Hannah Richardson

Sample Email: Flexible Scheduling

Mrs. Jones,

Thank you for reaching out to me about flexible scheduling. The AASL holds that
flexible scheduling is best practice for an integrated library program that truly meets the
needs of our students and teachers. A flexible schedule will allow for what AASL calls
“just-in-time” opportunities for research, information skills, and technology integration. It
will also allow me to collaborate and team-teach with all grade levels in a more targeted
way than before, making the integration of SOL content and library curriculum more
seamless.

Since we have been on a fixed schedule for years, this type of change will take time,
effort, and careful planning. I recommend that we set up a meeting of the library
advisory committee to discuss this possibility. Based on what the committee has already
identified as our vision for the school library program, we can begin to plan how a
flexible schedule would best serve our students and teachers. At this point, I would love
for the committee to assess our school’s specific needs and begin to develop a plan for
how to add flexibility while still allowing for teacher planning time.

Before the next library advisory committee meeting, I will provide members with some
resources on flexible scheduling so we can start thinking about it. For now, I would like
to point you toward the AASL’s position statement, which I referenced earlier. Please
don’t hesitate to reach out with more questions. I’m looking forward to discussing this in
more detail at our next meeting.

Best,
Hannah Richardson

"Position statement on flexible scheduling," American Library Association, November

23, 2011.
http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/resources/statements/flex-sched​ (Accessed July 15,
2019)