Re: [LM_NET] Elem:functioning without an assistant

[Thomas Kaun <tomkaun@GMAIL.COM>]

Hi, Sarah.

I'm really sorry to hear about this. I don't know what I'd do without my
assistants but it certainly wouldn't be "maintaining the level of service
we've been providing."

I'm sure this sounds somewhat cold but I think maintaining the same services
is exactly the wrong tack to take when this happens. I'm sure there are lots
of work-arounds that you could do but the school district and your
administrators need to know the value of that 20-hour-per-week person.

A better approach might be to tell them that this, this, and this will NOT
be done because of the loss of that position.

At a recent board meeting of our state school library association, our
executive director, who also works with other non-profit organizations,
pointed out that we library folks have the tendency to overdo it when it
comes to thinking we can and should be able to everything without
compensation. I agree. It's hard to do all the things we are told we need to
do and then something like this happens. Yes, we can always work smarter but
we don't need to try to do everything or we will never be valued for what we
do best.

Tom Kaun

Thomas T. Kaun
Teacher Librarian
Bessie Chin Library @ Redwood High School
395 Doherty Drive, Larkspur, CA 94939
tomkaun@gmail.com | Library Web site: http://rhslibrary.org | Professional
development blog: http://tomlmt2.blogspot.com/ | Library news blog:
http://libraryleaves.blogspot.com

Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day,
something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else
would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to be always part of
unanimity.
 - Christopher Morley


On Fri, May 8, 2009 at 12:46 PM, Sarah Thorn <Sarah.Thorn@pisd.edu> wrote:

> Unfortunately, because of cutbacks, all of the elementary library
> assistants in the Plano (Texas) Independent School District were let go.
> My job share partner and I are very sad about losing our 20 hour per week
> helper and are wondering how to successfully absorb the work that she did
> while maintaining the level of services we've been providing.
> If you've faced this, and have some workable/creative solutions, I'd love
> to hear from you.
>
> Sarah Thorn, Librarian
> Jackson Elementary School
> Plano, TX
> sarah.thorn@pisd.edu
>
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