Technology Program Administrator Program Evaluation Part A

Executive Summary
Media Center Overview: The media center is centrally located inside the Union Elementary School. The school houses approximately 650 students from Pre-K to 5th grade. The center provides resources to staff including but not limited to books, periodicals, curriculum support materials, 21st century carts and Balanced Literacy Kits. The center is also the literacy hub for the school, both in providing material to read and modeling ways to use information obtained from reading. There are 6 computers in the center as well as two printers. Methods: Information was obtained through interviews and observations of media center and school personnel. Basic district wide policies were derived from the district website. Mission and Goals: The mission of the media center is to provide resources and support for students to grow into life-long learners. The goals are to equip students with reading comprehension skills, understanding and use of research skills while assimilating critical thinking and technology skills. Personnel: The media center is staffed by one full time Media Specialist and one part time Media Clerk. The primary role of the Media Specialist is to promote reading and provide services to facilitate the schools instruction curriculum. The Media Clerks role is to lend support to the Media Specialist. Evaluation: The media center is current in process of a major learning curve and as a result is currently not meeting its mission or goals. The media specialist is new to her position and replaces a 17 year veteran of the position. Also, Union Elementary received a new principal as well as a media specialist, both who have a background in the middle school setting and not the elementary school setting. These are

contributing factors to poor performance of the media center for this school term. Recommendations: The media center would benefit from stronger and more open communication between the school staff and the media specialist. Also, the media specialist would benefit from observations at other elementary media centers to gain more in-depth knowledge of the difference between middle school and elementary school procedures. The expectations are that once the media specialist becomes more comfortable and familiar with her current position the performance of the center will vastly improve.

Organizational Chart

Methods
Information was collected primarily through observations inside the media center and interviews with school staff, including the media specialist, media clerk and select school staff. The purpose of the observations was to evaluate the climate of the media center with an unbiased opinion. Observations were conducted prior to the interview process. The purpose of the interviews was used to get detailed information about the goals, responsibilities, procedures and achievement of the media center. Interviews were conducted with one teacher from each grade level, a connect teacher, a Kindergarten para and office staff to gain perspectives and opinions on the media center. Information was also obtained from the districts website, however much of the information posted on the Bibb County website is dated prior to 2001.

Center Context
The staff changes at Union Elementary school this school term included a new principal, professional learning coach and media specialist all from a district middle school. This has contributed majorly to the disorganization of the media center and its lack of use. The current media specialist has an extensive background in middle school. This has been a stumbling block for. At the onset of the school year, many changes were put into place for the media center with a middle school mindset. Policies and programs were changed without suggestions or insight from existing school staff. This has caused a breakdown in communication between the media specialist and the teachers. As a result, students are not able to visit the media center and in turn are not checking out materials. The media centers hours follow normal school hours of 8:15 3:45. However, from 8:00 8:15 and 3:30 4:00, the center is used as a holding area for early arrivers and car pool riders respectively. This does not allow for any morning or afternoon checkouts. Also, the schools intervention time, officially called ICU, is from 8:45 9:30. The library hosts a intervention group and therefore is not open for checkouts. Moreover, the library has been closed much of the year because of inventory,

testing, professional learning, etc. These are all contributing factors to the poor performance of the center this school term.

Mission and Goals: Union Elementary Media Center seeks to empower all students to become skilful consumers, producers of information and ideas. Media Center programs should promote reading, information, literacy instruction, utilization of technology and collection development

Stakeholders: students, teachers, administrators, support staff, parents, local business owners and community members.

Job Title & Description: Media Specialist Use planning calendar to schedule media center activities. Inform and update teachers of media resources. Collaborative plan with teachers to provide appropriate literacy skills that are integrated with curriculum. Promote reading for pleasure through activities such as read-alouds, book talks, etc. Encourage individuals and small groups, as well as entire classes, to use the media center. Maintain Spectrum catalog system including resource and patron records. Purchase new media resources. Process, catalog, shelve and weed collections as needed. Provide copyright information expertise and classroom support materials. Provide instruction to staff regarding new resources and technology. Assist the Technology Specialist with technical support in classrooms. Maintain and update school and technology inventory twice a year.

