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AASL Opens Calls for Best Practice Showcase Proposals
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Attendees of AASL’s 17th National Conference & Exhibition will once again get a taste of current programs that are leading the way in school library program development during the conference’s best practice showcase. The IdeaLab, formerly known as the IDEAxCHANGE, will be held Thursday afternoon of the conference taking place Nov. 5-8, 2015, in Columbus, Ohio. To submit a proposal, visit national.aasl.org/idea. The best practice showcase features tabletop, video displays occurring simultaneously and geared to give attendees a taste of how education is evolving in the school library field. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore at their own pace and ask questions at as many presentations as they would
like during the afternoon.
AASL Introduces the Ruth Toor Grant for Strong Public School Libraries
In recognition of her service to and influence on the profession, AASL is proud to announce its newest award, The Ruth Toor Grant for Strong Public School Libraries. The annual award, made possible by the generous support of Jay Toor, will support public school libraries in creating initiatives that promote and position their school library as necessary resources in their communities. More information is available on the AASL website at www.ala.org/aasl/awards.
AASL Offers Webinar on iTunes U and the School Librarian
Participants will explore the largest repository of free content in the world through the lens of the school librarian in the newest webinar from AASL. Presented by school librarian and Apple Distinguished Educator Cheryl Boes, “iTunes U & You: Digital Content in the School Library” will take place at 6 p.m. Central on Thursday, March 5. For more information and to register, visit ecollab.aasl.org.
AASL Joins the Coalition for Future Ready Schools
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AASL has joined the national movement for Future Ready Schools as a coalition partner. The Alliance for Excellent Education and U.S. Department of Education are leading the Future Ready Schools effort with the support of the Leading Education by Advancing Digital (LEAD) Commission and the vast coalition of national experts. More information about the movement can be found at www.futurereadyschools.org.
Gamer Geek Eli Neiburger to Headline AASL President's Program
Self-proclaimed geek, gamer, dork and doofus Eli Neiburger will headline the AASL President’s Program taking place at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, as part of the 2015 ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco. An engaging and entertaining speaker, Neiburger has spoken across the US, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand about libraries, gaming, ebooks, publishing, and the Web. The AASL President's Program is an annual event featuring prominent experts on issues
relevant to school librarianship and is open to all registered conference attendees. For more information about this and other AASL programs at the 2015 ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco, visit www.ala.org/aasl/annual.
School Library Research Opens Volume 18 with Three New Studies
Three new research articles are now available in volume 18 of AASL's peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research. Sherry R. Crow addresses the research question: “What are the experiences in the lives of upper elementary-aged Ugandan children that foster an intrinsic motivation to seek information?” in “The Information-Seeking Behavior of Intrinsically Motivated Elementary School Children of a Collectivist Culture.” In “Preparing
Pre-Service School Librarians for Science-Focused Collaboration with Pre-Service Elementary Teachers: The Design and Impact of a Cross-Class Assignment,” Casey H. Rawson, Janice Anderson and Sandra Hughes-Hassell examine the impact of collaboratively designed instruction on school library students’ understanding of collaboration between teachers and school librarians. Ann Dutton Ewbank shares the results of a modified case study in “Union-Active School Librarians and School Library Advocacy: A Modified Case Study of the British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association and the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation.”Articles can be found on the AASL website at www.ala.org/aasl/slr.
Article Written by AASL Members Appears in Principal Magazine
“Digital Native Does Not Equal Digital Literacy,” written by AASL members Ann M. Martin and Kathleen R. Roberts, appeared in the January/February 2015 issue of Principal, the magazine published by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). NAESP connected with AASL after seeing the digital literacy infographic published in “School Libraries Transform Learning,” a digital supplement of American Libraries magazine. The issue was developed in partnership with AASL as a tool to facilitate conversations with parents, colleagues, administrators, and policymakers about the multiple ways school librarians transform learning.
Application Process Open for ALA’s 2015 Leading to the Future Leadership Institute
The application process for the 2015 “Leading to the Future” ALA Leadership Institute (Aug. 9-13, Eaglewood Resort, Itasca, Illinois) is now open. Building on the success of the 2013 and 2014 ALA Leadership Institutes, and with support from Innovative Interfaces, the four-day immersive leadership development program for up to 40 mid-career librarians will be led again by ALA Past-President Maureen Sullivan and ACRL Content Strategist Kathryn Deiss. The institute helps future library leaders develop and practice their leadership skills in areas critical to the future of the libraries they lead. Applications will be accepted through April 8, 2015.
