Assignment 8: Professional Learning Plan for Library Media Center

Sonoraville High School

Description of Sonoraville High School and Gordon County Schools

Gordon County Schools consists of two high schools, two middle schools, and six

elementary schools. Gordon County Schools’ (GCS) total enrollment is approximately 6,332

students. GCS has a minority enrollment totaling 20 percent. The percentage of students who are

economically disadvantaged is 41.2. Sonoraville High School is located on the eastern side of

Gordon County and the total enrollment equals 1,137. The number of Hispanic students equals

147. The number of Asian students equals nine and the number of American Indian/Alaskan

Native equals five. The number of African American/Black students equals 23 and the number of

Caucasian/White students equals 916. The number of students with two or more races equals 35.

At Sonoraville High School, each teacher is provided with an Apple TV in every classroom, a

MacBook, and an iPad. Students are provided with an iPad. Gordon County Schools is a one-to-

one technology district, meaning every student has a device to use for instructional use.

Description of the Sonoraville High School Media Center

Sonoraville High School has seven buildings on a campus that is spread out, with

building four being the main building housing classrooms, the front office, administration, and

the Media Center. In addition to the high school campus, some students take classes at the

Gordon County College and Career Academy located approximately 17 miles away from the

high school campus. Students are bussed to the College and Career Academy (CCA) and are

required to take two classes there, because SHS is on a block schedule (four classes a day each

semester). For students attending the CCA, they are there for part of their school day. The CCA

does not have a Media Center on its campus. GCS provides hospital homebound services, dual
enrollment college opportunities for students, and work-based learning programs. The

Sonoraville High School Media Center has flexible seating options, computers and a computer

lab, and table for collaboration. Students have access to online programs through the Sonoraville

High School Media Center website, such as research databases (Galileo, Gale Student Resources,

Britannica, reference e-books, Scholastic GO, and the Digital Public Library of America). Also

available to students is SORA, a website that allows them to check out e-books, as well as the

Purdue Writing Lab, and an online computer lab reservation system for teachers. Students attend

a brief media center orientation at the beginning of the semester when they are in an

English/literature class. This orientation teaches them basic research and citation skills. Mrs.

Schuster, our media specialist, is new to our school this year, but she has made positive changes

including implementing technology workshops for teachers who are interested. She has also

made arrangements to partner with English teachers who are teaching the research writing

process to come along side and help with teaching MLA format. In addition to the research

resources available in the Media Center, it also offers students a wide range of reading material.

Books are organized into sections including fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, magazines, and

newspapers. Dual Enrollment students utilize the Media Center on a daily basis to complete their

online work. A rolling TV is available for teachers to check out, as well as a library of DVDs for

instructional use. Teachers and staff have access to other resources including poster paper, a

laminator, and charging stations for classroom use.

Description Gordon County Schools resources

GCS provides students and teachers with several online learning resources, including Schoology,

CommonLit, NewsELA, Flocabulary, Ellevation, Progress Learning, among others. This is at the
high school level. There are other online programs available to elementary and middle grades,

including Study Island, Brain Pop, Epic!, and Xtra Math. At the high school level, educators like

myself use CommonLit and NewsELA in the literature and history classrooms predominately to

help students grasps concepts and to further study of certain subjects. In these two programs,

Lexile levels can be customized to the student’s reading level and accommodations such a read

aloud can be implemented if a student is served in that area and needs the extra support. In

addition to the list above, GCS also provides schools with the same online resources that our

Media Center offers. GCS recently purchased StudySync, an online curriculum program that

offers educators compostable textbooks to accompany online study. Students can access

StudySync through their school-issued iPads.

Description of State of Georgia resources

The State of Georgia offers online resources to students through its Georgia Virtual Learning.

There are a variety of subjects and modules to assist students with learning. The portion of the

website that is available to students offers free content to middle and high school students. In

addition, the State of Georgia (through the University System of Georgia) offers the Georgia

Public Library Service’s “Libraries Anywhere” program. This program includes library

resources one can use from anywhere accessible online. Galileo-at-Home is available to students

in Georgia in grades K-12. The Digital Library of Georgia also is available for Georgia residents.

The Digital Library of Georgia works with Georgia’s libraries, archives, museums, and other

educational institutions to provide access to key information resources on Georgia history,

culture, and life.

