Our district is going to a 1:1 policy next year, with students being issued Chromebooks. We are also moving into a brand-new middle school, with a beautiful media center which the current LMS helped design. However, the superintendent has presented a budget which calls for eliminating the middle-school LMS and replacing that position with para/clerk, who will help supervise the 1:1 program. Reportedly, the administration claims that since the district is going to be 1:1, there's no need for a librarian at the middle school.
We know it's an uphill battle, but we're going to speak at the upcoming Board of Ed meeting Tuesday night to advocate for the position not being cut. We've been gathering information, have been in touch with CASL and ALA, and are buoyed by reports that many of the middle school students have created and signed a petition to protest the position being cut. What would be helpful would be for those of you who work in 1:1 districts, and in particular in middle schools in those districts, to send me a few bullet points about the importance of having a fully certified LMS even in a 1:1 school.
Thanks in advance for everyone's help and support.
David Bilmes
Oxford High School