[ISLMA-Share] ISBE Listening Tour...what to expect

Thu Sep 8 16:12:01 CDT 2016

I attended the listening tour last night in Moline. There were around 30
folks there, mostly area administrators, one school board member and
Representative Pat Vershoore. Only two people signed up to give testimony.
One was a retired SPED teacher. When called upon, he declined to speak and
offered his written comments to be added to the record. So, I was the only
one who offered testimony. I couldn't get a sense of how it was received
except for the gentleman in front of me who nodded appreciatively twice. My
own superintendent, assistant superintendent and principals made no comment
to me at all. I basically paraphrased the talking points provided,
concentrating on accountability, standards, whole child and closing with
the paragraph that Lauren shared with us yesterday. (Thank you, Lauren!)

The comments from administrators at this meeting largely circled around is
this just reinventing a wheel that didn't work in the first place? And, why
can't you just let us do what we know will work and leave us alone.

I wonder if future speakers might want to guide thoughts toward the fact
that we are already here, and trained, and if every building had a
librarian, we would all be better equipped to do what needs to be done. A
best of both worlds scenario. Does that make sense?

I am very proud of our organization that we had the heads up, got the
talking points, filled each other in on how things went to be better
prepared, and are a presence with which to be reckoned. No one else at my
meeting knew what to expect and I appreciate those of you who wrote in, and
drafted the talking points, and got us all organized. Thank you!

On Wed, Sep 7, 2016 at 4:46 PM, Email list for the Illinois School Library
Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:

> It is so encouraging to see our group mobilize to advocate for school
> libraries and especially the underfunded students of Illinois.
>
> I am sorry I am not able to attend tonight's listening session in Moline
> due to a family issue, but Carolyn Mesick, our department chair, shared
> comments with the rest of our Library Media Specialists after school today.
> She will do a great job for us in the Quad Cities. Thanks Carolyn and all!
>
>
>
> *Angela Florence*
> Library Media Specialist
> Moline-Coal Valley Community Unit District 40
> aflorenc at molineschools.org
>
> Franklin (M,T) x 8272
> Butterworth  (W, Th, Friday AM) x 8216
> Willard  (Friday PM) x 1620
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Sep 7, 2016 at 10:14 AM, Email list for the Illinois School
> Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>
>> Thank you for attending in Moline tonight! Please use Lauren’s comments
>> to guide you. But please also bring the talking points I sent directly to
>> those attending this week as well to help guide you. If you’d like me to
>> send those again, please email me directly at president at islma.org
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Patti Fleser
>> Library Media Specialist
>> Deer Path Middle School
>> Lake Forest, IL
>> 847-604-7433
>> @DPM_Library
>>
>> President, Illinois School Library Media Association
>>
>> "...a library is more than a collection of dusty old books. It is a place
>> to learn, explore, and grow!” *Escape from Mr. Lemoncello**’s Library*
>>
>> From: <islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> on behalf of Email list
>> for the Illinois School Library Media Association <
>> islma at list.railslibraries.info>
>> Reply-To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info" <islma at list.railslibraries.inf
>> o>
>> Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 9:29 AM
>> To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info" <islma at list.railslibraries.info>
>> Subject: Re: [ISLMA-Share] ISBE Listening Tour...what to expect
>>
>> I'm going to the one in Moline tonight. Would it be inappropriate to copy
>> and paste Lauren's statement into my testimony? I also am not good on the
>> fly and was planning to write something.
>>
>> On Wed, Sep 7, 2016 at 9:00 AM, Email list for the Illinois School
>> Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>>
>>> Lauren,
>>> Thank you so much for your quick feedback. We weren’t sure of the
>>> format, so this gives us a better idea of how to help prepare everyone who
>>> attends these meetings.
>>> Please copy me on what you send to isbe – you can send it to
>>> president at islma.org
>>>
>>> And to everyone else – you can see HOW important this truly is. Please
>>> sign up to attend a meeting. We still have 2 meetings that no one has
>>> signed up for:
>>> Sept 19 – Carbondale
>>> Sept 21 – Quincy
>>> If you’re in one of these areas and can attend, please sign up. (
>>> http://tinyurl.com/jjqnf8t)
>>>
>>> Thank you!
>>>
>>> Patti Fleser
>>> Library Media Specialist
>>> Deer Path Middle School
>>> Lake Forest, IL
>>> 847-604-7433
>>> @DPM_Library
>>>
>>> President, Illinois School Library Media Association
>>>
>>> "...a library is more than a collection of dusty old books. It is a
>>> place to learn, explore, and grow!” *Escape from Mr. Lemoncello**’s
>>> Library*
>>>
>>> From: <islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> on behalf of Email list
>>> for the Illinois School Library Media Association <
>>> islma at list.railslibraries.info>
>>> Reply-To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info" <
>>> islma at list.railslibraries.info>
>>> Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 7:56 AM
>>> To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info" <islma at list.railslibraries.info>
>>> Subject: [ISLMA-Share] ISBE Listening Tour...what to expect
>>>
>>> Hi everyone--
>>>
>>> I attended the ISBE "ESSA" Listening Tour in Freeport last night...and
>>> want to share with everyone how the format works.
>>>
>>> There is a sign-in sheet with a spot for you to indicate that you wish
>>> to speak.
>>>
>>> The first part of the evening was a slideshow presentation by ISBE of
>>> the work they have done so far in crafting a draft plan for the State of
>>> Illinois.  The plan is clearly in development...and there is a LOT of room
>>> to weigh in and provide feedback.  The slideshow is posted on the ISBE
>>> website...but honestly it would be difficult to make sense of it without
>>> listening to the narrative provided by ISBE.
>>>
>>> After the slideshow, those people who wished to speak, "provide
>>> testimony," were given 3-5 minutes each.  ISBE would like written
>>> "testimony" to be submitted by everyone who chooses to speak at one of the
>>> stops on the listening tour...so your remarks become a part of the
>>> permanent record of the development of the state plan.  There are two
>>> people on laptops taking notes during the entire session, but if you don't
>>> have a written statement (I didn't), you can submit the written statement
>>> to this email:  essa at isbe.net
>>>
>>> After the formal "testimonies," there was an open discussion forum and
>>> an opportunity to ask questions and raise issues.  In attendance were a
>>> state representative, regional superintendent, administrative and teacher
>>> representatives from various districts.  There were approximately 30 people
>>> in attendance.  The press was there right at the beginning, but did not
>>> stay for the actual presentation.
>>>
>>> There were four people who provided actual "testimony" at the session
>>> last night and HALF of them were librarians (Jane Lenser and myself).
>>>
>>> I am going to write up my testimony and submit it to ISBE...but here's
>>> the short version of what I had to say.  I was prepared to talk to the
>>> "talking points" that Patti sent out, but while listening to the slideshow
>>> presentation, it became obvious that there was an opportunity to make a
>>> very large point about school libraries that didn't fit into any of the
>>> provided talking points.
>>>
>>> One of the things that the new state plan will provide is for a variety
>>> of indicators to be used statewide that will help to evaluate how
>>> individual schools are performing.  The working group has identified about
>>> 40 indicators that could be used (attendance, suspension rates, readiness
>>> for high school, etc.).  Nothing has been decided, and every "example" on
>>> the slideshow is just a hypothetical.  Many of the examples were difficult
>>> to quantify.  So here is what I said:
>>>
>>> It is absolutely irrefutable that certified school librarians have a
>>> positive impact on student achievement.  We know this from over 30 studies
>>> that use hard, quantifiable data.  If ISBE made having a certified school
>>> librarian in an effective school library program one of those indicators,
>>> we know it would improve student achievement and at the same time it would
>>> provide schools with the incentive to hire properly trained school
>>> librarians in every single building in the state.  It would be easy to
>>> measure.  It would be effective.  It would transform the educational
>>> experience of an entire generation of students.
>>>
>>> When I spoke about this, the people from ISBE were VERY interested...it
>>> seemed to me that this idea--using school libraries and certified school