National Resources
The Library of Congress provides classroom materials and professional development to assist

teachers as well as students from the library’s collection of digital resources.

Sonoraville High School’s Media Center Needs Assessment

Sonoraville High School’s Media Center is accessible to students on campus but needs

better marketing for students who are taking classes virtually for college or for those who are not

on campus the entire day. The main area of need is a rebranding of the Media Center’s image

and also marketing the services the Media Center offers to teachers and staff. When asking the

Media Specialist, Hannah Schuster, about the needs she sees in the Media Center, she

desperately conveyed that she wants to reach out to assist staff with technology needs in the

classroom but doesn’t think that they see her as able to help in that role. It isn’t a matter of her

qualifications, because she is well qualified to assist with technology in the classroom, but her

thoughts are that teachers and staff do not know she can and is willing to serve in that role. I also

interviewed two educators in the building: Johnnie Coats (Ed.D) and Lori Holland (Ed. S). Dr.

Coats stated that the Media Center’s image could be more inviting. He said, “the doors are

always closed. Having the doors propped open is a way that could be more inviting for

“customers,” both teachers and students.” Dr. Coats also mentioned that Mrs. Schuster seems to

be very exciting in her new role as the media specialist and he looks forward to seeing what ideas

she will bring to Sonoraville High School. Mrs. Holland echoed his statement and added, “Mrs.

Schuster is trying to encourage teachers and students to utilize her and the Media Center’s

resources. She has helped my students and me several times this school year.” She followed her

statement with a few simple suggestions that could assist in making the Media Center more

welcoming. She said, “try decorating the entrance to make the Media Center more inviting, play
soft music inside, start a book club that meets weekly, and try to encourage teachers to try new

things with technology in the classroom.” She added that the last point might be harder to do,

since so many educators seem to be comfortable with their classrooms and not as eager to try

new things, but she suggested having a bulletin board to display pictures or tips of technology

being used in the classroom to encourage trying new things.

Professional Learning Objectives

Objective 1: Update the Media Center’s image with new décor, marketing materials and

branding (with the school’s name on the wall), and flexible seating options for students. Make

the environment more inviting by August 2025.

Objective 2: Develop a Tech Tuesday for teachers during their planning to discuss new

technologies that can be utilized in the classroom by January 2024.

Objective 3: Create a book club for students using books from the Media Center by August 2024

to encourage student use of the Media Center.

Objective 1: Media Center Redesign:

The first step in the professional learning plan focuses on the Media Center’s redesign that will

make the space more welcoming for students and teachers. Forming a committee consisting of an

administrator, two teachers, and 2-3 students will be necessary for the sole purpose of the

redesign. The redesign components will mainly focus on fresh paint on the walls, signage and

decals that make the Media Center a part of the school’s brand, and flexible seating options for

students.
 Objective 1:
Update the Media Center’s image with new décor, furniture, marketing materials and
branding (such as the school’s name and mascot on the wall),and provide flexible
seating options for students. Make the environment more inviting by January 2025.

Stakeholders: Timeline:
Administration Initial meeting: February 2024
Media Specialist Meeting with school culture company
Teachers for signage: March 2024
Students Finalized with flexible seating:August
2025

Action Steps: (pending budget approval) Evaluation:

1. Obtain a list of vendors for district-
approved furniture to install flexible
seating options for students.
2. Work with Jostens to secure school-
culture items such as wall graphics and
window clings for the front doors.
3. Form a committee to follow progress.
1. Before the redesign is fully
implemented, obtain student and teacher
feedback of the current space.
2. Monitor the use of the Media Center
and examine the way users circulate
through the space. Committee routinely
meets to determine adjustments to the
redesign.

Objective 2: “Tech Tuesday” professional development

Teachers will be able to view the resource with the addition of “Tech Tuesday” professional

development that will meet biweekly at maximum and once a month minimum (at the discretion

of the media specialist). “Tech Tuesday” will be a time for teachers to come together to learn

from the media specialist. The media specialist will discuss ways for teachers to implement new

technology techniques in the classroom. Teachers can evaluate the effectiveness of the training

by using a Google or Microsoft form to provide feedback.

Objective 2:
Develop a “Tech Tuesday” once a month or biweekly as a professional learning time
for teachers to learn new tricks of the trade in the field of technology. Discuss new
uses and ideas of technology in the classroom by January 2024.
 Stakeholders: Timeline:
Administration Microsoft form sent out to obtain
Media Specialist interest/feedback: September 2023
Teachers First Tech Tuesday meeting: January
2024 (rescheduled from October 2023
due to illness).

