INQUIRE
Standard Are we meeting this standard? How can this be
The school librarian collaborates with teachers to
design and teach engaging inquiry-based learning
experiences as well as assessments that incorporate
multiple literacies and foster critical thinking.
The school librarian uses a systematic instructional
development and information search process in working
with teachers to improve integration of learning
technology into curriculum.
The school librarian participates in curriculum
development and implementation through membership
on instructional, curriculum, textbook, technology,
professional development, and new program adoption
committees.
School library policies ensure that learners and
educators have access to the school library and to
qualified professional staff throughout the school day.
evaluated?
There has been more of this in the past at our school.
The special area teachers used to create a cross-
curriculum program for the whole year that some of the
classroom teachers took part in as well. In the last
couple years time has been more limited, due to poor
scores for the school resulting in increased instruction
time and structure. As a result, this kind of collaboration
has been less prevalent.
The school librarian attempts this by introducing
students and teachers to online resources, like
Britannica. It is her desire for students to be able to also
use them in the classroom and for projects. This was a
big part of media center lessons for the Social Studies
Fair this year and the effectiveness could be evaluated
by comparing end results, such as project grades, with
those from the previous year where there was little to no
instruction related to the Social Studies Fair.
Although the media specialist is not a member of any of
these committees, she does offer input occasionally.
While the school library is open throughout the school
day, opportunity for check out and inquiry are mostly
limited to the hours of 8-12. This is because the media
specialist teaches special area classes until 1:30 each
day and after the media clerk leaves at 12 it is hard for
her to step away from her class to assist media center
visitors. This could be further evaluated by conducting a
survey with teachers and students to see if it would be
more beneficial to extend media clerk hours or have
them start later in the day.
 INCLUDE
Standard
Resources are selected according to principles of
intellectual freedom, and provide learners with access
to information that represents diverse points of view in a
pluralistic society.
The school librarian develops and maintains a teaching
and learning environment that is inviting, safe, flexible,
and conducive to learning.
The library ensures equitable physical access to
facilities by providing barrier-free, universally designed
environments. Facilities and resources are readily
accessible before, during, and after school hours and
during vacation periods.
Each school, regardless of size or level, has at least one
full-time certified school librarian.
School librarians are evaluated with instruments that
address their unique responsibilities and contributions
according to established district practices for all
professional personnel.
Are we meeting this standard? How can this be
evaluated?
For the most part Champion adheres to this standard
pretty well, although resources could definitely use
some updating. The collection includes nonfiction
materials that represent many cultures and religions.
This could be further evaluated by pulling collection
data from the Follett account to get a view of our
collection as a whole. Looking at this data could help
determine where there might be a gap and what could
be updated.
The environment is certainly inviting and safe. Each year
the media specialist comes up with a new theme to
decorate the whole media center and to create lessons
and programs around. Students love to come into the
media center after the summer to see what the new
theme is. Considering how bulky the table and chairs
are, the media specialist does a great job of making the
space flexible. The setup could be more conducive to
learning if furniture were easier to move when needed.
This could be evaluated by benchmarking against other
media centers and libraries with updated spaces and
determining if there is evidence that flexible spaces are
more conducive to learning.
Champion does fairly well regarding the first part of this
standard, although it wouldn’t hurt to look at best
practices for access to ensure equitable access. There
could be some improvement in the area of being readily
accessible. After school hours would be a great
addition to the library program.
There is on full-time certified media specialist at
Champion Elementary. The school has an extra
advantage by having a media clerk that is studying to
be a librarian and helps with planning, collection
development, and occasionally teaching
School media specialists in Volusia County are
evaluated with a specialized rubric that provides
professionals with relevant, supportive, and instructive
feedback.
 COLLABORATE
Standard
The school librarian participates in the implementation
of collaboratively planned learning experiences by
providing group and individual instruction, assessing
student progress, and evaluating activities.
The school library provides an environment in which
collaboration, innovation, and creative problem solving
thrive.
The school library welcomes and encourages input to
create consensus on library policies and procedures.
The school librarian serves on decision-making teams
in the school and participates in school improvement
and accreditation activities.
Are we meeting this standard? How can this be
evaluated?
The school media specialist implements many planned
learning experiences throughout the year. This does
involve some collaboration as far as scheduling and
getting extra help goes. She currently evaluates these
activities by conducting informal verbal surveys with the
students and follow up assignments to assess progress
and understanding.
The media specialist designs many lessons and
activities that contribute to this type of environment.
This could be evaluated through student surveys and
observation.
Input is always welcomed and encouraged in the
Champion media center.
The media specialist does not serve on any formal
decision-making teams. She does participate in school
improvement and accreditation activities, such as
gathering documentation for the FDOE Five Star School
Award.
 CURATE
Standard
A collection-development policy, approved by the
school board, is in place. The policy includes criteria
and procedures for selection and reconsideration,
including a process for handling challenges raised
about materials in the collection.
