Since we published on Friday, changes have been made to the library situation. What follows in italics is an email from Principal Matthew Urquhart:
To all;
We wanted to provide you with a brief update on the library. Please see the information below.
- High School SPP and VHS students will report to the Library Lab (right side of library office) for attendance which will be taken by the assigned IA each period. During blocks C and F, SPP and VHS students will stay in the Lab unless space permits otherwise (as Ms. Farmer has a class during those 2 periods). During all other blocks, SPP and VHS students will be able to move about the library after attendance is taken in the Lab.
- The library is available to students from 2:00-2:30pm every day. Students are able to check out/in books during this time period.
- Teachers should reach out to Ms. Farmer (via email) if you want to take your classes to the library during any period. Teachers will be responsible for monitoring their students while in the Library.
- Teachers are encouraged to reach out to Ms. Farmer (via email) if you would like to plan a collaborative lesson for your classes with Ms. Farmer.
- The library is available to Middle School students during the Advisory block on days 2, 4, and 6. Students will need a pass from a teacher to access the library. Students are able to check out/in books during this time period.
- The library is available to High School students during the Advisory block on days 3, 5, and 7. Students do not need a pass from a teacher to access the library. Students are able to check out/in books during this time period.
More information will follow later this morning with other details. We thank you for your continued support and flexibility.
Principal Urquhart, Principal Rikan, Vice Principal Niedzwiecki
How is this a change? Let’s go point by point.
- Instead of being in the cafeteria, students are once again in the library. For the last two periods of the day, the cafeteria can be quite messy due to two lunch period having just happened. The janitorial crew works hard to keep things clean, but in the previous situation, they would have to clean around the students. Studying on messy tables and with people walking through and cleaning is not a good learning space.
After lunch periods, there is food and plastic utensils on the floor and often the tables are sticky. (Lilliana Casillo) - Students are still able to check books out after school.
- Teachers can again bring their classes to the library as long as they coordinate it with Mrs. Farmer. Several class would use the library as a space to do group projects, look for information in books, or simply to give students the opportunity to read a book of their choice.
- Mrs. Farmer teaches two classes a day, so she cannot collaborate during those periods, but otherwise the opportunity for collaboration is better.
- & 6. This remains the same.
The biggest change is having an additional adult in the library. When Mrs. Farmer was the only adult, she could not teach and help other students at the same time. When there was just SPP (Student Productivity Period, or study hall), assisting students was possible, but if SPP students left the room or were acting up, it was a problem. Having an assistant allowed most if not all student issues to be met.
We interviewed students in SPP, and while they are glad to be back in the library, they believe there are still issues to be fixed. Having middle school classes in there at the same time makes things noisier and limits where SPP students can sit. It does beat sitting in the cafeteria, though, and that is a positive.
While things are much better, they are not back to where they used to be. In time, things should settle down and a good situation should be reached. Should things change, we will keep you posted.