Action Steps: Evaluation:

1. Send out a Microsoft form to teachers
to obtain interest in a PL type of
meeting regarding technology.
2. Regularly host meetings (at least once
a month) with relevant topics and tips
centered on technology and visual
media.
1. Request that teachers share their success
of the techniques used in the classroom.
2. Teachers share student work after
implementing technology tips.
3. Media Specialist can assist with new
technology techniques as needed in the
classroom.

Objective 3: Create a student-led book club

Objective three consist of creating a student-led book club using resources from the Media

Center. This will help solve the initial issue of the lack of Media Center use by students.

Recruitment will involve placing QR codes on posters around campus to garner interest.

Morning announcements will include recruitment information to get the word out to students in a

timely manner. Students in the book club will be welcomed into the Media Center environment

and collaboratively work together to choose a “book of the month.” After the club meets and

finishes a book, club members will be on a rotation to write a small summary/review of the book

for the school’s social media. “Book of the Month” will also be on a printed display in the library

for other students to see who are not in the club.

Objective 3:
Create a book club for students using books and materials from the Media Center by
August 2024. Use this time to invite students into the environment and promote
literacy.
 Stakeholders: Timeline:
Administration Initial meeting: February 2024
Media Specialist Meeting with school culture company
Teachers for signage: March 2024
Students Finalized with flexible seating: August
2025

Action Steps: Evaluation:

1. Create a QR code and post around
campus to gauge student interest.
2. Along with the QR code, post flyers
around campus along with scheduling a
book club promotion on the school’s
morning announcements.
3. Give interested students notice, choose
a book, and have the first club meeting.
1. Have book club members choose the
next read by voting or having students
sent the Media Specialist a Microsoft
form with desired reads.
2. Have book club members individually
volunteer to write a short book review
summary for the school’s social media
pages.

Sustainability Plan:

The purpose of the Professional Learning Plan is to make the school library a welcoming place to

visit for both teachers and students. Currently, this professional development plan will take place

over the next two school years will a hopeful completion date of December 2025. A redesign

will ensure that students find the place appealing and thought upon as a place to collaborate on

their lessons. A student-led book club will ensure that Media Center resources are being used and

promoted to the student body. Tech Tuesday will allow teachers to be up to date on the latest

technology used in the classroom. The Media Center will go through a transformation in design

and will offer new programs to faculty and students ensuring they view the Media Center as a

resourceful place.

Reflection:
As I created a needs assessment for the Sonoraville High School Media Center, I was unsure of

what to expect. As an English teacher, I have taken my students to the Media Center and we have

learned about citations and Media Center resources. Still, it wasn’t a place I frequented because

it felt drab and needed life poured into it. Mrs. Schuster is new to our school this year. Prior to

coming to our high school, she taught elementary school while pursuing a media specialist

degree. She has fresh ideas for the Media Center and wants to serve as a resource to faculty and

staff. I enjoyed talking with her and hearing her brainstorm what seemed like unlimited

possibilities for the Media Center. The needs assessment was the most challenging aspect of this

project because Mrs. Schuster had amazing ideas, but at the time was learning the process of the

Media Center at the high school level. Faculty interviews allowed me to see the Media Center

through my peers’ eyes. After researching and interviewing, I have a much better perspective on

how our Media Center serves students and staff, and how much potential it has to impact even

more students.

Professional Development Plan Diffusion Supervisors:

Carrie Rigdon, crigdon1@my.westga.edu

Hannah Schuster, Media Specialist, hschuster@gcbe.org

Interviewee List:

Hannah Schuster, Media Specialist, Sonoraville High School: hschuster@gcbe.org

Johnnie Coats, Teacher, Sonoraville High School: jcoats@gcbe.org

Lori Holland, Teacher, Sonoraville High School: lholland@gcbe.org

References

Gordon County Schools. (2023) Sonoraville High School.

https://www.gcbe.org/o/shs/page/library-media-center

Georgia Public Library Service. (2023) https://georgialibraries.org/

Georgia Virtual Learning. (2023) https://gavirtuallearning.org/

Library of Congress. (2023) https://www.loc.gov/