[CALIBK12] Ed Code and Volunteers

[Karen Tukua]

Well said Jo!Karen Tukua, MLIS, LMT Cambridge Elementary School Concord, CA 94520 librarykaren at hotmail.com "What a school thinks about its library, is a measure of what it thinks about education." Harold Howe, former U.S. Commissioner of Education> Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2008 08:41:15 -0700> From: carsonj at mdusd.k12.ca.us> To: calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu> Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] Ed Code and Volunteers> > > Heidi: I can make a case for closing a library part of the day rather that> using volunteers in place qualified staff. Having worked as a parent > volunteer> for 7 years, as a library tech for 5 years and now as a fully credentialed> librarian for 10 years, I believe it is bad practice to use parent volunteers> to replace employees who have been layed- off. As a volunteer, I worked with> paid staff only to help with check out (before automation) when classes came> in, read shelves, shelved books and served as an extra pair of eyes. I use> volunteers now 45 minutes a day to cover the time when I go to lunch.> Voluteers do none of the instruction or library technical work. This year I> have been cut to 80%. I will be teaching a class one period a day. The> library will remain closed during 7th period.I will teach a course I > designed 3> years ago when I was cut 40% and taught 2 periods a day...Information > Literacy.> It may sound harsh to close the library, but our kids need full time fully> trained library media teachers. If we make do with volunteers and give the> appearance that everything is running smoothly, there is no incentive to hire> professionals with the proper credentials. The concern is not just about loss> of employment. It is the students who lose out over the long term by not> getting a proper education from a fully credentialed library media teacher.> Check the statistics...surveys in (I think it us up to 18 states now...> Lance/Loertcher) demonstrate that schools who employee fully credentialled> Library Media Teachers score higher on standardized tests. I have been > teaching> my Information Literacy course for 3 years now...one year on my own and two> years in collaboration with a classroom teacher. Next year I will be > on my own> again. Seventh grade teachers tell me that research projects they > assign seem> to go more smoothly in 7th grade for those students who took my course in 6th> grade. They tell me it makes their job much easier.> Just my two cents.> Jo Carson, LMT> Pleasant Hill Middle School.> > Quoting Heidi Snively <hsnively at manhattan.k12.ca.us>:> > > http://law.onecle.com/california/education/35021.3.html> >> > When the library positions were reduced in our district a few years > > ago, I did desire that parent volunteers be allowed to assist me. I > > was able to retain the use of volunteers even though my paid employee > > hours were reduced because I had proof of established past practice > > of heavy volunteerism in the library by showing all the years of > > volunteer sign-in sheets.> >> > It certainly is a fine line; on the one hand, if the service is > > valued and desired, the employee deserves to be retained and paid for > > the desired service. On the other hand, who ultimately suffers? The > > kids, of course, when the doors of the library are locked, and no one > > wants to see that.> >> > Heidi Snively> > Library Media Specialist> > Grand View Elementary School> > Manhattan Beach Unified School District> >> > hsnively at manhattan.k12.ca.us> > 310-546-8022 x5404> >> > http://www.grandviewlibrary.info/ <http://www.grandviewlibrary.info/>> >> >> > ________________________________> >> > From: Liana Smith [mailto:SmithLiana at dublin.k12.ca.us]> > Sent: Thu 6/5/2008 3:42 PM> > To: calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu> > Subject: [CALIBK12] Ed Code and Volunteers> >> >> >> > The Media Technicians (classified position) in my school district > > will be reduced next year to some degree or another. It could be > > anywhere from 1/2 hour per day to 1 1/2 hours per day. Most of the > > principals are going to request funding from our local parent group > > (PFC). One principal said he was going to ask parent volunteers to > > make up the shortage instead of funding it. I mentioned to the Media > > Tech at that site that we are officially having a layoff of hours and > > that it is against Ed Code to staff any part of a position with > > volunteers. Is this correct and where in Ed Code is this addressed? > > She said that he would need proof of where this is stated.> >> > Thanks so much for the help.> >> >> >> >> > Liana de Wit-Smith> > Fallon School (K-8) Library Media Technician> > 3601 Kohnen Way> > Dublin, CA 94568> > (925) 875-9376 ext.6308> > http://www.dublin.k12.ca.us/Fms/index.htm> > "What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels > > about education"> >> > ~ Harold Howe, former Secretary of Education> >> >> >> > _______________________________________________> > CALIBK12 site list> > CALIBK12 at lists.sjsu.edu> > http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/calibk12> >> > For information about the Calibk12 listserve, please> > visit http://www.calibk12.net <http://www.calibk12.net/> .> >> >> >> > > > > _______________________________________________> CALIBK12 site list> CALIBK12 at lists.sjsu.edu> http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/calibk12> > For information about the Calibk12 listserve, please> visit http://www.calibk12.net.
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