(Editor’s note: we completed this story before changes were made on Thursday to the schedule–we will put out a story on the changes to the schedule on Monday)
The libraries in the Sutton School District are facing new challenges this year. Why?
Last year, administrators submitted their budgets, and due to financial constraints, the middle and high school lost the librarian assistant position. The impact started after Spring Break in April. According to Middle School Principal Shawn Rickan, the library is often closed because of the short staff and also budget cuts.
(Editor’s note: all three administrative positions in the middle and high school are new employees are were not part of the previous budget decisions)
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During the advisory period or lunch, students could gather and spend time together.
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Students used to find a spot to gather in the morning.
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During every period, the library was a spot for students to quietly study, read, or engage in a game.
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Students used wait for the library to open at 7 a.m.
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A student waiting for the library to open in the morning before last Spring Break.
Before, Mrs. Goddard, the librarian assistant, opened the library daily at 7 a.m. Soon, 50-75 high school students were inside, talking, working on projects, reviewing for quizzes and tests, or merely talking with each other.
Now, students no longer have that space before school. By contract, the library does not open until 7:45 a.m. and after school it stays open until 2:30 p.m.
To explain the schedule, the school operates on a seven day schedule. There are seven blocks for classes (Blocks A through G), and every day a block is dropped/does not meet. So, if is a Day One, A Block does not meet, on Day Two B Block does not meet, and so on. So, there are six blocks that meet daily in addition to the advisory period (a 30 minute period for extra help, class meetings, etc.) and lunch.
Now that the librarian, Mrs. Farmer, teaches two middle school classes in the library (which makes sense as they are library skills classes), on three of the seven days the library is closed for four periods. The other four days it is closed three of the periods. That means on every school day, the library is closed over half of the day. It is open daily for the advisory period, but not lunch.
Until last April, the library was open daily from 7-2:45 p.m. Students could enter even when Mrs. Farmer taught a class, and that was because Mrs. Goddard could take care of what they needed along with her usual duties.
Now, without a trained assistant, students cannot access the library during those times due to Mrs. Farmer’s schedule. Teaching a class and taking care of other student needs is not possible, especially seeing that the classes taught are middle school and they need much closer attention.
Where does this leave students? For SPP (Student Productivity Period, which means the student does not have a class, but a study period) and VHS classes, students sit in the cafeteria (except during middle school lunch when students are instead in the auditorium). The cafeteria is not set up for such activities as there are few electrical outlets (needed for charging laptops) or study areas created specifically for studying. Additionally, after the lunch periods, the students have to contend with janitorial staff trying to clean the area to make it ready for both these two study periods and after school activities.
For students looking for a quiet place to sit, read or simply talk with friends, the cafeteria is not the place for that. The library has tables set up for projects and collaboration, several electrical outlets, and comfortable chairs for reading.
Reading. Yes, reading. Sure, students watch videos on their devices, but students also read. Several classes used to come to the library for specific book selection, for group projects that the librarians helped them with, and more. With the library not accessible like before, students cannot get quick access to books (if at all), they cannot sit in the library chairs and enjoy a book while being comfortable, and another benefit of public education is minimized. At a time when reading is happening less in America, this is a problem.
What are the answers? Is it as simple as finances or is there more happening? SuttonHighNews will continue to follow this story and keep you updated.
(Editor’s note: the entire staff contributed to these story)
