Hello, Everyone and Happy New Year!   The rest of the world may operate on that January through December schedule, but those of us in education know that the real action begins in September.  Even those of us with way too many years of experience can still identify with the thrill of a brand new first grader.  We're ready to help shepherd this year's third graders through their first MEAP experience.  We know all too well that those middle school years will just fly by, so we need to make the most of every minute.  And, we also recognize that the terror those incoming ninth graders are feeling is also bubbling just below the surface for our seniors, as they get ready to take on the real world.   All our students will have only one chance to make this their best possible year, and it's up to us to help out.  We can and do make a profound difference!
            Do I sound optimistic?   Energized?  If so, it's due to an experience I had this summer.  I was fortunate enough to participate in the American Association of School Librarians' L4L: Training of Trainers Summit.  L4L - Learning for Life - is a national initiative to communicate and publicize the new Standards for the 21st Century Learner. Over fifty L4L Affiliate Coordinators from across the country participated in developing an action plan to get our message out to the widest possible audience.  These groundbreaking expectations are designed to provide school library media specialists with the opportunity to "develop new visions for learning".  As media specialists, we empower students to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information.  We are essential partners in the educational process.          

Cindy Dobrez, half of MAME's dynamic booktalking duo (with Lynn Rutan), was featured in a delightful profile in the Sunday, Aug 23  Grand Rapids Press.  If you haven't read the article yet, don't miss it!  Cindy, you're an inspiration to us all!

 

 

Ann Hahn reports that her position as media specialist in Sparta has been reinstated. She will also be resuming her position as Government Relations Chair on the MAME Board.  Congratulations, Ann!

As the school year progresses, you may be thinking about ways to strengthen support for your media program.  Don't forget that the MAME website offers a rich array of sources in the Advocacy Toolkit.

 

Other great collections of advocacy tools are available from ALA, AASL, MLA, and ISTE. Position statements, statistics, standards, and stories are powerful tools that can be used to promote fully staffed and funded library/media programs.

Email your newsletter editor, Sue Taylor with stories that should be shared.

We need to hear from you!

 

 

If you have a topic you would like to share with others at the conference but don't have enough information to fill an hour, please fill out and submit the Roundtables - Call for Presenters Form.

Roundtables are fast and exciting mini-sessions. You present three 15-minute roundtables with a short break in between sessions to allow people to get to their next table.

It's great way to contribute to the conference if you don't feel that you have enough information to share in an hour-long session or if you are just trying out a topic for the first time.

 

October 21 - 23: MAME 36 Conference: Grand Traverse Resort