ALA Council Approves Revised Standards for Accreditation
The ALA Committee on Accreditation is pleased to announce ALA Council approval of the 2015 Standards for Accreditation of Master’s Programs in Library and Information Studies http://www.ala.org/accreditedprograms/standards. Brought forward into the new Standards with greater clarity is the emphasis on planning, assessment, and evaluation to sustain quality. The requirement to demonstrate how the results of evaluation are applied is now a culminating aspect of each of the standards. The standards reflect suggestions from all sectors of the profession, including, most notably, employers of LIS program graduates, LIS program faculty, students, the ALA Council and Executive Board, and affiliated
associations. Implementation of the 2015 Standards will begin immediately only for those programs not already in the comprehensive review cycle.
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Sue Kowalski Highlighted for Bookmobile Efforts
Sue Kowalski, school librarian at Pine Grove Middle School in East Syracuse, NY, was featured in an article for her efforts to revamp an RV into a bookmobile. Sue purchased a 23-foot 1989 Lindy RV for $5,000 and outfitted it as a bookmobile. Pine Grove is undergoing renovations and the building is closed while work is under way; students are attending classes at six temporary locations. The RV--nicknamed Ms. Lindy--travels to the sites to augment the library program.
Rosemary Rich Named West Essex 2014-15 Education Services Professional of the Year
Rosemary Rich, library media specialist at West Essex High School in North Caldwell, NJ, was named the school’s 2014-15 Education Services Professional of the year. “She truly inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities,” said Principal Gary Suda. “She has demonstrated ongoing contributions to the improvement of student learning and the West Essex learning environment. She has also earned the respect and admiration of students, parents and faculty. Her
students and colleagues describe her as enthusiastic, inspiring and dedicated.”
Marian Royal Vigil Wins a Year of Free AASL Membership
By sharing the wealth of AASL membership with a colleague, Marian Royal Vigil in turn won a free year of AASL membership for herself. Vigil’s name was drawn as the January winner of AASL's Share the Wealth Campaign. Vigil referred
Rachel Altobelli to AASL. “I encouraged Rachel to renew her membership, which had lapsed,” said Vigil. “The resources available through AASL are so valuable to school librarians. I felt that, as district librarians, we needed to tap into those resources to enrich our own practices and strengthen our arsenal of information to share with the librarians we serve. Personally, I wish all school librarians would join AASL because I believe that would bolster our profession significantly and help us all become better at what we do.”
LaDawna Harrington Featured on NJ News Site
LaDawna Harrington, school library media specialist at Millburn High School in NJ, is featured as part of a series on NorthJersey.com. In the article LaDawna notes how school librarians help students think critically. She does this by having her students journal about their research processes online and interacting with students online. “Research is hard work," she said. "You can’t really push the ‘easy button’ and have your questions answered immediately."
Dhaivyd Hilgendorf Highlighted for Transition to Makerspace
An article in the Star Tribune highlights Dhaivyd Hilgendorf, school library media specialist at Park Center High in Brooklyn Park, MN, who helped transition his school library into a makerspace. “The idea is to move away from a sit-and-get traditional teaching environment and to focus on the creating process and the sharing process,” notes Hilgendorf. “We have integrated more technology into our space to facilitate that.”
Jeannine Madoff’s School Library Featured in News Item
An article in The Republic highlights library media specialist Jeanine Madoff’s efforts to revamp her school library into learning commons at The International School at Dundee in Riverside, CT. “I was feeling frustrated because the kids would start a research project with their classroom, I would be there at the beginning, then I wouldn't see them for a week,” Madoff said. “And then I'd come in, and they'd be halfway done. Here, I can take five, six days, however long we need to do it.”
AASL Members Receive Honors from NESLA
The New England School Library Association (NESLA) will award Judi Paradis, library teacher at Plympton School in Waltham, MA, the Elizabeth T. Fast Award, which recognizes school library professionals whose dedication, creativity, adaptive programming, political advocacy, research, management, and work with students have had a significant impact on the profession in New England. In addition, Paradis; Michelle Luhtala, library department chair at New Canaan High School in CT; and Mary Ellen Minichiello, library media specialist at Millford Public Schools in CT, will be inducted into the NESLA Hall of Fame. They were nominated by their state association or an individual member of the New England School Library Association for having made significant contributions to the library media field through their efforts at the state, regional, and/or national level. The awards will be presented during a luncheon at the May 9 NESLA board meeting.
