Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment

Bryson Giddens

Georgia Southern University

FRIT 7331: Leadership of the School Library Media Program

Dr. Wofford

November 20, 2022

Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 2

Section I: Description and Analysis of the School Library Media Program

I am creating a strategic management plan for the school I am currently employed with,

Willie J. Williams Middle School. Willie J. Williams Middle School, is located in Colquitt

County and is part of “Hawg Country”. We are proud to have the local football stadium in our

backyard! Willie J. Williams, better known as WJW, is located on the outskirts of downtown

Moultrie. Due to a county change nine years ago, Willie J Williams is now serving 6th and 7th

graders only, with the expectation of ten self-contained special education students who are 8th

graders. The Colquitt County School Board chose to allow self-contained students to continue

their education at Willie J. for their 8th grade year and then transition to Colquitt County High

School for the remainder of their school years.

Willie J. Williams is located in a rural community with the median household income

being $36,799 based on 2021 data (Quick Facts: Colquitt County, U.S. Census Bureau, 2021).

Colquitt County is known as being the region leader in manufacturing, agriculture, and food

processing due to its desirable location between Atlanta, Georgia and Tampa, Florida (Where

Industry Grows: Moultrie-Colquitt County Development Authority, 2016). Colquitt County has a

population of 45,812 causing it to rank 46th largest county in Georgia (Quick Facts: Colquitt

County, U.S. Census Bureau, 2021). As of March 2022, the unemployment rate is 3.0% and the

number of persons in poverty being 20.4%. The previous numbers allow Colquitt County

Schools to fall under the Free and Reduced Lunch Program.

Willie J. Williams has a CCRPI of 68.1 (Georgia Department of Education, 2019). The

number of students enrolled in WJW is 1,393 with 112 teachers, three counselors, and four

custodians (GADOE, 2019). The Georgia Department of Education states that WJW has 451

Hispanic, 40 multi-racial, 515 white, 387 black students with zero Pacific, Indian, and Asian
Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 3

students enrolled (Georgia Department of Education, 2021). These factors do not contain

information of the ten 8th grade students that attend Willie J. Williams Middle School due to the

fact that they are legally registered under C.A. Gray Jr. High that is located in Colquitt County.

However, the race and gender of those 10 students are 7 black, 2 white, and 1 multi-racial, 7 are

boys and 3 are girls.

Attached below is a visual representation of Willie J. Williams Middle School Ethnicity.

It contains three sections. Section one presents the school as an entirety, section two represents

the male population, and section three presents the female population based on ethnicity.

Section II: School Library Media Center Philosophy/Mission Statement

The mission of the Willie J. Williams Middle School Media Center is to ensure students

and visitors the right and the means to free and open access to ideas and information that are

fundamental to their learning, and protect their democracy, intellectual freedom, to promote
Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 4

literacy, and expand their knowledge base; while providing library materials and information

services in a variety of formats for all students and various learning styles.

This mission statement was selected and adapted due to the clear and precise message it

sends to those seeking services provided by Willie J. Williams Middle School Media Center.

The purpose is clear: to ensure students have the right and means to information and are

encouraged to do so while protecting their freedom of democracy. Open access to information

without limits has proven to be fundamental to their learning is also outlined in this mission

statement. The third point reflects on the statement of open access to ideas and information,

leading readers to understand that freedom of accessibility is a primary focus within this media

center format. Lastly, student learning and the connection to the learning community are evident

as outlined throughout the statement and supported when stated, “for all students and various

learning styles.” This confirms the desire to assist students in gifted programs, regular ed

programs, and special ed programs. After careful analysis of the adapted mission statement, it is

clearly evident via the mission statement that the doors of the media center are open to all

learners.

Section III: School Library Media Center Services Overview

Services:

Willie J. Williams provides access to written materials, books, and research items. Willie

J also provides a computer lab adjacent to the library. Historical records and newspapers are

available as well as videos and small equipment items such as projectors for teacher use. WJW’s

media center also provides accommodations for individuals with disabilities such as lower level

reading sections, assistive technology (magnified computer screens and printouts) and one - on -
Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 5

one assistance when requested. Services provided for teachers are scheduled slots for visits, areas

for whole group instruction as well as independent work, and numerous teaching materials. The

media specialist is also willing to help gather instructional materials when asked. Willie J offers

opportunities for parents/guardians to visit the media center to access resources and are

encouraged to check out books that will benefit their child’s learning.

Circulation Policy:

Willie J. Williams Middle School caters to 6th and 7th grade students in Colquitt County.

