes to dropping out of school, English language learners (ELLs) are a particularly vulnerable population. Deborah J. Short and Kate Menken, two leading experts in the field of English language teaching, highlight the key policy, academic and practical issues related to the high dropout rate for adolescent ELLs and recommend effective approaches and policies for addressing the problem. New York Times editor Joseph Berger will moderate this live interactive Webcast.

Target Audience:
• K-12 school language and content teachers
• K-12 district and site-based coordinators and administrators working with ELLs
• State education policy makers and other stakeholders
• Counselors working with At-Risk youth

Please consider sending a representative from your school to enjoy and learn from this informative free Webcast.