Media Specialists Perform Unique Role

May 5, 2008: School libraries, or media centers as they are now called, are critically important to student achievement; a fact not lost on Portage Schools.

The District has made an incredible investment in its 13 media centers and the highly trained media specialists needed to staff them, resulting in the most comprehensive library media program in the region.

Each of the District’s 13 schools features a dedicated, full-time media specialist trained to fully use the extensive technology and specialized information systems available at each school.

Through this investment in talent and resources, the District has made a valued and unique investment in student literacy. Across the United States, more than 60 research studies have shown that students in schools with good school libraries – staffed with qualified library media specialists – learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized tests than students without these resources. Studies from Alaska to Texas, including Michigan, were reported in “School Libraries Work,” a research foundation paper from Scholastic.

Center of Student Learning

“Media Specialists have such an impact on literacy because they are at the center of student learning, at every grade level”, says Phil Stohrer, 20-year media specialist veteran at West Middle, K-12 Co-Team Leader for Media Centers, and 2004 “Media Specialist of the Year” award winner for the state of Michigan. “The library media specialist helps students develop a love of reading, become skilled users of technology and information, and collaborate with classroom teachers creating a powerful teaching duo.”

According to Director of Technology Systems Michael Batterson, “Talented media specialists need powerful, technology tools to realize the greatest positive impact on student learning.” Over the past 25 years, the District has been the regional leader in new technology investment. Every media center has numerous internet accessible computer work stations outfitted with the most complete and creative systems from which to read, write, research, design and learn.

Media centers have carts of wireless, lap top computers; MP3 players that feature narrated stories; specialized software and so much more. However, Batterson emphasizes; “A commitment to high tech learning requires a sustained investment in both technology and staff.” In 2007, voters approved $15 million to upgrade Portage Schools with the most effective, technological learning tools available. Some classrooms will even feature electronic ‘chalk boards’ which engage students visually as well.

Integrating Technology

Media specialists are the faculty who weave the digital world into today’s classroom and throughout the curriculum. The media specialist is key to the full utilization of the investment Portage Public Schools have made in advanced technology.

Technology supports learning at each and every grade level. “Our media specialists use technology to integrate invaluable information literacy skills into all content areas, especially social sciences, language arts and science,” according to Sherry Sims, media specialist at Central Middle and storyteller grant recipient.

Media specialists do more than support other curriculums; in fact, each grade level has its own media and technology curriculum and Michigan Education Technology Standards (METS) that media specialists are required to accomplish. As a result, “Even middle school students become skilled at enhancing their research papers through power point presentations, posters, or movies using specialized movie making software; or even pod casts, able to be played and shared with other students on their favorite technology, IPODS,” says Sims.

At North Middle School, students are hatching fish eggs; while Ann Stohrer, media specialist, teaches students to use web-casts for sharing ideas to improve hatching techniques with other middle school students around the country. Media specialists use technology to help students become learners for the 21 st Century.

Media specialists are also charged with teaching information literacy. Even in elementary school, students learn how to use tools to find information, determine its value and organize the information to add meaning. Lori Minnard, media specialist at Angling Road Elementary, explains,” Third grade students are already becoming savvy investigators of information sources. Students learn which sources have reliable facts and how to evaluate the quality of the source.”

Universe of Information

The District invests in high quality electronic information services. Students and faculty can access search engines that feature more than 180,000 educator-selected, online resources or databases of thousands of magazine articles, to name just a few. Our media specialists are charged with educating all students with the skills necessary to reap the benefits from today’s universe of information. Information sources are changing rapidly. Media specialists are challenged to keep up with an ever expanding menu of ways to collaborate and share knowledge with students and faculty.

The District is fortunate to have an expert in collaboration on staff, Jeanna Walker, Northern High media specialist, K-12 Co-Team Leader for Media Centers, and the state of Michigan’s first recipient of the “Collaboration Award” for exemplary skills in collaboration with teachers to educate children in the research process. Walker’s collaborative programs pivot around team teaching with the classroom teachers to deliver student research based projects that are curriculum driven.

High school students are collaborating with other students and through high tech tools like digital stories, wikis and pod casts. High school students can share responses to literature, student and teacher book reviews, and public service announcements, where students debate poignant issues. Walker emphasizes, “Today’s students learn to evaluate the ever expanding world of information to become information literate adults, who can share their knowledge with others in a global society.”