All 6th and 7th grade students are allowed to check out materials for 14 days, unless parents have

requested for their child not be allowed to. The media specialist said this was due to the school

holding the students report card and the student’s inability to participate in school activities if

materials were not returned and parents have failed to pay the replacement fee. Teachers are

allowed to check out items for longer periods of time depending on the item. Book sets are able

to be checked out for 30 days by a teacher where technology items such as Elmo’s can be

checked out for a year. Failure to return items or if items are returned damaged the media

specialist is instructed to contact admin. Parents are encouraged to check out books for their

children through the library. Parents are allowed to check out books for 14 days and must sign a

policy form in case of damage or failure to return school property. However, parents do not have

access to technology items such as Chromebooks or projectors.

Scheduling Policy:

At the beginning of each semester the librarian emails a Google Sheet school wide for

teachers to reserve the media center or adjacent computer lab. This allows teachers to access the

sign-up sheet at any location and reserve slots in advance. The media specialist mentioned that
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this also allows teachers to plan with their team members for joint projects. The library is also

open from 7:45am to 3:15pm each day for individual students who need to utilize its resources.

Parents can access the library during school hours or during parent/family night that is held on

night a semester. Teachers are able to access the library during school hours but must request

time before or after those hours with the media specialist.

Ethics and Legal Principles:

All staff at Willie J. sign a Code of Conduct which covers ethics and legal principles for

teachers, paras, and staff. Student handbooks outline these topics for students and their parents.

Student information is posted on the system website as well. The link for the student handbook

can be found here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQGZfOco2h7-

1RfCQYWNemiQGqosi_8LV2Ts1tcqtSdpWRTk5yWt5yG1A7a8WunWa5xQhv2CNSsZ3V_/

pub . Teachers and staff access the Code of Conduct through the school wide system Munis Self-

Services.

Assessment:

Willie J Williams Middle School’s library offers staff, students, and parents’ access to

not only updated resources but past materials as well that have proven to be instrumental in

teaching/learning. Willie J has not made the transition in such a large way as Johnston Heights

Secondary School has with their learning commons but it has improved in providing resources to

parents and technology devices not only to teachers but students as well. The school does

provide internet access to outside sources such as personal computers, however, it has proven to

be difficult to gain access to login information. When the media specialist addressed this issue,

she stated that it was a concern of too many devices and not enough power and that this issue
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would have to be addressed by the admin. Willie J’s media center must be recognized for the

services it provides for individuals with disabilities. Being an autism teacher with one student

who is fully blind in one eye and partial in the other, we have found it difficult to find areas

around the school that are designed to accommodate her. We found that the library is very user

friendly for her and she is capable of locating her own books and resources due to services

provided. The media center at Willie J creates an overall environment that is welcoming and

useful to all that enter. Are there areas that need improvement - yes, such as better internet

connection for outside devices as previously mentioned, as well as providing areas that are

similar to Johnston Heights Learning Commons. As stated in Sarah Bayliss’ article Flipping the

Library: Tips from Three Pros / The Digital Shift 2013 “It means meeting students “where they

are in the process,” and extending the classroom and active learning outside of school.” Willie J

is “flipping” their library as time progresses and it is working to meet students where they are

and provide services that all can access outside of the school.

Section IV: School Library Media Center Facilities

Willie J Williams Middle School media center can be found in the center of the school.

Teachers, staff, and students must pass by it numerous times a day due to its location while

entering or exiting the school, visiting the nurse or main office, grabbing breakfast or lunch, or

transitioning to another class. The media center has an open-door policy meaning it is open to

grades, classes, and staff during school hours to check out a book, turn in a damaged

Chromebook, or visit the independent work area. Due to the size of WJW’s media center at an

estimated 2,400 square feet, it offers many learning centers including independent work or group

instruction. The media center also offers comfortable seating areas to utilize when reading or

studying.
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When entering Willie J’s media center, you are greeted by a circular circulation desk

where the media specialist or her support staff are positioned. This is the main location to seek

information and help. Students, teachers, and visitors go here to turn in all resources checked out

of the library. To the right of this area is one of the two main sections set up for online resources.

All media center visitors - students, staff, teachers, and parents have access to the computers and

printers located there. Behind this area contains two lower level book shelves. When exploring

additional areas of the library you will find behind the main desk a couch that is offered as

seating as well as a six-foot table displaying new and popular books for the week. To the left of

this area is another online resource station with printer access. Behind these computers are high

top tables looking into the main foyer. Located in what is considered the middle of the media

center are five high leveled shelves containing fiction library books. To the right of this section

of shelves are four tables as well as higher leveled book shelves containing non-fiction reading

materials lining the walls to form an L shape.

