I was the librarian at Lauralton Hall from 2018-2022.

Lauralton had 2 LMSs until the 2017-18 school year. The contract of the person who has less seniority wasn’t renewed for the 2018-19 school year. Then the remaining LMS announced her retirement. I was hired in 8/2018 to replace both LMSs.

 

LH’s NEASC visit was in 2019.

 

At the end of the 2022 school year, the then-Head of School told me my contract wasn’t being renewed due to declining enrollment. The position hasn’t been filled by an LMS. Staff members cover the library as one of their duty blocks and I’ve heard there is a parent volunteer.

 

A new Head of School began her tenure on July 1 and I’ve heard she has made some positive changes, so perhaps the LMS position will be filled in the future.

 

Kristen

 

From: CASL-L <casl-l-bounces@mylist.net> On Behalf Of Amy Reilly
Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2024 4:19 PM
To: casl-l@mylist.net
Subject: Re: [CASL-L] LMS Removed

 

 

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We went through NEASC several years ago. Amongst some of the NEASC chairs I quietly asked if the LMS position could ever be eliminated. We are a small high school with only one LMS. I used to have a clerk with me but her position was cut years ago. I wasn’t worried that it would be. I was curious. Even if my position was cut I could move back into an English position (but never ever want to!). I was told that if it was financially impossible to have an LMS then the position could be eliminated. I never officially fact checked any of it though.

 

Amy Reilly

 

Currently reading:  Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

                              Heroine by Mindy McGinnis

                                                            

Just finished up:   The Silence that Binds Us by Joanna Ho

                             the little liar by Mitch Albom

                             Holly by Stephen King

 

 

 

On Sat, Feb 24, 2024 at 3:59 PM < casl-l-request@mylist.net> wrote:

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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: LMS Removed? (Arthur Greene)
   2. Re: [EXTERNAL]  Summer reading (Kristen Shanley)
   3. Re: [EXTERNAL]  Summer reading (Leslie Poulos)
   4. Re: [EXTERNAL]  Summer reading (Kristen Shanley)



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Arthur Greene < bigdog611@mac.com>
To: CASL Vice President < vicepresident@ctcasl.org>
Cc: Catherine Ryan < cryan@suffield.org>, Cathy Andronik < cathyandronik@yahoo.com>, casl-l@mylist.net, Matthew Cadorette < mcadorette@waterfordschools.org>
Bcc: 
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2024 15:28:18 -0500
Subject: Re: [CASL-L] LMS Removed?

In spring 2018 they eliminated all of the LMS positions k-12 in New Britain as well as reading teachers and made anyone willing to stay a STEAM teacher. The whole STEAM plan went down in flames in 2021 - 2022. The district hired part time clerks to run the school libraries. In the school that I was a STEAM teacher there was usually a different clerk in the library, nobody stayed. In 2022, they posted a LMS position in the high school. I think it was the result of a NEASC visit. At one time in new Britain they had 3 Library Media Specialists. They brought back 1 certified LMS 5 years later.  

 

Sent from my iPhone



On Feb 23, 2024, at 2:45 PM, CASL Vice President < vicepresident@ctcasl.org> wrote:



Just an FYI, we have NEASC on the docket for a CASL Let's Library PD. Most likely it will happen next academic year.


~Val DiLorenzo

Vice President

CT Association of School Librarians

 

Connecticut Association of School Librarians'  Organization Address:

 

 

On Fri, Feb 23, 2024 at 1:38 PM Catherine Ryan < cryan@suffield.org> wrote:

I have heard of high school librarians cut from 2 down to 1 and not replaced. 

 

On Fri, Feb 23, 2024 at 1:35 PM Cathy Andronik via CASL-L < casl-l@mylist.net> wrote:

I know of cases where the position of second or third of multiple high school librarians was eliminated and not brought back, or at least replaced "in a timely manner."  I have also heard rumors that John Crowley was not replaced immediately after his retirement from Joel Barlow HS, where I'm currently a para, but that may be hearsay, and there has been a head of the library/tech. department for at least 20 years now.

 

Cathy Andronik

 

 

 

On Friday, 23 February 2024 at 01:00:58 pm GMT-5, Matthew Cadorette < mcadorette@waterfordschools.org> wrote:

 

 

Hi Folks:

 

Does anyone have any knowledge of a school librarian position being removed despite the NEASC recommendation?