Media Center Clerk Check in and out media materials using specified software. Run overdue notices weekly. Shelve materials according to the Dewey Decimal System. Check shelves regularly for order. Update periodicals as they arrive. Assist individuals in finding materials when needed. Assist Media Specialist in processing new materials for circulation. Assist with projects as requested from administration.

Media Committee Develops procedures for implementing the systems instructional media and equipment policy. Establishes media program objectives and priorities based on instructional goals. Develops long range plans for media center. Assesses available media resources as related to instructional needs and recommends priorities for media budget proposal. Recommends media policy revisions. Assists in identifying and planning media or technology related staff development activities.

Center/Media Specialist Activities

*only activities from this school term are reported

Book Fair - Scholastic Book Fairs were held at the school in the Fall and Spring. Parents were invited to shop along with their students to purchase materials appropriate for their reader. Barnes and Noble Reader Appreciate Coordinate the annual reader appreciate night at Barnes and Noble Book Store. Students perform a Christmas program in the childrens reading area of the store. A portion of the proceeds from the night will be given to Union Elementary. American Education Week - Coordinate guest speakers for a week long tribute to education. Invitations are extended to honored volunteers and veterans. Special attention is afforded to science and math speakers. Dr. Seuss Week - Coordinate guest speakers from the Macon Mentors Project to read Dr. Seuss books to grades Pre-K through 2nd grade.

Evaluation
The Media Center is presently going through a process of change from old to new. The previous Media Specialist retired after 17 years in the position. The current Media Specialist has been in a middle school setting for the past 7 years. Assimilation to an elementary school setting has not been welcomed with open arms. Much of this years focus has been on reorganizing, de-cluttering and revamping the media center, all of which is desperately needed. The books and technology are out of date. Teacher resources are embarrassingly out of date. To assist in assimilating patrons to the new Union Media Center, a cosmetic update was performed. Freshly painted walls, decorative curtains and a faux tree have been placed in the media center creating a new feel. All the updates are intentionally good and will ultimately improve the media center at Union. However, the growing pains of these improvements are causing stress among both staff and students. Recommendations: Based on interviews and observations, the current focus of the media specialist is more of an administrative assistant to the principal rather than student support. Visiting other elementary school media centers for observations would give a more in-depth understand of elementary students and their media center habits. Also, establishing a mentor elementary media center specialist to offer tips and suggests would be helpful Further complicating matters, the media center needs to have an in house yard sale to weed out the out of date and antiquated materials. Teachers are frustrated by the outdated materials, regarding manipulatives, books, technology, resources, etc. Also, historically, the media committee has been a group in name only. The members of this committee should take more ownership and participate in helping the media specialist assimilate to her new surroundings. Getting the media center up to date and open to students again is the highest priority. Suggestions for next year are to establish a bi-weekly schedule for student visits to increase student involvement with the center. Also, an orientation session at the beginning of the school year would be appropriate, especially for K and 1. Suggestions can be made regarding technology issues. However, these issues are largely due to the District administration and although under the responsibilities of the media center, are vastly out of their control.

Apendix A Interview Questions for Media Specialist and Media Clerk: 1. What is your title/position? 2. What are your responsibilities? 3. What is the mission of the center? 4. What are the goals of the center? 5. Who are the stakeholders? 6. What role do you have in technology at the school? 7. What support do you provide with technology resources? 8. What activities are carried out by the center? 9. How many students do you work with on a daily basis? 10. What types of technology related activities/centers are provided to students?

Interview Questions for Teachers:

1. How often do your students visit the media center? 2. Has there been a good transition from the previous media specialist and the current media specialist? 3. What types of resources are offered to you by the media center? 4. What types of activities or centers have been provided by the media center this year? 5. What is the best strength of the media center? 6. What would you consider a weakness of the media center? 7. Has the media center provided you with any training this year? 8. What types of technology do you use the most in the classroom? 9. How frequently do you have technology issues that need to be resolved?

References

Policies and Procedures Index (2009). Retrieved March 18, 2014 from http://schools.bibb.k12.ga.us/page/107