LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Thanks to everyone who responded. It was very helpful. I was asked to post a
HIT. I started with my question. The responses follow. There are quite a few.
I put a line between each response.
On Sun, 24 Jun 2001, Lawana Croksey wrote:
> I am working on a media degree. I need to inquire about the locations or
> techniques media specialist use when they hold meetings with their
principals
> where they are discussing reports or announcements. Also, how often are
these
> reports submitted? If you can help I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance.
____________________________________________________________I
talk informally several times a week with my principal. She has been at
our school 1 1/2 years and I have been there only 1 year. We get along
well... she hired me which I think helps and both feel the need to make the
media center the center of the curriculum - especially reading since we are
a K-5 school. I gave her a written copy of the proposed media budget (how
much for each category) after she gave me the amount to plan to spend. I
give her budget updates twice a year showing what we have spent. I also
give her copies of anything we are circulating to the teachers just for her
info.... I give her a monthly media report as well. I can send you a copy
if it would help. When I give her the monthly report, I take a few minutes
to point out anything I see as different or significant. I also give her a
school wide AR printout. also kept copies of the monthly reports for my
evaluation portfolio because they show the range of what we did all year.
Usually we talk in her office... but she walks thru the media center at
least weekly so sometimes we talk there also.
If I had a different principal, I might do things more formally.
______________________________________________________
I write a monthly report -- also see him frequently during the day. I
get to school very early - like him and we talk then if we need to .
______________________________________________________
I have a website on working with your principal. It is at
http://www.islandnet.com/~daichan/
It has also been published as an article in the June issue of Teacher
Librarian magazine.
sorry for the wrong URL; the principal's speech mentioned in the
EXPECTATIONS ARTILE is at this address:
http://www.memoweb.org/memorandom/memor1197.pdf
article is @ http://www.winona.k12.mn.us/wms/maryalice/expectations.html
_____________________________________________________________________
I have a website on working with your principal. It is at
http://www.islandnet.com/~daichan/
It has also been published as an article in the June issue of Teacher
Librarian magazine.
__________________________________________________________________
I work in a high school and I submit a monthly summary memo to the
principal. I include the number of classes that visit and names of
teachers who have scheduled classes for projects. I also include
information on the projects they have used library resources to complete.
I write several paragraphs explaining materials ordered and received,
future needs, events that should be mentioned to the principal or anything
that I need. It is a quick, efficient method to keep the principal
informed. I also keep a chart which is submitted monthly which tracks
number of books circulated, number of other items used, number of students
who have
visited during the month, number of classes, estimate of reference
questions that needed my research time and interlibrary loans. I have
always voluntarily done this rather than schedule one more meeting to take
the time of the principal. I only have meetings when absolutely
necessary.She can read the memo at her convenience, keep it in files for
future needs, or use it to help document media center usage, as well as a
basis for my evaluations. I have all my monthly memos for 13 years and I
enjoy going back to read them. The library media center can become a
whipping boy for some people who are uninformed about how to use it or who
may not understand its purpose. This memo can help a principal head off
potential problems with people who have a political agenda or someone who
wants the library cut first when the necessity of cuts arise or when your
job could become at risk. I attach anything that I think can be informational
like computer printouts that establish that the library doesn't have to
have an assigned number of students period by period to be a very highly
used, necessary component of the school program. We sometimes have
informal discussions in the hall when an issue arises that needs
attention. Good luck.
_______________________________________________________________
I responded to the requests for information this way: (I'm
sharing it now with LM_NET because I've had many, many requests for copies
of thespeech I mentioned)
. . . . . . . .I communicate with my principal by email almost every day
and talk in person at least once a week. My only formal reports are those
which are for the school board. If there is a request or something of
real significance than I write a formal request. Same with the
superintendent.
Lot of what you do will depend on the structure of your district, building
size, personalities etc. We have 1100 kids in our school; I've been there
for 15 years and work closely with the principal so we can be informal.
This might help you:
http://www.winona.k12.mn.us/wms/maryalice/expectations.html
It's an article I wrote about principals
at the end is a link to a speech my principal gave at our state convention;
people liked it a lot.
I would like to echo Pam Nutt's statement about knowing what your principal
is interested in; I'm fortuanate to have a principal very interested in
technology. My general feeling is tht principal's want media speciaists
to be very involved in technology and they don't need to hear about any
minor details of our jobs--that's why they hired us. I think it's very,
very important to always be communicating; short tidbits now and then might
have more impact than longer reports which they might not have time to
read.
___________________________________________________________
Pam Nutt wrote:
> find out what is important to your principal, be it
> sports, curriculum, history, and try to work within the perimeters.
I wholeheartedly agree with Pam's statement. I would also add that many
principals are not up to date on Library Media activities or programs.
It is our job to keep them informed. Keep them "in the loop". My state
Ed. Media Association has a leadership breakfast at our Fall conference
to which we are allowed to bring our principals or superintendents along
for free. The idea is that they will get an idea of current media
practices and concerns. Unfortunately I have never been able to get an
administrator to come along because of time and distance of the
meetings. So I give my principal an update on any interesting or
exciting thing that I learned. This helps to keep her connected.
My district, like many others, gives the principal a fixed amount of
money to divide the budget among the various grades or departments at
will. I have been lucky enough to get a decent budget because I let her
know what my needs are and she trusts my judgment.
Like Pam, I have also been unlucky enough to work for one principals who
had little or no regard for the Media Center. I left the position when
for 2 years in a row my ENTIRE budget was withheld by the principal to
use elsewhere. His rationale was that we had enough books on the
shelves!!!
____________________________________________________________
I got into the habit of putting a FYI message into my
principal's box-- its outside his office door-- at
least twice a week-- and I email him with links to our
website so he can see what's new-- I'm also
webmaster--- and it has worked very well for us--
____________________________________________________
I communicate with my principal by email almost every day and talk in
person at least once a week. My only formal reports are those which are
for the school board. If there is a request or something of real
significance than I write a formal request. Same with the superintendent.
Lot of what you do will depend on the structure of your district, building
size, personalities etc. We havd 1100 kids in our school; I've been there
for 15 years and work closely with the principal so we cn be informal.
This might help you:
http://www.winona.k12.mn.us/wms/maryalice/expectations.html
It's an article I wrote about principals
at the end is a link to a speech my principal gave at our state convention;
people liked it a lot.
______________________________________________________________
My principal's door ws always open. As a result we talked whenever there
was something on either of our minds. We sometimes planned to have a
topic discussed with the entire faculty at a faculty meeting. We did not
have regularly scheduled conferences. Usually the problem needed
immediate attention. I often sent him a memo to give him lead time on
topics that were not of immediate need. He could think about it before we
sat down to talk and was prepred for my input.
You might find the book by Yesner Operating and Evaluating School Library
Media Progrms a Handbook for Administrators and Librarians of use. It
could give you ideas of topics you two might wish to discuss and some
possible solutions. That is a Neal Schuman publication.
_____________________________________________________________
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