 

If the position was removed, was it ever restored?

 

Asking for a friend (no really).

 

Thanks,

Matt

 

Matthew Cadorette

Librarian

Waterford High School

20 Rope Ferry Road

Waterford, CT 06385

(860) 437-6956

 

Billy Pilgrim has become unstuck in time

     Slaughterhouse 5, Kurt Vonnegut

 

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--

Cathy Ryan 

Library Media Specialist 

Suffield Middle School

 

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kristen Shanley < kshanley@cheshire.k12.ct.us>
To: Loretta Sullivan < b59lgian@mpspride.org>
Cc: CASL_L < casl-l@mylist.net>
Bcc: 
Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2024 13:50:42 -0500
Subject: Re: [CASL-L] [EXTERNAL]  Summer reading
Hello everyone, 

 

We are at a 7-8 middle school and coordinate summer reading book clubs that meet in the fall once students are back to school. Teachers choose young adult books they are interested in reading and we have about 40-50 different offerings for students in a range of genres and difficulty levels. Students then use a Google form to sign up for the book they would like to join. We use a form limiter to cap the groups at 25 and then use one of our Advisory periods in early September to hold the meetings. Teachers get creative with activities/discussions/etc. 

definitely can’t say that all students read but the accountability of discussion helps. Typically the meeting is well received by both teachers and students. Many asking to meet again. 

Downsides : it’s a lot of work figuring out locations, making sure all students have a room to go to. We always have a chunk of “nonreaders” who never signed up, or students new to the district. We have a few teachers designated to these groups to do a general “reading” activity - sometimes an article about importance of reading, a short story they read together, etc. 

On Friday, February 23, 2024, Loretta Sullivan via CASL-L < casl-l@mylist.net> wrote:

Hello everyone,

 

I wanted to ask what other districts do for summer reading for students in grades 5-8 (middle levels)?  Do you ask for a reading log?  What incentives do you offer?  Is there required reading or is it voluntary?  If you can share what you have, that would be great.

 

Our public library also has incentives for summer reading and we advertise these to our students before they leave us in June.

 

Any thoughts or ideas that have worked is appreciated.  We are trying to get more kiddos reading over the summer as our participation last year needs much improvement.  We would like to do something that is manageable for teachers to assess in the fall when students return (we are a school of approx. 850 students).

 

We offer a "reading celebration" in the fall for those students that participated in reading over the summer.

 

Respectfully,

 

Loretta Sullivan

Library Media Specialist       

Bennet Academy

Manchester, CT

 

 

 

 

For all other technology assistance (including laptops and iPads), go to the IT Helpdesk  o r call / text 860-682-0607,  Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM. 

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." -Charles W. Eliot

 

                                                    



--

Kristen Shanley 

Dodd Library Media Specialist

 

​What I'm Reading Now: 

The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi

 

Listening to: 

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 

 

Recently Finished:

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez 

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell 

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

 

 

 

 

Hope to Read Next: 

The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kelly 

 

Recent Favorites 

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez 

You The Story by Ruta Septys

  The Prettiest by Brigit Young 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Leslie Poulos < l_poulos@yahoo.com>
To: Kristen Shanley < kshanley@cheshire.k12.ct.us>
Cc: Loretta Sullivan < b59lgian@mpspride.org>, CASL_L < CASL-L@mylist.net>
Bcc: 
Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2024 15:39:54 -0500
Subject: Re: [CASL-L] [EXTERNAL]  Summer reading

Kristen:

 

This is amazing -the discussions you do-I would love to do this. Do you supply the books to the students?

 

Right now in Wethersfield at the 7-8 middle school, we ask students to read three books of their choice and log them over the summer. We let them check out books from our school library (if they’re in seventh grade going up to eighth) over the summer, and we take 7th graders to the public library next door for a field trip/tour and help kids get library cards and hear about summer reading from the WL Teen Librarian in May or June. We ask students to log the books, on a summer reading Google form that is jointly shared by the public library and ourselves. They can earn raffle prizes from the public library by doing the Google form throughout the summer (beyond the three books). 

 

The teen librarian and I also visit the sixth graders at the five elementary schools to talk to them about the expectations and do some book talks. 

 

Our school has slightly less than 600 students I’d say we’ve had 49-53% participation rate over the last few years. 

