School
Library System honors collaborative efforts
19th Annual Awards luncheon recognizes six teachers and
administrators
 The
HFM BOCES School Library System (SLS) recognized collaboration
as a key component in the success and effectiveness of school
libraries in awards given at its annual luncheon on Wednesday,
June 9, at HFM BOCES' Petit Café.
Mayfield Superintendent Paul Williamsen and Mayfield Elementary
Principal Nicholas Criscone were honored as the “Administrative
Team of the Year” for their leadership in recognizing the
library media center as an integral part of the total school
program and having active personal involvement in the program.”
Mr. Williamsen shared a story of how, during budget discussions,
he told the Board of Education that “everything is on the table
(for consideration of cuts)… except the library.”
“The library is not an extra, and should never be thought of
that way,” Mr. Williamsen said. “Our library is an essential
part of our educational program.”
Media Specialist Maggie McCabe, who nominated the two
administrators, described the Mayfield school library as a
“learning commons.”
“At any given time you can walk into the library and see at
least two or three groups working on computers, browsing the
shelves, researching or reading books,” Mrs. McCabe said.
Thanks to additional funds being allocated, the aging collection
has been automated into the School Library System and beefed up
with new books that support the curriculum and appeal to
students’ reading interests. The effort has resulted in more
than 100 percent increase in circulation.
“My schedule now includes time to collaborate with classroom
teachers,” Mrs. McCabe said. “Because I have been encouraged to
build my own leadership skills, I continuously realign
priorities, look beyond the walls of the library and focus on
the entire school community for ideas and direction.”
 For
the first time, a Collaborative Teacher/Team of the Year award
was given. This award recognizes a classroom teacher/team in a
school participating in the HFM BOCES SLS who has “exhibited
excellence in teaching by working collaboratively with their
school library media specialist.”
The winner was legitimately a team — the entire English
department of Canajoharie High School! The four teachers - Randi
Korona, Bethany Sunderland, Richele Simmons-Mollica and Kathy
Fatta - all participated in a four-year Library Information
Literacy curriculum in conjunction with their own.
Canajoharie students in grade 9 begin with website evaluation,
navigation of school databases, and keyword searching. The
students must use all of their learned information literacy
skills in their first piece of researched writing. In tenth
grade, students prepare a debate paper supported by well
researched evidence.
Students in grade 11 complete an American literary criticism
paper. Seniors are required to complete a Senior Thesis as their
final body of research before they graduate. The English
teachers meet each year with media specialist Tammy Jones to
assess which literacy skills need fine-tuning or re-teaching.
Mrs. Jones said that the writing program at Canajoharie High
School has worked so well that the teachers were chosen to
present their collaborative program at the 2009 Convention of
the National Council of Teachers of English in Philadelphia last
November.
Canajoharie High School was the only group at the conference to
bring a librarian and received several compliments for their
teamwork.
“Of course, the chief beneficiaries of this great working
relationship are the students,” Mrs. Jones said.
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