Visitors will also find comfortable seating arrangements for reading located behind tall

shelves overlooking the front of the school. Located to the right of the main section of the media

center is where students, teachers and staff can meet to hold whole group instruction, meetings,

or independent work segments. Attached to this added space is a computer lab. Glass windows

line the walls to allow viewing of student behavior and participation. At the moment, there is not

a designated Chromebook drop off/pick up area; the media specialist prefers to keep these

located in her office due to safety concerns.

Due to the set up found within Willie J’s media center one would consider it a welcoming

environment for individuals with disabilities, mental or physical. I teach autism students and

have one who is blind in one eye and has partial blindness in her other and maneuvers the library
Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 9

as easily as an individual with 20/20 vision. I also have another student who is deaf that is

capable of utilizing the library and all of its resources. The media center offers access to

everyone but requires larger groups to schedule ahead by completing a shared Google Form

created by the media specialist.

Outside technology devices are welcomed in the media center but issues have

surfaced with wireless connections. Finding guest information has proven to be difficult due to

no visible display of login information and the constant change of usernames and passwords.

This is a system-wide connection and sharing info is not a media center responsibility.

From a virtual standpoint, the media center at Willie J has joined forces with the system

wide technology department and helps in providing guidance in regard to online teaching tools

and resources. Colquitt County Schools provides virtual learning for students who have a

specific need for this type of learning style through an outside source. The media specialist helps

the academic coaches with online resources such as - Google Classroom, iReady, MobyMax, and

DreamBox to name a few. To keep a watchful eye on students and the websites they visit, the

school system has blocked numerous non-friendly websites such as YouTube and has given

teachers the online monitoring system - Securely to monitor Chromebook users during class

hours. Due to being allowed to take home Chromebooks, students are able to access all online

resources if they have access to wireless internet. Willie J’s media center currently does not have

a website and does not provide e-books or e-readers. They suggest students use Storyline Online,

which is a website providing books being read aloud.

The first noticeable change that needs to take place in Willie J Williams media center is

the creation of a website. This site could provide many possibilities for students and staff to

reference when studying, links to school learning platforms, key information on school policies,
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access to online books, and so much more. Even though Willie J lacks in providing online access

to information, it does excel in providing an environment that welcomes all due to its overall

function and providing of learning tools. The facility is clean, organized and decorated without

being distracting. The idea to have admin, teachers, and student’s complete a survey based on

their “position” within the school on the media center from Collecting the Data: Program

Perception by Nancy Griff, Carl Harvey, and Leslie Preddy is a great idea to gage how visitors

see the library and what they find useful or what would benefit them more in learning or

teaching. The idea of a survey might also provide ideas that have not been thought of before by

the media specialist that would benefit the entire school as a whole. As Shannon Curtis the

librarian from Sidney Elementary School stated in the video “Library to Learning Commons -

Saanich School District “students and teachers come in excited due to all of the resources

available and that was our goal to make this the hub of the school”. Willie J could transition to a

learning common with the start of a survey to gather data on what improvement the “customers”

want/need. Pictured below is a collaboration of pictures taken of Willie J’s media center.
Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 11

Pictured below is a screenshot of the system wide teaching resource, Clever, which

houses links for students to access all online resources.

Section V: Budget Sources

In 2019, it was decided by Georgia’s General Assembly that each student attending

school in Georgia would cost a base dollar amount of $2,620.77 (Owens, 2019). It is then

decided by QBE, The Quality Basic Education Act, how each bucket (category) determines the

overall funding each school will receive. There are a total of four buckets, librarians fall into the

indirect cost category. The amount Willie J Williams Middle School library receives in funding

is based on how many schools total there are in the Colquitt County School system as well as the

number of FTEs, Full-Time Equivalent Students, there are in those schools (Owens, 2019).

Colquitt County has 13 schools with a total of 9,073 students enrolled (NCES, 2022). One must

also add in the remaining three categories/buckets that affect funding as well. These are direct

instructional cost, local fair share, and categorical grants.

After speaking with WJW’s media specialist, Willie J received $18,550 for the 2022-

2023 fiscal school year. This amount is $125 more than the previous school term. Willie J
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Williams has just over 1,400 students enrolled which has impacted the amount of funding it

receives. In previous years, such as 2014, Colquitt County had two middle schools lowering

school funding causing it to be close to $14,500. With the creation of the junior high and

combining the two middle schools to house all 6th and 7th graders, Willie J has had their library

budget increase by $4,000. Considering the extensive mathematical side of school funding, it is

difficult to find the exact amount the library receives per student. If one were to simply divide

$18,550 by 1,400, the amount the library receives per student would be $13.25.