 

We also send congratulatory letters home and do a poster with pics of our top 10 to 15 summer readers in the fall. That poster is hung in the library close to the circulation desk and gets noticed a lot.

 

There has been some questions about equity for those kids whose parents don’t make them do it… I do feel we provide reasonable access to books because we loan them over the summer out of our library, provide assistance with the library card process at the public library, and all of our students have chrome books which they keep over the summer and through which they have access to our substantial e-book and audio book collection in Sora… but I’ve always wanted to do discussions like Dodd Middle School does, but we’d definitely need to come up with money to purchase books if we were to do that.

 

Leslie Poulos

Silas Deane MS

 

Sent from my iPhone



On Feb 24, 2024, at 1:51 PM, Kristen Shanley < kshanley@cheshire.k12.ct.us> wrote:

Hello everyone, 

 

We are at a 7-8 middle school and coordinate summer reading book clubs that meet in the fall once students are back to school. Teachers choose young adult books they are interested in reading and we have about 40-50 different offerings for students in a range of genres and difficulty levels. Students then use a Google form to sign up for the book they would like to join. We use a form limiter to cap the groups at 25 and then use one of our Advisory periods in early September to hold the meetings. Teachers get creative with activities/discussions/etc. 

definitely can’t say that all students read but the accountability of discussion helps. Typically the meeting is well received by both teachers and students. Many asking to meet again. 

Downsides : it’s a lot of work figuring out locations, making sure all students have a room to go to. We always have a chunk of “nonreaders” who never signed up, or students new to the district. We have a few teachers designated to these groups to do a general “reading” activity - sometimes an article about importance of reading, a short story they read together, etc. 

On Friday, February 23, 2024, Loretta Sullivan via CASL-L < casl-l@mylist.net> wrote:

Hello everyone,

 

I wanted to ask what other districts do for summer reading for students in grades 5-8 (middle levels)?  Do you ask for a reading log?  What incentives do you offer?  Is there required reading or is it voluntary?  If you can share what you have, that would be great.

 

Our public library also has incentives for summer reading and we advertise these to our students before they leave us in June.

 

Any thoughts or ideas that have worked is appreciated.  We are trying to get more kiddos reading over the summer as our participation last year needs much improvement.  We would like to do something that is manageable for teachers to assess in the fall when students return (we are a school of approx. 850 students).

 

We offer a "reading celebration" in the fall for those students that participated in reading over the summer.

 

Respectfully,

 

Loretta Sullivan

Library Media Specialist       

Bennet Academy

Manchester, CT

 

 

 

 

For all other technology assistance (including laptops and iPads), go to the IT Helpdesk  o r call / text 860-682-0607,  Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM. 

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." -Charles W. Eliot

 

                                                    



--

Kristen Shanley 

Dodd Library Media Specialist

 

​What I'm Reading Now: 

The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi

 

Listening to: 

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 

 

Recently Finished:

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez 

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell 

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

 

 

 

 

Hope to Read Next: 

The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kelly 

 

Recent Favorites 

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez 

You The Story by Ruta Septys

  The Prettiest by Brigit Young 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


_______________________________________________
CASL-L mailing list
CASL-L@mylist.net
https://mylist.net/listinfo/casl-l

 




---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kristen Shanley < kshanley@cheshire.k12.ct.us>
To: Leslie Poulos < l_poulos@yahoo.com>
Cc: Loretta Sullivan < b59lgian@mpspride.org>, CASL_L < CASL-L@mylist.net>
Bcc: 
Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2024 15:58:59 -0500
Subject: Re: [CASL-L] [EXTERNAL]  Summer reading
We do not supply the books to the students but did start the library trip to promote reading and getting library cards like you mentioned and also team up with the library to make them aware of our book lists. 

We also encourage students to read 2 books over the summer (recommend nutmegs and other award winners or popular titles). 

 

I love the poster idea ! Very cool ! Would love to do more to recognize students who really get into summer reading. 

 

Love sharing these ideas. It’s getting me thinking about it already 

On Saturday, February 24, 2024, Leslie Poulos < l_poulos@yahoo.com> wrote:

Kristen:

 

This is amazing -the discussions you do-I would love to do this. Do you supply the books to the students?