According to Director of Curriculum & Professional Development Denise Bresson, “Library media specialists combine high-tech skills with high-touch personalities.” Each media specialist has a dual teaching certification. All media specialists are certified classroom teachers with a master’s in library science from an ALA or AASL accredited program. The complexity of the high tech media center rivals a Star Wars battle ship and media specialists must be masterful captains of their ship.

“Yet, without exception, our media specialists all love books and share that love with young people,” says Bresson.

Love of Books

Approximately 40,000 books a year are checked out at each elementary library. “There is no substitute for learning the love of reading books,” Nikki Elrod, media specialist at Moorsbridge Elementary, adds with emotion. All eight of the District’s elementary schools feature a unique library at the heart of the school. Each library media specialist’s own personality shines in the library environment they create. Strict educational benchmarks are met at each elementary, and each media specialist brings their own creative touches to achieving these benchmarks. No “cookie cutter” programs here.

The elementary media specialists collectively represent over 100 years of creative teaching techniques. Leigh Ann Nicol at Central Elementary has taught around the globe and uses her unique skills as a storyteller to create a library environment that her students can’t wait to plunge into.

At Waylee Elementary, Lou Cramer puts a lot of energy into creating subject linkages between fiction and non fiction works, frequently utilizing media technology. Cramer teaches students how to think, contrast and compare, while he reads books to younger students with a theatrical flare.

Susan Talanda at Lake Center is an accomplished children’s book author whose multifaceted career has centered on a love affair with books.

At Amberly Elementary, Peter Butts has become an invaluable resource to staff and students alike. Butts has created an inspired web site that is the envy of the district.

Bill Lauritsen at Woodland Elementary has developed an ingenious “knight and castle” theme based curriculum that teaches young readers to think and problem solve, using key words and mental puzzles. The centerpiece of the library is a two story, working castle, designed and constructed by Lauritsen himself.

Without exception, Portage media specialists are a highly educated, uniquely motivated group of creative professionals. “We are charged with graduating young people who are accomplished readers, savvy users of today’s technology and masters of information”, says Elizabeth Rotman, media specialist at Haverhill Elementary.

Batterson explains that, “This is a tall order but our media staff is up to the challenge.”

Sara Brown, media specialist at Central High sums it all up by stressing, “These are the skills that 21 st Century employers value.” Media specialists are “an essential part of educating life-long learners who are adept at collecting, processing, analyzing and communicating information effectively. I am proud to be a media specialist in Portage; a district who supports the work that we do.”

[Accompanying Feature to be published May 12]

Library Established At Community High

Community High will finally have a library and Kay Baetsen is making it happen, with help from the community.

Baetsen worked as a psychologist at Portage Public Schools for 20 years until her retirement in 2005. However, she feels that “building” this library will be her true legacy.

“I have never felt so motivated to accomplish a goal,” she says. “I am normally a soft spoken person but I feel no apprehension when it comes to begging for books to fill this library.”

The project began with a grant from the Portage Education Foundation and Baetsen has since garnered community-wide support for the library. Portage Public Schools, Portage District Library, Western Michigan University, and private citizens have all donated books.

“People want to be part of filling the Community High library,” says Baetsen. The library will occupy a classroom at Community High, which is located in the Community Education Center on West Milham (also housing Curious Kids and Enriched-for-Life programs).

Each day, the former classroom becomes more of a library. Book shelves, magazines, literature and cozy chairs arrive to create an eclectic, welcoming environment. Community High students have volunteered, under the direction of their art teacher Andrea Ramsdell, to paint the ceiling and walls, including a mural.

The library will feature four categories of reading material: career and vocational resources, reference books like encyclopedias, magazines and popular and classical literature, and children’s books (the students, some of whom are young parents, will be encouraged to use the children’s books to read to their youngsters).

Scheduled to open before the end of the school year, the library will continue accepting monetary or book donations, which can be dropped off anytime at Community High, 1010 West Milham (across from the Post Office).

Editor’s Note: This web version is slightly longer than the article published in the weekly PPS page of the Portage Gazette on May 5 and May 12.

-- Article by Connie Livingston