>>> librarians as an indicator for individual school performance--had not been
>>> discussed, and they were intrigued.  The audience response was positive as
>>> well.
>>>
>>> I will write this up and send it along to ISBE...
>>>
>>> Patti:  do you want a copy of what I send to ISBE?  If so, please let me
>>> know what email to send it to...
>>>
>>> Lauren
>>>
>>>
>>> Lauren Collen, MLIS
>>>
>>> Librarian
>>>
>>> Machesney Elementary
>>> ------------------------------
>>> *From:*islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info [
>>> islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info] on behalf of Email list for the
>>> Illinois School Library Media Association [islma at list.railslibraries.inf
>>> o]
>>> *Sent:* Tuesday, September 06, 2016 3:22 PM
>>> *To:* islma at list.railslibraries.info
>>> *Subject:* Re: [ISLMA-Share] NEW stop on the ESSA listening tour - Oct
>>> 5 in Sycamore
>>>
>>> Thanks, I just signed up to go listen in DeKalb. I tried to find your
>>> earlier posts to remind me what I should be listening for or if I need to
>>> speak up.  Could you resend that information to me? cstracne at syc427.org
>>>
>>> *Peace,*
>>>
>>> *Coni Stracner Teacher Librarian @SMS  *
>>> *  *
>>> *  I am reading:  All the Light We Cannot See  by Anthony Doerr  *
>>> *I just finished reading: *
>>> * Clan of the Cave Bear   by Jean M. Auel  *
>>> *I am listening to:   Love in the Time of Cholera  by  Gabriel Garcia
>>> Marquez *
>>> *Ask me about these books!*
>>>
>>> On Tue, Sep 6, 2016 at 3:00 PM, Email list for the Illinois School
>>> Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I’ve just learned that the ISBE has added another stop on the listening
>>>> tour. For those of you in the DeKalb/Sycamore area, you can now sign up to
>>>> attend the October 5 meeting. http://tinyurl.com/jjqnf8t
>>>>
>>>> Patti Fleser
>>>> Library Media Specialist
>>>> Deer Path Middle School
>>>> Lake Forest, IL
>>>> 847-604-7433
>>>> @DPM_Library
>>>>
>>>> President, Illinois School Library Media Association
>>>>
>>>> "...a library is more than a collection of dusty old books. It is a
>>>> place to learn, explore, and grow!” *Escape from Mr. Lemoncello**’s
>>>> Library*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ------------------------------
>>>> Any communication sent or received by District 67 and/or District 115
>>>> is a public record and may be subject to inspection or copying under the
>>>> Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> ISLMA-Share mailing list
>>>> islma at list.railslibraries.info
>>>> For list archives and subscription options, visit:
>>>> http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/islma
>>>> To unsubscribe, send a message to:
>>>> islma-leave at list.railslibraries.info
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY: The information contained in this email
>>> transmission is confidential information which may contain information that
>>> is privileged. The information is intended solely for the use of the
>>> individual or entity named above. Access, copying or re-use of the e-mail
>>> or any attachment, or any information contained therein, by any other
>>> person is not authorized. If you are not the intended recipient, you are
>>> hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking of any
>>> action in reliance on the contents of this email transmission is strictly
>>> prohibited. If you have received this email transmission in error, please
>>> return the e-mail to the sender and delete it from your computer. Although
>>> we attempt to sweep e-mail and attachments for viruses, we do not guarantee
>>> that either are virus-free and accept no liability for any damage from
>>> viruses.
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> ISLMA-Share mailing list
>>> islma at list.railslibraries.info
>>> For list archives and subscription options, visit:
>>> http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/islma
>>> To unsubscribe, send a message to:
>>> islma-leave at list.railslibraries.info
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> ISLMA-Share mailing list
>>> islma at list.railslibraries.info
>>> For list archives and subscription options, visit:
>>> http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/islma
>>> To unsubscribe, send a message to:
>>> islma-leave at list.railslibraries.info
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>> Any communication sent or received by District 67 and/or District 115 is
>>> a public record and may be subject to inspection or copying under the
>>> Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>> Any communication sent or received by District 67 and/or District 115 is
>>> a public record and may be subject to inspection or copying under the
>>> Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> ISLMA-Share mailing list
>>> islma at list.railslibraries.info
>>> For list archives and subscription options, visit:
>>> http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/islma
>>> To unsubscribe, send a message to:
>>> islma-leave at list.railslibraries.info
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Carolyn Mesick
>> Library Media Specialist,
>> Moline Sr. High School
>> District Coordinator of Library Services,
>> Moline District 40
>> 309.743.8902
>>
>> *"If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over
>> the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child
>> in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last
>> throughout life."    -Rachel Carson*
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> ISLMA-Share mailing list
>> islma at list.railslibraries.info
>> For list archives and subscription options, visit:
>> http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/islma
>> To unsubscribe, send a message to:
>> islma-leave at list.railslibraries.info
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> Any communication sent or received by District 67 and/or District 115 is
>> a public record and may be subject to inspection or copying under the
>> Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> Any communication sent or received by District 67 and/or District 115 is
>> a public record and may be subject to inspection or copying under the
>> Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> ISLMA-Share mailing list
>> islma at list.railslibraries.info
>> For list archives and subscription options, visit:
>> http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/islma
>> To unsubscribe, send a message to:
>> islma-leave at list.railslibraries.info
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> ISLMA-Share mailing list
> islma at list.railslibraries.info
> For list archives and subscription options, visit:
> http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/islma
> To unsubscribe, send a message to:
> islma-leave at list.railslibraries.info
>

-- 
Carolyn Mesick
Library Media Specialist,
Moline Sr. High School
District Coordinator of Library Services,
Moline District 40
309.743.8902

*"If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over
the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child
in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last
throughout life."    -Rachel Carson*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.railslibraries.info/pipermail/aisle/attachments/20160908/0021bb25/attachment-0002.html>