In accordance with district policy, the school librarian
develops and maintains a diverse collection of
resources appropriate to the curriculum, the learners,
and the teaching styles and instructional strategies
used within the school community.
Collections and equipment are circulated and accessed
according to procedures that ensure confidentiality of
records and promote access.
Circulation policies and procedures assure that access
to information is not impeded by fees, loan restrictions,
or other barriers.
The school library maintains a vibrant Web presence,
which provides access to a wide variety of digital
resources that have been carefully created or selected,
and vetted according to the district and school
collection development policies.
Are we meeting this standard? How can this be
evaluated?
This is a standard that Champion really falls short on.
There is no formal collection-development policy in
place but this seems to be a county-wide issue. This
could be further evaluated and remedied by
benchmarking against other media centers who do
have a solid collection-development policy.
Not necessarily in accordance with district policy, but
the media specialist maintains a fairly diverse collection
of resources. Determining how well the resources meet
the needs of a diverse set of learners could be
accomplished by comparing school demographic data
with the collection.
Collection and equipment are circulated confidentially.
Access is promoted through reference help and
assistance in locating materials.
The circulation policy at Champion does create some
barriers by only allowing students to check out one
book at a time. Often students will leave their books at
home or in the classroom and won’t be able to check
out for weeks at a time. This could be evaluated by
benchmarking against other media center circulation
policies in the county and best practices in circulation.
This is another standard where Champion falls woefully
short. There is no real web presence other than a site
created by the technology teacher that links to activities
for use during media center down time. Web presence
could be evaluated against other media center and
library websites.
 EXPLORE
Standard
The school librarian creates an environment that is
conducive to active and participatory learning,
resource-based instructional practices, and
collaboration with teaching staff.
The school librarian uses a variety of instructional
methods with different user groups and encourages
personal creativity and innovation.
The school librarian evaluates, promotes, and uses
existing and emerging technologies to support teaching
and learning.
The school library supplements other school resources,
connects the school with the global learning
community, communicates with learners and with other
educators, and provides 24–7 access to library
technology-integration services.
Are we meeting this standard? How can this be
evaluated?
The environment is definitely conducive to active and
participatory learning and resource-based instructional
practices.It is less conducive to collaboration with
teaching staff due to time constraints on the part of the
media specialist and the teaching staff. This could be
evaluated and improved by conducting teacher surveys
to find out what is working for them and what could be
better.
The media specialist typically creates separate lessons
for the K-2 group and the 3-5 group, and even modifies
the lessons within these groups to accommodate. She
also modifies the lessons of the K-2 group to teach to
the multi and younger ESE kids. The effectiveness of
this could be evaluated through observation and
informal verbal assessment.
This is probably the standard that the media specialist
meets the least. She is not a tech-savvy person and
really doesn’t embrace the use of technology. The
media clerk has been able to supplement some in this
area.
The only area of this standard where Champion really
excels is connecting the school with the global learning
community. The media specialist hosts multiple events
throughout the year where people in the community
volunteer their time to share what they do with
students.
 ENGAGE
Standard
The school librarian promotes the ethical use of
information and understands copyright, fair use,
licensing of intellectual property, privacy concerns
related to use of digital resources and the Internet, and
ethical online behavior, and assists users with their
understanding and observance of the same.
The school library and school librarian demonstrate a
commitment to maintaining intellectual freedom.
Library personnel remain current and engage in
continuing education activities to ensure instruction and
activities reflect the most-recent developments in
professional practices, information technologies, and
educational research.
The school librarian provides educators and other staff
with learning opportunities related to new technologies,
use, and production of a variety of media, and laws and
policies regarding information.
The school librarian shares with the learning community
collaboratively developed and up-to-date district
policies concerning such issues as materials selection,
circulation, reconsideration of materials, copyright,
privacy, and responsible use of technology and social
media.
Are we meeting this standard? How can this be
evaluated?
The media specialist has a background in media
production and has a pretty good understanding of
copyright. She also enters videos into the Jim Harbin
Student Media Festival and is gaining an understanding
of fair use and intellectual property from that. She
teaches these lessons to older students as well as
lessons on digital citizenship often. This could be
evaluated by conducting a student assessment based
on what they’ve learned in the media center.
There is definitely a commitment to intellectual freedom.
There are no restrictions on what books students are
allowed to check out. This could be evaluated by
conducting a student survey with questions pertaining
to their satisfaction in their ability to make their own
choices in materials.
The media specialist attends the FAME conference
annually to stay up to date on media practices. She also
gets the opportunity to meet with other media specialist
at the conference and discuss best practices in media
teaching.
There is actually technology teacher at Champion so a
lot of the technology learning opportunities for
educators and staff are her responsibility. The media
clerk does offer technology assistance one on one
when a teacher or staff member has a question or
issue.
The media specialist does attend media PLC’s to share
with, learn from, and collaborate with other media
specialist in the county. These meetings deal with a
myriad of topics relating to the operation of a media
center.