Looking at the number, $13.35 it seems unimaginable to cater to the students at Willie J

Williams Middle School and provide the adequate education one deserves. However, WJW

Media Center has not been affected by new teaching curriculum, technology, or additional

technological updates. Their main focus is to provide resources strictly needed in the library such

as Destiny, the system they use to check items in and out. WJW also hosts two Scholastic Book

Fairs per year. By hosting these fundraisers, the media center is able to raise close to $4,000

total. This additional source of funding helps purchase the “wants” such as additional novels and

display designs.

When the media specialist designs the budget for Willie J, the main portion of funding

goes towards Destiny. This is the system used to input all materials provided by the library to

keep track of who checks out which items, what is available, and when items need to be returned.

The librarian said it cost around 25 to 45 cents per item. Depending on the volume they input in

the system, the average cost is close to $8,000 each year. Other items purchased with funding

referred to as district requirements range from books, additional technology devices, and office

supplies. Below is a breakdown of WJW’s budget strictly from funding based on FTEs due to the

fundraisers being unpredictable in money intake and scheduling. The savings portion is 4% of
Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 13

the overall budget. This along with additional funding from fundraisers, such as books fair, will

be available to purchase shelves and other materials needed that tend to be looked over during

the initial budgeting process.

The overall instructional goal for Willie J Williams Middle School is providing an

environment that caters to all student needs and that of their parents/guardians. WJWs media

center's role in meeting the overall goal for the school is by providing a student/teacher friendly

environment that furnishes resources to support those implemented in the classroom as well as

additional resources to add to the learning and teaching experience.

Section VI: Planning for the Future: Goals, Objectives, Evaluation

Willie J Williams Middle School media center sets yearly goals and works to accomplish those

goals with resources provided to them by state and county funding. However, like many

programs, WJW media center has long term goals that require additional funding and time. As

stated by Davis Carpenter in his article, How to Set Long Term Goals and Achieve Success, one

must set goals well into the future that can be worked on right now. Willie J has set into place
Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 14

four achievable goals that can be accomplished within a three to five-year time span, however,

one of those four goals is considered their “want” goal versus their “need” goal.

The media specialist at WJW broke down the four goals in order of how she would like

to achieve them. Her priority long term goal is to purchase book shelves. It seems simple enough

but due to funding and the “everyday” budget, this is not considered an immediate concern. Due

to Willie J’s population and the expansion of the library to create an instruction center, they need

additional shelving to allow students and staff access to more resources. This will allow the

media center to offer more products that they are unable to offer due to the lack of shelving

options.

The second-long term goal the library is working towards is acquiring a technology

person who’s main focus would be the Chromebooks housed at Willie J for its staff and students.

Due to the growth of Chromebook usage at WJW due to it being a 1:1 technology/student

school, the time dedicated to technology inventory, maintenance, and support has become the

main focus of the media specialist’s time which is causing other areas of the library to receive

less attention and support. Having additional help, such as someone specialized in Chromebook

support, would not only benefit the entire media center but the students as well. It would

decrease the repair timeframe and allow parents to have access to the main point of contact to

discuss the issues of the Chromebook and payment options.

The third long term goal is only achievable once the second goal is met. The media

specialist is working to meet goal two to allow goal three to be achieved which is to gain more

time with students. Due to the increased time required to focus on Chromebooks, the hands-on

activities that once took place in the media center are now being pushed back due to time

restraints. The librarian went into detail how they would host seasonal games throughout the year
Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 15

based on novels that the students raved about. However, due to time being focused on new

technologic needs, focus has taken away from student learning and involvement within the

library.

The long-term goals for WJWs media center are focused on meeting the school’s mission

of providing a student/teacher friendly environment that furnishes resources to support those

implemented in the classroom as well as additional resources to add to the learning and teaching

experience. By achieving the goal of purchasing additional shelving, students will have access to

more learning resources. The goal of gaining someone for Chromebook support gives time back

to the media specialist and the students to participate in learning activities stationed in the

library. These goals cannot be achieved through the yearly budget but they can be achieved

through thoughtful budgeting and marketing as well as district support over a three to five-year

time span. Willie J’s librarian said that their budgeting will provide funding for additional

shelves within the next few years. However, she said the district is the decision maker for the

extra support staff and that her marketing skills are being used in creating a portfolio detailing

the need for the extra support.