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Are States Meeting College- and Career-Readiness Goals?
States could do more to ensure that students who earn diplomas are prepared for life after high school, according to a recent report. It found that in many states, college- and career-readiness goals are not aligned with standards, coursework and graduation requirements.
School Partnership Commits $35 Million to Philadelphia School District
The Philadelphia School Partnership has announced a $35 million commitment to the Philadelphia School District to offset costs associated with charter school expansion in the city and fund the transformation of district schools. Most of the funds will help cover the estimated costs over the next three years of adding up to fifteen thousand seats in quality charter schools in the city. The remaining $10 million will be invested in transforming district schools into high-quality schools.
Teachers’ Views on Education Reform Initiatives
Educators are split on whether the Common Core State Standards will improve the quality of education in their community, according to a recent study. Thirty percent said CCSS will improve their community's quality of education; 34% said it would decrease the quality; and 36% said their community's quality of education would stay the same. Data show strong support for blended learning, with two-thirds of teachers saying they support the model. In addition, 64% would prefer
personally negotiating salary and benefits packages; only 12% believe collective bargaining leads to a better compensated workforce.
States Trying New Ways to Measure College Readiness
More states are expanding their measures for college readiness beyond seat-time requirements, according to a recent report. Some states have taken other measures such as competency-based assessments, grade-point average and class rank into consideration.
Global Skills Gap among U.S. Millennials
Millennials in the U.S. lag behind their peers in skills needed for a global workforce, such as practical, career-oriented literacy and numeracy skills and problem-solving, according to a recent analysis of data from 22 industrialized countries. The data showed that even the best performing and most educated millenials (those who are native born) and those with the greatest economic advantage do not perform favorably in comparison to their peers internationally. The U.S.’s top performing millennials scored lower than top-performing millennials in 15 of the 22 participating countries, indicating that the skills challenge is systemic. Low-scoring U.S. millennials ranked last and scored lower than their peers in 19 participating countries.
Improvements Needed to Make the Most of Gaming in Classrooms
There are pros and cons to using educational games in the classroom, according to a recent study on game playing in K-12 education. Researchers found that gaming can be more effective if there were improvements made in design or support around the games, or in both.
Principals Focus on Tech to Implement Common Core
Increasing bandwidth to help implement Common Core State Standards was a top priority for the principals participating in a recent survey. The majority of those responding said the Common Core is fueling technology purchases.
Diversity Gaining among Children’s Books
New data from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison finds that children’s books with significant African or African American content nearly doubled in 2014. It also found a slight increase in publications featuring Asian/Pacific or Asian/Pacific American content, according to CCBC’s statistics.
Closing Education Gap Can Help Economy
A new study finds that the United States could ultimately enrich everybody by improving educational performance for the typical student. When it comes to math and science scores, the United States lags most of the other 33 advanced industrialized countries that make up the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, ranking 24th, far behind Korea, Poland and Slovenia. Moving up just a few notches to 19th—so that the average American score matched the O.E.C.D. average — would add 1.7 percent to the nation’s gross domestic product over the next 35 years, according to estimates by the Washington Center.
Report Shows More Women and Men Earning STEM Degrees
The number of women and men earning degrees in science, technology, engineering and math increased between 2004 and 2014, according to a recent report from the National Student Clearinghouse. "Both men and women are increasingly choosing STEM degrees, particularly in the hard sciences," said Doug Shapiro, executive research director of the clearinghouse's research center.
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Resources for School Librarians
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Official 2015 Children's Book Week Poster Unveiled
Every Child a Reader and the Children’s Book Council have unveiled Grace Lee’s official 2015 Children’s Book Week poster at bookweekonline.com, commemorating the 96th annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of
reading. Copies will be distributed nationwide, and may be requested online at no cost beyond shipping while supplies last. 2015 will be the largest celebration of Children’s Book Week yet, with official events-–which give kids the opportunity to connect with their favorite authors and illustrators in person--in all 50 states.
A Guide to Creating Makerspaces
Creating high-tech makerspaces at schools gives students the freedom to guide their own learning while developing 21st-century skills, Abbe Waldron, a library media specialist at a Connecticut high school, writes in this commentary. She describes how her school established makerspaces and how they have enriched learning.
