Annual Report
2014-2015
Midway Elementary School Learning Commons
-- School Library Media --
Our Mission
Program Goals for 2014-2015
- Create an organized and welcoming space.
- Teach and encourage students to use the Destiny Library Catalog.
- Develop an updated Policies and Procedures Manual.
- Implement an effective Learning Commons hall pass system.
- Manage the Learning Commons schedules via Google Calendar.
- Manage the Learning Commons budget via Google Sheets.
- Effectively supervise other professionals and non-professionals assisting in the Learning Commons.
Additional Goals in Conjunction with the Technology Integration Specialist:
- co-teaching of lessons in the Learning Commons and in classrooms
- eliminate scheduled class check-out times
- promote the use of the MacAirs*
- develop morning news show program
- create a makerspace*
- jointly maintain the Virtual Learning Commons
- create virtual spaces for collaboration*
- promote/advertise the Virtual Learning Commons
*These goals were not met as successfully as the others. We plan to revisit them during the upcoming school year.
At a Glance
We totaled 33,509 circulations for the 2014-2015 school year. A flexible schedule encouraged students to visit the Learning Commons on an as-needed basis that best suited their individual reading needs. In addition to growing as readers, Midway students practiced self-direction as they adjusted to this new scheduling.
Top 5 Homerooms:
- Howell
- McCullough
- Cuthbertson
- Locklair
- Turbeville
Traffic
The media assistant and I kept track of how students used the Learning Commons throughout the year in an effort to know how to best serve the school community. The data collected is summarized in the table below. (Please know, the data collected was based on a new hall pass system we implemented and is dependent on how accurately and/or frequently teachers and students used the system.)
- Check-Out or Return a Book --- 5,368
- Research Independently --- 97
- Work on a Project ---71
- Read or Study --- 15
- Take a Test --- 270
Collaborations with Teachers
I collaborated with teachers and students throughout the year on various content-related projects and learning activities.
1st grade shelf-marker lessons
3rd grade Destiny Library Catalog lessons
5th grade ecosystems research unit
3rd grade Caldecott unit
5th grade EAGLES architecture research unit
5th grade mystery research unit
pulled library books related to various units of study for teachers throughout the year
aided Literacy Coach in developing a list of books to purchase for 5th grade
- co-teacher with TIS for MES Morning News Show
Mustangs Read
5th Grade Book Talks and Lunch Bunch -- In October, 12 students in 5th grade were chosen to participate in a lunch-time book club. Each day, students would bring their lunches to the Learning Commons and eat while I read aloud The Ghost of Graylock by Dan Poblocki. We finished up just in time for Halloween!
Read with the Gamecocks -- All Midway students were invited to participate in this reading program, which ran from November 25 - December 8. Participating students were invited to attend a USC women's basketball game.
South Carolina Book Awards Program -- This year's picture book nominees and children's book nominees were displayed in the front of the Learning Commons throughout the year. Students were encouraged to read at least five of the nominees from one or both categories so that they would be eligible to vote for their favorite in February. All Kindergarten students voted in the picture book category.
Midway's Winning Titles:
Picture Book Award -- That is Not a Good Idea! by Mo Willems
Children's Book Award -- Almost Home by Joan Bauer
Blowfish Baseball Reading Rewards Program -- All Midway students were invited to participate in this reading program, which ran from February 23 - March 20. Most students reached "home base" on the reading log, which qualified them to receive a free ticket and refreshments for the June 3 game.
Read Across America Week -- We celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday throughout the week of March 2 with "Seuss Centers" in the Learning Commons. Students were encouraged to visit the centers individually or in small groups to match rhyming words, visit Seussville via an iPad, create wacky words, pose in the photobooth, and guess the number of goldfish in a jar.
Scholastic Reading Counts! -- Students measured their reading comprehension through Reading Counts! quizzes throughout the year.
Total Points Report:
- Kindergarten -- 60
- 1st grade -- 3,068
- 2nd grade -- 3,333
- 3rd grade -- 6,654
- 4th grade -- 13,421
- 5th grade -- 9,664
Lexington County Public Library Summer Reading Program -- This summer's theme is "Every Hero Has a Story," as students are encouraged to practice the superhero power of reading during their time off from school. The Learning Commons promoted the LCPL's program through a commercial on the morning news show and brochures that were sent home with students. Midway students who participate in the program will be recognized when we return to school in August.
Professional Development
- Upstate Technology Conference
- ADEPT School Visits to other Lexington 1 Learning Commons
- Lexington County School District One Instructional Fair
- South Carolina Association of School Librarians Conference
- Technology Tools (Twitter, professional blogs and Wikis, etc.)
Program Goals for 2015-2016
- Continue developing a comfortable and attractive space.
- Increase student and teacher usage and comfort-level with Destiny library catalog.
- Support teaching and learning through collaborative partnerships.
- Continue updating the print and digital collections.
- Collect meaningful data relevant to the Learning Commons' impact on the school community.
Additional Goals in Conjunction with the Technology Integration Specialist:
- continued development and advertisement of the Virtual Learning Commons
- promote the use of the Learning Commons' MacAirs for student use
- co-teaching of lessons in the Learning Commons and in classrooms
- support Expeditionary Learning at Midway
Contact
Email: eblack@lexington1.net
Website: meslearningcommons.weebly.com
Location: Lexington, SC, United States
Phone: 803-821-0314
Twitter: @_EmilyBlack_