[CALIBK12] Defending/explaining our positions

[bwoolls at slis.sjsu.edu]

The last discussions about what to do if you have to teach something and
the other suggestions for justifying our positions are too good to lose.
Jane has placed hers so they can be found easily. The three who talked
about how to teach and run a center very clearly. These need to be
collected into a CSLA survival kit. Maybe one of you who is in a current
credential program could ask to do an independent study.

It might even have some publication possibilities for a real publisher. If
anyone is interested in this, I find manuscripts for Libraries Unlimited
and Dave Loertscher has Hi Willow Research and Publishing as a
possibility, too.

Blanche

> Dear CALIB people,
>
> As is the case for so many of us, the Las Virgenes USD teacher librarians
> are all on the possible cut list this year. Last week, we attended a
> school
> board study session, where they discussed the possibility of significant
> cutbacks in TL positions. We asked to have the opportunity at a subsequent
> meeting to explain better what we do, and, as a result, were invited to
> meet
> with our assistant superintendent this week. For the meeting, we prepared
> a
> set of "talking points" we handed her as the basis for our discussion that
> included the replacement value figures for our collections; staffing
> ratios
> - national, California, and our district; what TLs do; what would go
> without
> us; what we do versus classroom teachers; and what we do versus library
> clerks. Fortunately, the meeting went really well! She was definitely
> impressed with the information we put together. Our Board's message has
> been
> that, while they need to make cuts, they will keep them as far from
> students
> as possible. We felt that we proved that cutting us would be seriously
> detrimental to our students. We are optimistic based on her responses at
> the
> meeting and her follow up email the next morning that our administration
> is
> committed to finding at least an interim, if not ideal, way to avoid
> cutting
> our positions this year.
>
> While our "talking points" were definitely put together in a hurry and I
> am
> sure could be improved, I am sharing them (in the attached "LVUSD
> Libraries
> Budget Issues" file") with the group in case they may help any of you as a
> starting point. I figure that we will help each other best if we share
> everything we can to avoid "reinventing the wheel." Feel free to adapt and
> use any of what we wrote, and to share any improved versions to help all
> CALIBBERs.
>
> Along with giving our assistant superintendent the "LVUSD LIbraries Budget
> Issues" doc file, we also gave her several articles, including the Topsey
> Smalley study I learned about on the AASL forum from Sara Kelly Johns
> (also
> attached) and the Scholastic article you can access at this link:
> http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3748779 .
>
> Optimistic that we'll survive, and wishing everyone the best in these
> difficult financial times :) ...
> __________________________
> Jane Lofton
> Teacher-Librarian
> Lindero Canyon Middle School
> 5844 Larboard Ln.
> Agoura Hills, CA 91301
> (818)889-2134 x230
> email: jane at lofton.com or jlofton at lvusd.org
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