Yes, great question, Barb. Cathy, you pose an important point, too. Before arriving at Rumsey, I was in Naugatuck until 2010. It was a district that highly supported librarians with ALL schools having a certified LMS, at least part-time. Naugatuck High had TWO certified LMSs! We did a ton of teaching and programming and it was a blast. UNTIL severe budget shortages hit and LMS positions were cut. As I was the person with almost the least seniority, I was bumped from my job. Devastating. My principal asked me not to do anything drastic. I didn't want to, but I didn't have a job. Though I loved what I did, I couldn't do it for free! My story has a silver lining, but not all of them do.
My apologies, I do not mean to bash Naugatuck at all. It was and probably still is an amazing school district. I am just sharing the reality of what happened to me because this is what sometimes happens to librarians whether we are good at what we do or not.
So I'm wondering, in the spirit of advocacy, if the Try This on Monday is a good place to ask for administrators to speak to the value of their school librarians? Though we probably want to spend that time simply hearing about the CSDE's "current goals and investments for the future"!
Currently Reading:
A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
Eat this Poem: A Literary Feast of Recipes Inspired by Poetry
ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction--from Childhood Through Adulthood by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., and John J. Ratey, M.D.
Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power Of Storytelling by Matthew Dicks
Listening to:
What Makes Us by Rafi Mittlefehldt (downloaded via
Sync free, audiobook program this past summer)
Recently finished:
Wink by Rob Harrell
Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling
Leonard (My Life as a Cat) by Carlie Sorosiak
Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh
Hello, Future Me by Kim Ventrella
The Murmur of Bees by Sofia Segovia
The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste (GRA '21 Middle Grade)
This Train is Being Held by Ismee Williams
The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala
Something to Say by Lisa Moore Ramee
The Right Side of Reckless by Whitney D. Grandison (#CTCASLReads)
Make Just One Change: Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions by Dan Rothstein and Luz Santana