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

[Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association]

Katrina – thank you for attending and speaking. I do not have that hand out. If you could scan and send it to me at president at islma.org, as well as share it here, that would be terrific.
Thank you so much!

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<mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info>> on behalf of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Reply-To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>" <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Date: Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 6:40 PM
To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>" <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Subject: Re: [ISLMA-Share] ISBE Listening Tour...what to expect

Here are some stats and notes from tonight's listening tour stop in Spring Valley:

There were about 16 attendees (including state senator Sue Rezin, but she only stayed for less than 5 minutes, so I don't know what that was about.) The meeting was led by Melina Wright from ISBE.  I thought there would be more ISBE members, and maybe there were in the audience, but they didn't identify themselves.

3 people signed up to give testimony, including myself.  The other two were Karen Fisher, past president of Illinois Association of School Boards, and another gentleman who said he was on a school board.  They both spoke about the desire to have ESSA be supportive, not punitive like NCLB, and that adequate funding was the most important part.

I gave a short introduction of myself, said that I was there to speak to the importance of including school librarians in the state's implementation of ESSA, and then talked from the accountability section of the talking points Patti sent out.  The slideshow from ISBE focused mostly on accountability, so that seemed the most relevant.  I also think I could have talked about funding, because that came up, but I did not feel at all prepared to tackle that point.

There is a handout where ISBE asks for feedback on specific questions.  I think the hardest part is making a statement that relates to these questions.  I felt like I was giving testimony for something too specific, whereas the rest of the folks at the meeting were talking very broadly.  I have to say it was slightly awkward, but I'm glad we are doing it!

Patti, do you have a copy of the handout with the ISBE questions for feedback?  I think if we shared that with those who are attending the future meetings it would help them prepare their testimonies.

Our meeting ended at 5:30, a full hour early.

--Katrina


Katrina Bromann
kabromann at gmail.com<mailto:kabromann at gmail.com>

On Thu, Sep 8, 2016 at 4:17 PM, Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>> wrote:
I sure hope someone in Carbondale and Quincy areas step up to attend. It would be pretty powerful if school librarians showed up at 100% of the sessions!

On Thu, Sep 8, 2016 at 3:49 PM, Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>> wrote:
Yes, when I send the talking points, I also list who is attending each session. I can email you directly with who is listed to attend with you.
Thanks,

Patti Fleser
Library Media Specialist
Deer Path Middle School
Lake Forest, IL
847-604-7433<tel: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<mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info>> on behalf of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Reply-To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>" <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Date: Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 3:19 PM
To: Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>

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

Is there a way we can find out who is going to each meeting so we can communicate ahead of time and then sit together to show unity and force?

I want to sound professional and coherent with my fellow librarians, but I need to work on that ahead of time with them.



Mariela Siegert
School Librarian
Westfield Middle School
marris116 at gmail.com<mailto:marris116 at gmail.com>
@marris116

On Thu, Sep 8, 2016 at 3:09 PM, Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>> wrote:
For all who are planning on attending the ESSA listening talks —
The ISLMA ESSA task force has met and does have talking points to share with each of you. These were based on things the ISBE is specifically looking for in different sections of ESSA. It is important that you bring your own stories/experiences to the table as well.
We are looking at possibly revamping the talking points, based on what we’ve learned this week. I will send the talking points directly those who have signed up before your actual meeting.
Thanks again to everyone!

Patti Fleser
Library Media Specialist
Deer Path Middle School
Lake Forest, IL
847-604-7433<tel: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<mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info>> on behalf of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Reply-To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>" <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Date: Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 1:42 PM

To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>" <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Subject: Re: [ISLMA-Share] ISBE Listening Tour...what to expect

Just throwing my 2 cents in for the talking points.  Each of us who are attending should point out different assets school librarians bring to the table, don't just repeat the same things.
The more information we can get to ISBE the better.
In my experience, the "leaders" of education has NO IDEA what school librarians do besides "checking books" out to children, which they think could be an aide since their salaries are a lot lower.
Some principals and superintendents do not even realize what the school librarian does, so lets tell them.  If we could make a list of what we say and share so each time ISBE will hear a different IMPORTANT
reason why they should have certified school librarians in each building, with aides to help run the library!!
If we are only given 3 to 5 minutes to talk lets make each minute count!!
Karen Smith-Cox
p.s. I am planning to point to EngageNY and their intensive curriculum for the library program.  It is about 400 pages just for the library program.

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

Patti Fleser
Library Media Specialist
Deer Path Middle School
Lake Forest, IL
847-604-7433<tel: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<mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info>> on behalf of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Reply-To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>" <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 9:29 AM
To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>" <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto: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<mailto: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<mailto: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<tel: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<mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info>> on behalf of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Reply-To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>" <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>>
Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 7:56 AM
To: "islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>" <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto: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<mailto: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<mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> [islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info>] on behalf of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association [islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>]
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2016 3:22 PM
To: islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto: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<mailto: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<mailto: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<tel: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)



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

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

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