Meeting with Victoria Bryan-20240325_133708-Meeting

Recording
March 25, 2024, 5:37PM
11m 40s

Victoria Bryan started transcription

Victoria Bryan 0:07

Alright, so I'm here today with Mr Stark.
Who is the media specialist at Savannah High School?
Thank you so much, Mr Stark, for allowing me to interview you today.

Jason Stark 0:18

Not a problem.

Victoria Bryan 0:20

OK.
So first question, prior to becoming a school library media specialist, what did you
do?

Jason Stark 0:28

So I was a school teacher for, I think like.
16 years?
I think so.

Victoria Bryan 0:36

Umm.

Jason Stark 0:36

I taught a multitude of different.
Different subjects, but I started off with technology education, which is, which is, it's a
older curriculum that is no longer being used.
It was absorbed by the engineering program in the state of Georgia, so it kind of all
came together.
But and then from there I taught web design business, I was in the business etc.
CTAE for a while teaching business ad UMM web design.
And uh, programming in those types of things.

Victoria Bryan 1:15

No one.

Jason Stark 1:15

So I did that for a few years.
How much?
OK.
And from there I went to a media specialist position and then into the district level
and then back to MediaSpecialists.

Victoria Bryan 1:27

Catch.
OK, what inspire you to pursue a degree in school library media?

Jason Stark 1:34

So for me it was not as much about the books as much as it was about my love for
technology and my career, which basically evolved around assisting others in
teaching others about technology and so on.
So that was the main thing in Richmond County, the MediaSpecialists at that time
were are responsible for a lot of the tech work that was being done in the school,
even though that's really not what our jobs are about.

Victoria Bryan 2:03

Umm.

Jason Stark 2:04

And so with that I that's that's why I pursued the degree and ended up moving into
the Media Center.
Umm so yeah.

Victoria Bryan 2:16

Gotcha.
Where did you receive your training or degree?

Jason Stark 2:22

So the first my master's degree was from Georgia Southern University and then I got
my specialist and that was a dual the dual certification.
So I went ahead and actually was Media certified in instructional technology certified
with that degree and then completed my specialist degree and Valdosta State
University in instructional technology and Media.

Victoria Bryan 2:46

Gotcha.
OK.
How do you do determine the collection needs of your Library?

Jason Stark 2:57

It's the process of of talking to, you know, the faculty to the students.
So we will, you know, we'll send out.
Forms to get a feel for what teachers are wanting and then for what?
The students would like, and we always keep those available in case we do have extra
funds that come up from there.
Victoria Bryan 3:19
Umm.

Jason Stark 3:20

I work closely with Follett.
I like working with Follett, and Follett has a program where you're able to, because
we use destiny, they can go in and look at your entire collection, and I just give them
a budget of however much money we have to spend and they'll create a list based
on the needs that I say, you know, well, we'd like to see more in this area or more in
another area.

Victoria Bryan 3:36

Umm.

Jason Stark 3:44

Follow will help build that collection list and then I'll go back through and fine tune it
before before submitting it and and that and then that would be based on uh, fine
tuning will come in.
That's when I'll start looking at well, what if?
What is the faculty?
What are the student body suggested with?
They would like to see and then make sure that those get in there.
We also replace books so we keep we've got really popular books that are got worn
out and then those will also be you know we've got a list that we keep and we want
to make sure that those get replaced.

Victoria Bryan 4:09

Umm.

Jason Stark 4:19

So those books can keep being checked out, but that's kind of the process.
So I worked very closely with Follett and use the tools that they make available to
make my life a lot easier because it's, you know, it would take a long time to come
up with a list of books for, you know, when you're trying to spend 2 or $3000.

Victoria Bryan 4:34

Umm.
Right.

Jason Stark 4:38

So yeah.

Victoria Bryan 4:39

Gotcha.
I'm talk to me about your background in technology prior to becoming a media
specialist.

Jason Stark 4:47

Kind of already did that, but I'll do it again.

Victoria Bryan 4:48

You know.

Jason Stark 4:49

Let me tell you a bit more about technology education because what was important
about that particular curriculum in Georgia, which I really, really like, I think it was a
mistake for them to get rid of it.
It was modular education, which allowed the students to come in, and when they
took the course they would move from station to station over a period of usually two
to three weeks.
We would rotate and everybody would move to a new station.

Victoria Bryan 5:11

Umm.

Jason Stark 5:14

It gave the kids an opportunity to learn a lot of different things.
I'm CNC manufacturing uh desktop publishing audio video so but the unique thing
about that is originally those labs were really depended upon.
Companies that created the curriculum and sold all the equipment, but what you
found out very quickly is that a lot of times those things would break or you would
wanna create new stuff and that's where the training and the education.
I got Georgia Southern for technology education came into play because they really
helped us learn how to create that curriculum on new technology, to continue to
keep that lab up to date.
And cover things that were happening cause you know, Technology it just it keeps
moving and the new stuff comes in all the time.

Victoria Bryan 6:07

Right.