How Teachers Can Make the Most of Google+ and Twitter
Google+ and Twitter offer teachers an opportunity to build their professional learning networks, according to Thomas Murray, a director at the Alliance For Excellent Education, and Steven Anderson, a former director of instructional technology in North Carolina. In this article, they share eight ways that teachers can make the most of social networks, including how to use hashtags effectively.
Shaping Game Development for Middle Schoolers
Middle-school students said in a recent survey that they enjoyed learning about coding as part of a game-development course. In this commentary, Lisa Castaneda and Manrita Sidhu--both of foundry10, a not-for-profit that conducted the survey--highlight the findings and how they could be used by schools to shape game-development courses.
Teacher Debuts New “Teaching in Tandem” Model
Middle-school teacher Myryame Montrose Elder has developed a "teaching in tandem" collaboration model, which she says helps her meet the needs of French and English-as-a-second-language students. In this article, she explains how her approach is similar to "speed dating" and provides examples of how it benefits her students.
Should Schools Focus on College, Career Readiness?
College- and career-readiness lessons sometimes miss the mark, especially with students who see few rewards in adult life, English teacher Michael Godsey writes in this commentary. He explores student engagement and calls for a closer examination of the picture educators sometimes paint for students of life after high school.
Tips to Personalize Professional Learning
Creating personalized professional learning starts with understanding "the whole teacher or leader," suggests Ben Wilkoff, director of personalized professional learning in Denver Public Schools. In this commentary, he discusses how to create a professional learning profile by identifying strengths, needs, interests and constraints
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Partnership and Collaborator News
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NEA's Read Across America Day Is March 2
Oh, the Places You'll Go when you read! March 2 is NEA's Read Across America Day and this year, the book is the Seuss classic, Oh, The Places You'll Go. To make your event Seussational, go to Plan a Reading Event
for Read Across America for tips and ideas to plan your own event. Be sure to follow Read Across America on Facebook and Twitter with #readacrossamerica.
Digital Learning Day Is March 13
Digital Learning Day will be held on March 13. Digital Learning Day celebrates innovative teaching practices that make learning more personalized and engaging and encourage exploration of how digital learning can provide more students with more opportunities to get the skills they need to succeed in college, career, and life. DigitalLearningDay.org offers customized toolkits for all audiences, grades, and subjects to help educators explore how they can contribute to the campaign. School librarians and other educators are invited to visit DigitalLearningDay.org to register to receive toolkits, resources, and invitations to run-up events and activities.
ASCD Calls for Moratorium on High-Stakes Tests for Evaluations
ASCD has proposed waiting two years before including high-stakes tests in measures of teacher and school accountability. "We're not saying 'Don't test,' but 'Don't use tests for that specific set of consequences,'" said David Griffith, ASCD's director of public policy.
ISKME Partners with AASL, ALA, and NH Dept. of Ed on Use of oOER STEM Teaching and Learning
The Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME) will partner with AASL, ALA, and the the New Hampshire Department of Education to engage in-service and pre-service school librarians and teachers in multiple settings in the use of curated open educational resources (OER) for STEM teaching and learning. The project will include annual spring professional learning academies; semi-annual professional development symposia; and virtual support. Project outcomes include the development of new teaching and social learning practices; the creation and sharing of high quality standards-aligned instructional units and text sets focused on STEM inquiry; higher education courseware modules; and a replicable and scalable community of practice and professional learning network.
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NABT Evolution Education Award
The National Association of Biology Teachers Evolution Education Award, sponsored by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) and National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent), recognizes innovative classroom teaching and community education efforts to promote the accurate understanding of biological evolution. Maximum award: $1,000 cash prize; recognition; and a one-year complimentary NABT membership. Deadline: March 15, 2015.
NABT Outstanding New Biology Teacher Achievement Award
The National Association of Biology Teachers Outstanding New Biology Teacher Achievement Award recognizes outstanding by a "new" biology/life science instructor within his/her first three years of teaching (when nominated) who has developed an original and outstanding program or technique and made a contribution to the profession at the start of his/her career. Maximum award: a travel fellowship, microscope, recognition plaque to be presented at the NABT Professional Development Conference, and one year of complimentary membership to NABT. Eligibility: teachers grades 7-12. Deadline: March 15, 2015.