The media center at Willie J does have a fourth goal, however it is not a specific need at

the moment, it falls more within the want category. Due to the influx of technology, WJW media

center is in “need” of additional storage space. The goal within five years is to have the

additional footage approved by the school board and the building process started. The amount of

storage space available at the moment is causing issues within the library and causing the staff to

store materials within the school, which then needs to be documented causing more work on the

librarian which in turn takes away from the students. Having additional storage will allow the
Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 16

media specialist and the Chromebook support staff to create an organizational system that

decreases headache and increased instructional time.

For one to achieve long term goals, short term goals need to be put in place. For Willie J

Williams to achieve their four long term goals they must first work towards meeting short term

goals such as hosting fundraisers to raise additional funds and creating marketing portfolios to

present to the school board in regards to hiring an additional staff member and expanding the

library for storage. These goals are mapped out below.

Goals (Long-Term) Objectives (Short- Evaluation Timeframe

Term)

Goal 1 - Purchase 1a - Host fundraisers 1a - Set a certain This long-term goal

book shelves with a portion of its amount of money to should be
profits to go in be raised through accomplished within
savings strictly for fundraisers and three years.
shelving. continue to host until
the goal is met.
1b - Take a portion of
the yearly budget to 2a - Set a certain
go towards shelving amount of money to
costs. be budgeted through
yearly funding that is
to be paired with
fundraiser funds until
the goal is met.

Goal 2 - Hire 2a - Create a portfolio 2a - Obtain school This long-term goal

technology support detailing the needs for admin approval. should be
additional technology accomplished within
support. 2b - Obtain school three to four years.
district approval.
2b - Present portfolio
to school board and 2c - Receive approval
get it passed. of desired staff.

2c - Interview and
hire additional
support staff
Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 17

Goal 3 - Create time 3a - Create lessons 3a - Achieve goal 2. This long-term goal is
for instruction and get admin achievable only after
approval. 3b - Obtain admin goal two is met. Once
approval and support goal two is achieved,
3b - Obtain teacher of lessons. goal three is set to be
support. accomplished.
3c - Acquire teacher
support.

Goal 4 - Storage 4a - Create a portfolio 4a - Obtain school This long-term goal

room expansion detailing the needs for admin approval should be
additional space. accomplished within
4b - Obtain school four to five years.
4b - Present portfolio board approval
to school admin. for
approval. 4c - Start expansion

4c - Present portfolio
to school board and
get it passed.
 Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 18

References

Bayliss, Sarah. (2013). The Digital Shift. Flipping the Library: Tips from Three Pros / The Digital Shift

2013”. 12 Oct. 2022. http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/10/k-12/flipping-the-library-the-

digital-shift-2013/

Carpenter, David. (2022) Lifehack. How to Set Long Term Goals and Achieve Success. 14 Nov. 2022.

https://www.lifehack.org/788859/long-term-goals?scrlybrkr=ff952ec2

Curtis, Shannon. (2014). Library to Learning Commons - Saanich School District (No. 63). 15 October

2022. [Video] YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ftD_V_tDsQ

Georgia Department of Education. (2019) CCRPI Report - Willie J. Williams Middle School.

http://ccrpi.gadoe.org/Reports/Views/Shared/_Layout.html

Georgia Department of Education. (2021) Enrollment of Ethnicity/Race and Gender.

https://oraapp.doe.k12.ga.us/ows-bin/owa/fte_pack_ethnicsex_pub.entry_form

McGriff, N., Harvey, C., and Preddy, L. (2004) Collecting the Data: Program Perception. 15 October

2022.

Moultrie - Colquitt County Library System. (2002) MCCLS - Moultrie Colquitt County Library

System. 20 Sept. 2022 https://www.mccls.org/about-mccls

National Center for Education Statistics (2022) Search for Public School Districts - Common Core of

Data. 7 Nov. 2022. https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/district_detail.asp?ID2=1301380

Owens, Stephen. (2019) How Does Georgia Fund Schools? GBPI. 7 Nov. 2022. https://gbpi.org/how-

does-georgia-fund-schools/

Weger, Diana. (2022, September 28). Personal Interview.

Weger. Diana. (2022, November 12). Personal Interview.

 Strategic Management Plan – Key Assessment Bryson Giddens 19

Where Industry Grows: Moultrie-Colquitt County Development Authority. (2016) Manufacturing.

https://www.selectmoultrie.com/manufacturing/

U.S. Census Bureau. (2021) Quick Facts: Colquitt County.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/colquittcountygeorgia/PST045221