To all of our public and academic library partners, we need your help!!!
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaces No Child Left Behind,
is in its draft stages in Indiana. Many states, who are further along in
the process, have been successful at getting their states to recognize
school libraries and school library programming in their state’s document.
So far, Indiana has not been that fortunate.
This is where we need EVERYONE’S help! The IDOE is currently accepting
feedback on the draft until this *Thursday, July 20*. Please use this link
<http://www.doe.in.gov/essa> to make comments about the importance of
school libraries in our state. I want to clarify for all of you why this
is important. You may be thinking “Why does this matter?” and “How is this
going to help us get school library jobs back?” I believe this is
important because I believe that ANY mention of school libraries and school
librarians in this document is, at the very least, an acknowledgement by
our state that we actually EXIST and that we are an important part of the
education of the children in our state. If we can get this accomplished,
this will provide us leverage going forward to advocate for awareness and
importance of our roles. Please take the time to make comments, and please
reach out to any other public and academic librarians in your area, as well
as administrators, parents, friends, book clubs, ANYONE in your circle of
influence who would be willing to make supportive comments. If you need
information to use as talking points, here is a link.
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tfowW4uyHu09dq0ZK7881oAdNOMNOSOvbib01d_PHLU/edit?usp=sharing>
Feel free to share any of this. We need to seize this opportunity now!
Carpe diem!
To illustrate this urgent need, I want to take a moment to recognize and
congratulate Susie Highley on her retirement from Warren Township schools.
Susie has been a major role model for me in my career and has been a
dedicated member and leader of AISLE for many years. She is a rock star
librarian, with many well-deserved accolades, and she leaves big shoes to
be filled in her district. Despite all of her amazing work, her retirement
leaves questions on whether her position will be filled in her district.
If this can happen in a district where the benefits and contributions of
the school librarian are so evident, then it only goes to show that our
advocacy efforts cannot let up. We cannot be islands of school, public,
academic, etc. We have got to work together to make sure that ALL
libraries are supported and valued. Students who go through our schools
with no positive and enriching library experiences will not magically grow
up to be adults who value academic and public libraries. So please take
the time to ask your friends and colleagues to submit comments to ESSA and
take advantage of any opportunities you have to support the other libraries
in your community.
Thank you so much for any help you can give us!
—
Tara White
Director of Literacy
Elkhart Community Schools
574-262-5869
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