JamieWinchell

August4,2016
SeventhAvenueElementarySchool
District105
LaGrange,IL

Description
ConnectisthenameofDistrict105ssummerlearningprogram.Organizedaroundscienceinquiryunits
articulatedacrossgradelevels,TierIIIidentifiedstudentsgoingintogradespreKto6thconcentrateontheir
readingand/ormathskills.TheprogramlastsfiveweeksandmetMondayThursday8:30AM12:30PMat
SeventhAvenueElementarySchoolinLaGrange.Someclassesareassmallas5butnonearelargerthan12.
Eachteacherhasanaide,andthereiswasaPEteacheraswellasateacherlibrarian.
MysitesupervisorforthisplacementwasSpringAvenueteacherlibrarianJoannaMarek.Froman
extensiveintroductoryemailtotheinformationpacketprovidedtofamiliesandfromourdailylessonplanning
GooglesheettoPERAideasgeneratedbyherd105teacherlibrariancolleagues,Joannawasalwaysthorough,
helpful,andengagedinsupportingmylearning.Shewasanexemplarysitesupervisorineverydomain,but
Communication(LIS11)standsout.
Analysis
STANDARD11Communication.Thelibraryinformationspecialistservesasaneducationalleader
andasacatalystforimprovingthelearningcommunity.11A.understandsthestructureofthe
schoollearningcommunityandtheleveragepointsforinfluence.

TheupcomingschoolyearbeginsJoannas9thasanelementaryschoollibrarianandmy2ndasamiddle
schoollibrarian.Thiscontrasthelpedusgeneraterobustconversationsaroundawiderangeoftopicsandwe
coveredalotofterritoryregardingourrespectiveeducationandotherbackgroundsbeforewebecame
librarians.Ourdailyworkimmersedusintechnology,literacy,andlibraryadvocacy.
Joannahadadvocatedforherdistrictslibraryprogramviamajorinitiativeslikeherlibrarysredesign
anddynamicsummerprogramming.Buthermoresubtlemethodsofcommunicationwererevolutionaryshifts
incommunicationforme.Whenwetalkedaboutourworktogether,shewouldsay,Twolibrariansarealways
betterthanone.ShesignedallemailstostaffYourLibraryTeam.Whenshetalkedtostudentsaboutthe
Library,shesaidYouhaveTHREElibrarianstohelpyou:me,Mrs.Blaszek,andMrs.Winchell.Shealways
thankedstudentsforusingthelibraryandwouldsaygoodbyetotheminavarietyofwaysthatmadeclearshe
sawthemaslearners,readers,andlibraryusers:Seeyouinthelibrarytomorrow,1stgradereaders!Thank
youforallofyourhardworktoday,butterflyresearchers!Theseseeminglysmallmodesofcommunication
gainedherhugepointswithstudentsandteachersanddemonstratedtoeveryonethatshewasbothaleader
andanengagedparticipantinthelearningcommunity.

Reflection
LastyearIfeltadisconnectbetweenmyselfandmylibraryassistantmyfirstyearandher13th,she
hadweatheredmanystormsandseachangesatPercyJulianMiddleSchool.Shewasenthusiasticformyideas
butsheoftentemperedthemwithherwarningsofthedireoutcomesofprevious,andinhermindsimilar,
experiences.Whensheretiredattheendoflastschoolyear,manystudentswrotehernotesthataddressed
herasalibrarian.ItwasntuntilIwasatSeventhwithJoannathatIrealizedthearrivalofmynewlibrary
assistantisloadedwithevenmorepotentialthanIhadpreviouslyrealized.Ihaveanotherlibrariancoming!
Eventhoughmyassistantisntatrainedlibrarian,bysigningmyemailsYourLibraryTeamandreferringto
herasalibrarian,everyonewins:teachersseebothofusascredibleresources,studentsseeusasalways

available,andthespiritthatwillcomeoutofmorewilladaptwithusasweevolveovertime.Iameagerto
begintheschoolyearcommunicatingtoJulianteacherswiththistagline.
AsimilarlysubtleshiftinhowIwillcommunicatewithstudentsisbymycomplimentstotheirlearning.
Itreadatrickylineofcoolnesswithmiddleschoolers:toodorkyandIturnthemoff,notdorkyenoughandI
amnotapproachable.Soagoodbyelike,Seeyou6thperiodtomorrow,ecosystemresearchers!would
probablyhitthatsoftspotofalittlegoofybutstillseriousabouttheacademicreasonsweareworking
together.IhavealongwaytogoinunderstandingtheJulianlearningcommunityandIamdefinitelystill
castingforideastohelpmeleveragemyinfluence.Thesewillbesubtlebutgoodbooststomycommunication
effortsasasecondyearlibrarian.