Massachusetts School Library Association
Member Portal:
​Join/Renew/Directory
​
  • Home
    • Spotlight Archive
    • MSLA Constitution
    • About Us
  • Membership
  • Conference
  • Resources
  • Advocacy
  • Awards
    • Judi Paradis Memorial Grant
    • MSLA Awards Archive: History of Awards >
      • 2023 Awards Pictures
      • 2019 Awards Pictures
      • 2018 Awards Pictures
      • 2017 Awards Pictures
      • 2016 Awards Pictures
      • 2015 Awards Pictures
  • Bookmark Contest

President's Address: Stepping Outside our School Libraries

5/1/2018

1 Comment

 
MSLA President Carrie Tucker is the Librarian at East Bridgewater Jr/Sr High School ​​

This spring, as the inevitable senioritis infection takes hold, I’m tempted to join in. The year has been an extraordinary one. My school survived its NEASC decennial accreditation visit last month, and I am ready for kayak time.

Those of us in elementary schools or non-member secondary schools may appreciate a brief background.  Every ten years a 16-person team of educators recruited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) descends upon each member school for an intense four-day visit.  The team observes instruction; meets with parents, teachers, students, and administrators; reviews curriculum; examines student work; assesses core values; and more. It’s akin to being formally observed as a first-year teacher--for four days straight.
Faculty prepares together by gathering evidence, evaluating strengths and needs, engaging in (mostly) honest self-reflection, and writing an exhaustive report covering seven areas: core values, curriculum, instruction, assessment, leadership, school resources (including library services), and community resources. Don’t bother to remember this, though.  Revisions are planned for 2020.

After moderate arm twisting, I agreed in October to coordinate our self-study and have our report polished and ready for consumption by March.  I took this on partly to be well positioned to advocate for strong library support. However, I also wanted to contribute in a meaningful way to school improvement from outside the library.

The work took up many, many hours outside of the school day--more than I imagined. Gathering information from all departments and various faculty members, revising and rewriting each standard committee report to have one voice and a uniform message--all time consuming. Not only did our self assessments need to conform across standards, but the small details needed to align as well. Add to that the fact that like most NEASC coordinators, I was essentially clueless.  I learned by trial and error.

Despite crying twice and swearing a little bit, overall I enjoyed much of the work. I learned a lot, about the process, my school, the people I work with, good educational practice, and even our library. This endeavor delivered far more than any grad program ever could.

I studied our library from the perspective of faculty and students.  Eye-opening, yes, but if I am honest I’ll admit I didn’t always like what I saw.  It’s easy to say we do the best we can with what we have, but the truth is often more complex, isn’t it?  Prime material for kayak self-reflection.

I also learned good things about my coworkers that I never knew in 13 years on the job. I learned the unique complexities of various roles in the school. I learned about faculty concerns and fears. I have a new appreciation for the level of commitment of my fellow educators.  I imagine it is natural for every professional teacher to feel passionate about education and see the work they do as essential to student success. This, evidently, is not a trait limited to library people.

With our NEASC visit safely behind us, my school community waits patiently for its final report. I hope the results will position me to help my entire school moving forward, through either improved funding or an informed mindset. NEASC describes the overall process best as an “in-depth, self-reflective analysis of one’s own learning community validated by peers in the educational community. The value is intrinsic; the benefit is in the doing.”

“The benefit is in the doing.” Wise words, to be sure.  As librarians who serve varying multiple grades in multiple school types, we do not need NEASC to remind us to engage in self-reflection in order to better serve our communities and contribute to student success.  We do, however, need kayaks.
1 Comment
Lynda Moylan
5/8/2018 01:25:03 pm

My school is starting the NEASC process this year. I enjoyed reading your article and appreciate your thoughtful point of view. Thank you for writing this! Enjoy the kayak time :)

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Forum Newsletter

    Co-Editors
    ​Luke Steere and Michelle Fontaine

    Michelle is School Librarian at Epstein Hillel School in Marblehead; Luke is School Librarian at  Wilson Middle in Natick

    Click to set custom HTML

    Categories

    All
    AASL
    Academic
    Advocacy
    ALA
    Authors
    Book Bans
    Book Challenges
    Book Trailers
    Cataloging
    Censorship
    Column
    Conference
    Copyright
    Culture
    Databases
    Dewey
    Digital Citizenship
    E Books
    E-books
    Elementary
    ESSA
    Ethics
    Evaluation
    Graphic Books
    Graphic Novels
    Inquiry
    Leadership
    Learning Commons
    Legislation
    Literacy
    Maker Space
    Nonfiction
    Orientation
    Picture Books
    Planning
    PLN
    President's Remarks
    Professional Development
    Reading
    Research
    Science
    Secondary
    Social Justice
    Standards
    Technology
    Union
    Volunteers
    Weeding

    Archives

    February 2025
    May 2024
    February 2024
    October 2023
    May 2023
    February 2023
    October 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    October 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    October 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    April 2015

    MSLA Forum Past Issues:
    January 2015
    April 2015
    ​
    2002-2015 MSLA Forum
The Massachusetts School Library Association  works to ensure every school has a school library program that is fully integrated at all grade levels across the curriculum and has a significant and measurable impact on student achievement….Read more…..and Learn more about MSLA

Picture
Contact MSLA:
Emily Kristofek, Office Manager/Event Planner
P.O. Box 336. Wayland, MA 01778
[email protected]
​
508-276-1697 

Massachusetts School Library Association. All Rights Reserved.  Copyright 2025.