Learning through Books, Media and Technology

ARTICLES THIS ISSUE:

1993 Administrative Leadership Awards

Accentuating the positive

1993 President's Award Winner

The energy of synergy

This is my country --- an my school

We are the world: our success is yours

Social sciences and technology --- a natural combination

No question of relevance

Inspiring students to speak out

Big ideas prepare students for the future

Open doors, open minds

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1993 Administrative Leadership Awards

Virginia "Ginger" Thomas and Anna Blackman

Virginia "Ginger" Thomas

Something significant happened at Miramonte Elementary School in January of 1990. A school library that had been staffed by a technician alone, closed during lunch and regular breaks, and used only for book exchanges, was suddenly transformed! A full-time credentialed library media teacher was moved from the classroom into the library media center, weekly collaborative meetings with teachers were scheduled, remodeling plans were made, educational technology equipment was selected and installed, and a new approach to teaching and learning was launched

Ginger Thomas, former principal at Miramonte and the driving force behind this vision, has persuasively involved the staff and the community in her efforts to make these changes. In addition to making planning time available to her teachers, she has made special presentations at parent meetings, meetings of district administrators, and statewide CMLFA conferences. She is vocal in her support of the library media center as a way to implement resource-based units of study, and she is practical enough to manage school funds in such a manner that the program receives the financial support it needs.

Here are Mrs. Thomas's own words, as printed in a recent school publication:

Vision is critical: a high .powered library media program develops from a clearly articulated vision supported by a shared commitment to the creation of an interactive learning center. As the center for curricular and instructional net-working, the library becomes the energy center for student and staff learning. The Library Media Center focuses on the learning process. Resources, technology, and instruction are networked schoolwide. The library is more than a center to access resources; it creates the learning environment to interact with multi-dimensional resources. The Library Media Center is the heart of the educational program.

Last fall Good Ideas! honored Karen Green, Library media teacher at Miramonte, for the outstanding program in which she has been so thoroughly involved. It is most fitting that her principal receive honors as well. Congratulations, Mrs. Thomas!

• Virginia "Ginger" Thomas
  Former Principal of Miramonte Elementary School
  Currently Principal of Temperance Cutner Elementary
  Clovis Unified School District

Anna Blackman

When the going gets tough for California schools, non-mandatory programs are usually the prime target for cuts, no matter how valuable they have proven to be. Anna Blackman looked at the situation in the Richmond schools, however, and determined that the erosion of library staffing and budget must stop. She convinced the acting superintendent (sent to the district by the governor when it appealed to the state for help following bankruptcy) that there should continue to be credentialed librarians in the district, and at least paraprofessional assistants in both the elementary and secondary schools. The library media program was indeed cut, but not to the extent originally feared.

Long-term planning for library media programs and goals continues to be supported by Ms. Blackman, as does conference attendance. In fact, a memo from her office last March stated clearly that "it is time that we took a good look at the library system in [our district]. We need to determine our direction and start developing plans for implementation ... However it is important that we don't use a piecemeal approach." Future plans that include the newest technologies, including a computerized catalog, CD-RQM and online search capabilities, and media of all types to support the curriculum, have received her solid endorsement.

Ms. Blackman's commitment has been tested more than once. When accounting errors resulted in a zero library budget for two schools, she transferred funds from her own budget!

There are many highly trained library media specialists in California, now teaching in single classrooms instead of providing library media, technology, and curriculum leadership for an entire school or district, who could use an advocate like Anna Blackman. She has proven that it is possible to hold the line. It's worth it!

• Anna Blackman
  Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
  West Cntra Costa Unified School District