 

Right now in Wethersfield at the 7-8 middle school, we ask students to read three books of their choice and log them over the summer. We let them check out books from our school library (if they’re in seventh grade going up to eighth) over the summer, and we take 7th graders to the public library next door for a field trip/tour and help kids get library cards and hear about summer reading from the WL Teen Librarian in May or June. We ask students to log the books, on a summer reading Google form that is jointly shared by the public library and ourselves. They can earn raffle prizes from the public library by doing the Google form throughout the summer (beyond the three books). 

 

The teen librarian and I also visit the sixth graders at the five elementary schools to talk to them about the expectations and do some book talks. 

 

Our school has slightly less than 600 students I’d say we’ve had 49-53% participation rate over the last few years. 

 

We also send congratulatory letters home and do a poster with pics of our top 10 to 15 summer readers in the fall. That poster is hung in the library close to the circulation desk and gets noticed a lot.

 

There has been some questions about equity for those kids whose parents don’t make them do it… I do feel we provide reasonable access to books because we loan them over the summer out of our library, provide assistance with the library card process at the public library, and all of our students have chrome books which they keep over the summer and through which they have access to our substantial e-book and audio book collection in Sora… but I’ve always wanted to do discussions like Dodd Middle School does, but we’d definitely need to come up with money to purchase books if we were to do that.

 

Leslie Poulos

Silas Deane MS

 

Sent from my iPhone



On Feb 24, 2024, at 1:51 PM, Kristen Shanley < kshanley@cheshire.k12.ct.us> wrote:

Hello everyone, 

 

We are at a 7-8 middle school and coordinate summer reading book clubs that meet in the fall once students are back to school. Teachers choose young adult books they are interested in reading and we have about 40-50 different offerings for students in a range of genres and difficulty levels. Students then use a Google form to sign up for the book they would like to join. We use a form limiter to cap the groups at 25 and then use one of our Advisory periods in early September to hold the meetings. Teachers get creative with activities/discussions/etc. 

definitely can’t say that all students read but the accountability of discussion helps. Typically the meeting is well received by both teachers and students. Many asking to meet again. 

Downsides : it’s a lot of work figuring out locations, making sure all students have a room to go to. We always have a chunk of “nonreaders” who never signed up, or students new to the district. We have a few teachers designated to these groups to do a general “reading” activity - sometimes an article about importance of reading, a short story they read together, etc. 

On Friday, February 23, 2024, Loretta Sullivan via CASL-L < casl-l@mylist.net> wrote:

Hello everyone,

 

I wanted to ask what other districts do for summer reading for students in grades 5-8 (middle levels)?  Do you ask for a reading log?  What incentives do you offer?  Is there required reading or is it voluntary?  If you can share what you have, that would be great.

 

Our public library also has incentives for summer reading and we advertise these to our students before they leave us in June.

 

Any thoughts or ideas that have worked is appreciated.  We are trying to get more kiddos reading over the summer as our participation last year needs much improvement.  We would like to do something that is manageable for teachers to assess in the fall when students return (we are a school of approx. 850 students).

 

We offer a "reading celebration" in the fall for those students that participated in reading over the summer.

 

Respectfully,

 

Loretta Sullivan

Library Media Specialist       

Bennet Academy

Manchester, CT

 

 

 

 

For all other technology assistance (including laptops and iPads), go to the IT Helpdesk  o r call / text 860-682-0607,  Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM. 

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." -Charles W. Eliot

 

                                                    



--

Kristen Shanley 

Dodd Library Media Specialist

 

​What I'm Reading Now: 

The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi

 

Listening to: 

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 

 

Recently Finished:

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez 

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell 

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

 

 

 

 

Hope to Read Next: 

The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kelly 

 

Recent Favorites 

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez 

You The Story by Ruta Septys

  The Prettiest by Brigit Young 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


_______________________________________________
CASL-L mailing list
CASL-L@mylist.net
https://mylist.net/listinfo/casl-l



--

Kristen Shanley 

Dodd Library Media Specialist

 

​What I'm Reading Now: 

The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi

 

Listening to: 

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 

 

Recently Finished:

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez 

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell 

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

 

 

 

 

Hope to Read Next: 

The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kelly 

 

Recent Favorites 

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez 

You The Story by Ruta Septys

  The Prettiest by Brigit Young 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


_______________________________________________
CASL-L mailing list
CASL-L@mylist.net
https://mylist.net/listinfo/casl-l