Jason Stark 6:11

And I've taken that and incorporated that into the position that I'm in now because
as an instructional technology person, it's kind of the same thing you're looking at.
Well, how can we use this tech in the classroom properly, where it's actually being
used as a tool to engage learning as opposed to you know, somebody using their
smart board as a chalkboard? Right.

Victoria Bryan 6:26

All right.
Hmm.
Right.

Jason Stark 6:37

So that's kind of the difference.
So yeah, that's my the first half of my career was based in Tech Ed.
So that's all that I did was work with new technology and writing curriculum for him
to try to keep my lab, you know, on the cutting edge.

Victoria Bryan 6:52

Umm.

Jason Stark 6:54

So that was a majority of all my experience.

Victoria Bryan 6:59

Gotcha.
Thank you.
What role do you play?

Jason Stark 7:02

I feel like I'm being interviewed for a job.

Victoria Bryan 7:05

Oh, sorry.

Jason Stark 7:06

No, it's OK though.
Is the kind of questions the lunch times you'll hear.

Victoria Bryan 7:10

You're right, because I was in your interview as well.
Just these were kind of conscious.

Jason Stark 7:13

Ah.

Victoria Bryan 7:17

What role do you play?
Ohh no.
As far as reading for pleasure, what John John are, do you enjoy?

Jason Stark 7:25

Fantasy.
Victoria Bryan 7:26
Fantasy.

Jason Stark 7:26

But I also like.
I also like autobiographies, so I'll read history autobiographies, but usually like
fantasy or science fiction.

Victoria Bryan 7:37

Gotcha.

Jason Stark 7:38

Yep.

Victoria Bryan 7:38

OK.
How has COVID impacted the day to day operation of your Media Center?

Jason Stark 7:47

I I don't think at least the Media Center here and most of my colleagues that I've
talked to.
Uh and the former district that I was in, and even this district, I don't know that we've
ever recovered. Uh.
It's very disappointing that there's such an emphasis put on the technology side of
things when it comes to reading in that.

Victoria Bryan 8:05

Yeah.

Jason Stark 8:14

So yeah, it's been a chore.
It's been difficult to try to get the teachers to incorporate the Media Center into their
into their curriculum, and so I have a monthly newsletter that I attempt to send out
every month.

Victoria Bryan 8:30

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Jason Stark 8:31

It doesn't always be put out, but a lot of times it does.
And then that I usually highlight the new technology, the different things that we
have available and encourage teachers to utilize the Media Center, even if it's just to
have them come in and get a break from the classroom working there.
Victoria Bryan 8:47
Right.

Jason Stark 8:49

And then if they have extra time, they can check out a book.

Victoria Bryan 8:52

Yeah.

Jason Stark 8:53

So, but we're not seeing that.
And so I think back to your original question, I I'm afraid that at the moment at least,
it's a battle that's still being fought and.
It's one of the there's so much data and studies out there that support that
everybody retains and comprehends Information better when they're reading off of a
real like a real book or or whatever, as opposed to reading off of the screen.

Victoria Bryan 9:22

Right.
Right.

Jason Stark 9:26

And so that's why I'm trying to get across to my teachers.
So yeah, it's been a little difficult.
I would say circulation is way down compared to before pre pre COVID.

Victoria Bryan 9:34

Umm.
Gotcha.
Umm do you have an aid or paraprofessional and if so, what are your expectations of
that person?

Jason Stark 9:48

Breakfast.
Yes, I do.
I actually have two one, one that we kind of share.
I I share 2 actually one I share with early college, but she's only part time and then
the other one is is half time as well for Savannah High School and but she works in
other position in in the school system.
So I actually have basically one full time clerk, but they're split between two people.
Split between the wheat you know without through door, but my expectations for
them is is really to help take care of the.

Victoria Bryan 10:18

Yeah.
Jason Stark 10:27
Uh, you know, the day to day stuff as far as circulation goes, checking in and
checking out books and resetting passwords.
Ah, free me up to be able to work with teachers one on one, and hopefully we'll be
able to do lessons and the types of stuff which.
So yeah, the expectations are there just essentially to take care of the things that
frees me up to be able to do other things.
Umm, that that you know to meet teachers needs whatever it might be, whether it's
the technology side of things where they're holding down the circulation desk.

Victoria Bryan 11:04

Gotcha.

Jason Stark 11:09

So I can go out to the classrooms and actually work with teachers and so on.

Victoria Bryan 11:13

Right.
Well, we're done with you, you.

Jason Stark 11:14

And they do a great job, by the way.
A very blessed man with my clerks, I am.

Victoria Bryan 11:19

Where you are you are, umm.
We're done with your interview for this job.

Jason Stark 11:25

Now is that it?
OK, alright.

Victoria Bryan 11:27

Yeah.

Jason Stark 11:27

Did I get it?

Victoria Bryan 11:29

Yes, you did.

Jason Stark 11:29

What do you think?
How am I gonna get hired?
Victoria Bryan 11:30
You did awesome, yes.
Thank you, Mr start.

Jason Stark 11:34

Alright, good deal.

Victoria Bryan 11:35

If you get hurt, alright?

Jason Stark 11:36

OK.
Bye bye.

Victoria Bryan stopped transcription