NABT The Ron Mardigian Biotechnology Teaching Award
The National Association of Biology Teachers Ron Mardigian Biotechnology Teaching Award recognizes a teacher who demonstrates outstanding and creative teaching of biotechnology in the classroom. The award may be given for either a short-term series of activities or a long-term integration of biotechnology into the curriculum. Maximum award: a recognition plaque to be presented at the NABT Professional Development Conference, one year of complimentary membership to NABT, and $1500 (up to $500 toward travel to the NABT Professional Development Conference and $1,000 in Bio-Rad materials). Eligibility: secondary school teachers. Deadline: March 15, 2015.
Library of Congress Summer Teacher Institutes
The Library of Congress is accepting applications for its five week-long summer programs for K-12 educators. Held at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., this professional development opportunity provides tools and resources to effectively integrate primary sources into K-12 classroom teaching, with an emphasis on student engagement, critical thinking, and construction of knowledge. Tuition and materials are provided at no cost. Applications are due March 24.
Qatar Foundation The WISE Prize for Education
The WISE Prize for Education recognizes an individual or a team of up to six people for an outstanding contribution to education. The achievements of the nominated individual or team should have had a significant and lasting impact upon education at any level and should demonstrate an inspiring and visionary approach. Maximum award: gold medal and US $500,000. Eligibility: individuals or institutions—including schools, international organizations, and private companies—from anywhere in the world. Deadline: March 31, 2015.
Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Minigrants
The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation offers Minigrants to public and school libraries for programs that encourage literacy and creativity in children. Programs relating to the work of Ezra Jack Keats are welcome, but not required. Maximum award: $500. Eligibility: public and school libraries. Deadline: March 31, 2015.
Library of Congress Center for the Book
The Library of Congress Center for the Book is accepting applications for the 2015 Library of Congress Literacy Awards. These awards are given to outstanding organizations working to promote literacy, both in the United States and worldwide. The awards seek to recognize organizations doing exemplary, innovative and replicable work over a sustained period of time and to encourage new groups, organizations and individuals to become involved. All groups that work to promote literacy are encouraged to apply. The application rules and a downloadable application form may be accessed at www.read.gov/literacyawards/. Applications must be received no later than midnight on March 31, 2015.
McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation Teacher Development Grants
Teacher Development Grants from the McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation support the development of new K-12 learning programs. Small teams of teachers are encouraged to apply for funding to help integrate fresh strategies that encourage critical inquiry and to observe their effects on students. Prize: Grants are available up to $10,000 for a maximum of three years. Deadline: April 15, 2015.
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes honors outstanding young leaders who have focused on helping their communities and fellow beings and/or on protecting the health and sustainability of the environment. Maximum award: $2,500. Eligibility: youth 8-18. Deadline: April 15, 2015.
World Hunger Leadership Challenge
The World Hunger Leadership Challenge was created by the USA TODAY Charitable Foundation and the Lift a Life Foundation, with assistance from the Yum! Foundation, to encourage middle and high school students to hone leadership skills by completing a service-learning project that solves hunger issues. Teams of students from public, private, and charter middle schools and high schools are invited to enter. Each team must create and execute a service-learning project that attempts to solve a local, statewide, or national hunger-related issue; develop an action plan to achieve the goal; and demonstrate leadership. Each entry must include a written summary or video overview of the project and quantifiable results. Submissions will be accepted through April 17, 2015.
Beacon Society's Jan Stauber Grant
The Beacon Society's Jan Stauber Grant provides up to $500 to fund the development of a project that will introduce young people to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories about his famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. U.S. and Canadian teachers, librarians, Sherlockian literary societies, and others are invited to apply for the Beacon Society's major funding project.The deadline for applications is May 1.
Google Science Fair
Google has launched its fifth annual global science fair, in which students between ages 13 and 18 are invited to submit projects that break new ground in science and solve real-world problems. The winner will receive a $50,000 scholarship from Google, among other prizes. Deadline for applications is May 19.
Teacher Grants from the NEA Foundation
Currently, the NEA offers grants in two categories, including “Student Achievement” and “Learning & Leadership." Both programs have a Feb. 1 deadline. Student Achievement grants are designed to help teachers engage students in critical thinking and problem solving in standards-based subject matter. Winning programs should also improve students' inquiry, self-paced learning, and critical reflection skills. The Learning & Leadership grants fund professional development experiences and collegiate study for educators. Prize: Grants range from $2,000 to $5,000. Deadline: June 1 and Oct. 15.
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