Angela Hanvey

MLS Portfolio
June 19, 2010
Dr. Akin
Professional Agenda

I have been fortunate to have school librarians who have enjoyed

assisting and teaching students. This is one attribute I hope to pass forward

to future students. I feel the librarian has a key role in the school community.

It is the responsibility of the school librarian to make sure students

understand how to use the library and its multitude of resources to enrich

their academic experiences.

To accomplish this, I am proposing a professional agenda for improving

library services over the course of the next three to five years. Initially, I plan

to offer teachers or other staff members a Curriculum through Technology

collaboration. In addition to improving the technology skill level of the school

staff members, I am also planning on improving my own communication

skills level to better serve the school community. Using my newly acquired

communication skills, I would be able to promote after school library services

I plan to offer to the school and community. Finally, I would like to be an

advocate for my library by attending conferences and writing grants to

ensure the continuous enrichment of the school community through its

library.

“Curriculum through Technology” Collaboration

Since my previous experience comes from being a classroom teacher, I

am aware of how little time teachers actually have to plan lessons utilizing

technology resources. While the research indicates students benefit from

instruction through the use of technology, many teachers do not have the

training or resources needed to provide this type of instruction. I intend to

give teachers the training and/or resources needed to help make their

lessons come alive through the use of technology and Web 2.0 tools. The

“Curriculum through Technology” collaboration would meet either weekly or

biweekly, depending on need and share ideas for integrating technology into

instructional curriculum. Teachers will benefit by working together to develop

lessons that use technology while students will benefit from receiving

engaging, interactive instruction.

Effective Communication

Students also benefit from having instructional leaders who model

effective communication skills. As more students enter school speaking

languages other than English, it is imperative educators be able to

communicate with both students and their parents. Because the majority of

students entering school in this area primarily speak Spanish as their first

language, it is my intention to become more fluent in my Spanish

communication skills. The school library is a place where all students should

feel welcomed and valued, regardless of their ability to speak the English

language. By becoming more fluent in Spanish, I will be better equipped to

provide information literacy and library services to Spanish speaking

students and community members.

Library Programs and Services

Another goal I plan to accomplish is starting up an after school library

Angela Hanvey
MLS Portfolio
June 19, 2010
Dr. Akin
services program based on the needs and interests of the students, such as

a puppet troupe, special interest book clubs (special interests could include a

mother-daughter book club, for example), movie making, or even family

game night. The library services program would meet once every week at

the school library. As one service program becomes successful, I would

consider possibly adding another library services program if the need or

interest has been expressed. Library services and programs are one way to

get the school community interested in the library’s vast resources and gain

its support.

Educational Trends

Keeping up with the latest trends in education and how the school

library provides support to ensure students’ information literacy and

academic success will also gain support for the school library. I plan to keep

current on educational changes and support teachers with these changes

through the use of library materials and resources, as well as through

collaboration. Students are the primary benefactors when it comes to

improving lesson delivery and instruction. However, teachers also benefit

from this collaborative effort. They gain a colleague with a significant

amount of materials and resources who is willing to collaborate and even co-

teach lessons. The result is two qualified teachers who are able to provide

quality instruction to students because the ratio of teacher to students

increases. This is especially important as class sizes are starting to become

larger and teachers are expected to be effective with larger classes but
limited resources. As the school librarian, I will work alongside my colleagues

to provide valuable instruction to meet the various needs of today’s diverse

learners.

Grant Awards

Finally, in order to provide library programs and services and the most

materials and resources to my school community, I plan to write and apply

for as many eligible grants as possible. Once awarded grants, I would

develop programs to promote cultural awareness within the community.

Celebrations such as “Hispanic Heritage Month” and “Native American

Heritage Month” would be appropriate for my school community. Other

cultural celebrations could be held on a monthly basis to recognize other

cultures as well, especially Asian cultures since there has been an increase in

the number of Asian students in the school community. I would also be

interested in writing and applying for any grants that would augment

existing library materials and resources.

As a school librarian, my intention is to support my school community

by providing programs, services, materials, resources, and instructional

support. I will pursue efforts to advocate for my library as a valuable

instructional center within my school community. Over the next three to five

years, I will develop a school library that will serve as a comfortable learning

environment for all its stakeholders through the accomplishment of the goals

included in this agenda. I look forward to the challenge of creating an

exemplary school library.