MAME logo
Media Matters!           February 2014  
  
In this Issue
President's Column
LMS Get Loud!
Holocaust Studies Events
Writing Olympics a Gold Medal Hit!
Make it @ Your Library
Karate in the Library!
Students Making Connections
Calling all Retirees!!
Region & SIGs Corner
MAME Spring Seminar
Declaration of the Rights of Libraries
MAME 41
Upcoming Events
Cheers & Tears
4Ever MAME Membership
New MAME Board
Open MAME Board & Conf. Comm. Positions
ISTE 2014
What's on Your Mind?
Media Matters Archives
President's Column

Borrowing an idea from Past-President Sue Lay -- February is a great time to reflect on what I LOVE about MAME!

1) MAME members are a fantastic group of people! I have been able to meet great new friends through MAME and hope to meet many more!!!

2) Professional Development: I have gained invaluable information through attendance at the MAME annual conference, spring workshop, and summer institute... and of course, attending is always a great time to catch up with old friends and meet new ones too. See the newsletter article about this year's Spring Seminar to be held on March 22 at Birmingham Covington School. I plan to be there and hope you will consider attending as well!

3) The MAME Newsletter is a fantastic resource with great news and information about MAME and our profession. Consider submitting an article about something exciting going on in your library!

4) The MAMELIST listserv is a great way to post a question and get answers or share some information about our profession.

5) Networking and advocacy: As school librarians, we tend to be alone in our buildings or our districts. MAME allows us that chance to come together as a group for networking and advocacy. I feel good about knowing that I am involved, contributing, and part of something 'more' to help students receive quality school library services. In that regard, there are a few things that MAME members can do now to help advocate for school libraries and for MAME --

a)If you will be at the MACUL conference, please consider volunteering at the Declaration for the Right to Libraries signing that MAME will be sponsoring.  If you won't be at the conference, but can donate a few hours of your time, MACUL has offered free exhibits only passes for volunteers.

b) If you know of school librarians in your district or region who are not MAME members, let them know about MAME!  You can share why MAME is important to you and send them the  Five Good Reasons to Join MAME.

c) Get more involved in MAME! There are several Conference Committee and Board openings. See the article in this newsletter for more details. 

 

Other news:

AASL:  Gwenn Marchesano and I attended the ALA Midwinter AASL Meetings at the end of January. I wrote some highlights of the meeting as well as more detailed notes and sent them to the MAME Listserv. You can read these highlights and notes here.

 

Library of Michigan (LOM): I presented a report from MAME to the Library of Michigan Board on February 6, 2014. You can read the report here. Karren Reish from LOM continues to work with MAME Members as part of an School Library Outreach Working Group. This group helped put together a panel session for MACUL titled: Effective Technology Integration Through Your School Library. The session will be held on Thursday, March 13 at MACUL and Karren Reish along with Jan Toth-Chernin, Director of Information Technology, Greenhills School; Gwenn Marchesano, School Librarian/Technology Integrationist and Jeanne Farina, Assistant Superintendent, Plymouth-Canton Schools; Rachel Markel, School Librarian and Jeremy Zonts, Principal, Portage Schools will be presenting on the importance of school librarians to technology integration at all levels - elementary, middle, and high school. Karren also wrote an article (with input from the group) for the Michigan Association for School Administrators (MASA) newsletter.

 

Nancy Robertson, State Librarian, has announced her retirement and her last day of work will be April 30, 2014. Nancy has been a great supporter of school libraries and MAME. MAME wishes her all the best in her new endeavors.

 

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any ideas for how MAME can better serve its members or advocate for school libraries.

 

All my best,

Kathy Lester, MAME President, 2014

kathyL@mimame.org

klester1@comcast.net
LMS Get Loud! 
Outreach: Curriculum  

A way to advocate for the library program is to make sure that the library program is integrated into the school's curriculum.


The "SL21 Measurement Benchmarks for Michigan School Libraries for 21st Century Schools" indicate an Exemplary Library Program under the "Developing Curriculum" Benchmark must:

  • Provide an articulated, aligned and implemented K-12 School Library curriculum
  • Align School Library curriculum with school curriculum, AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner and ISTE (formerly NETS) standards
  • Align the School Library curriculum to the state curriculum standards
  • In addition, under the "Collaboration" Benchmark an Exemplary Library Program must:
  • Consistently collaborate with Teachers on curriculum planning
Steps toward achieving this include:

  • Attending department meetings with teachers to provide input and work with them on curriculum and lesson development

  • Volunteering for curriculum and school improvement committees

  • When school improvement goals are set, recommend library resources or services as part of action steps to reach these goals

  • Provide novel selections/connections for each department/subject area/class

  • Provide/arrange for resources for individual classes (i.e. field trip for psychology class, Open Heart virtual field trip for biology, parallel texts for world language classes, speakers for health classes on abuse or drinking and driving, video-conferences with authors)

  • Provide Common Core Curriculum connections with novels/informational reading for each subject/department

The AASL Learning Standards and the Common Core State Standards Crosswalk is one place to look for developing local standards.

If you have any additional ideas, please send them to a member of the Outreach Committee.

Outreach Committee Members

Julie Harris,  Kathy Lester, Gwenn Marchesano, Kay Weirowski, Karren Reish 


Holocaust Studies Events

MAME members and their teacher colleagues  are invited to participate in two important events in the area of Holocaust Studies:

  1. The International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem (Jerusalem) comes to Lakeview High School (Battle Creek) to present a professional development workshop on May 15, 2014.
    • This full-day training instructs teachers in the use of ECHOES and REFLECTIONS, a multimedia Holocaust curriculum which is aligned with Common Core and which also addresses issues of prejudice, cultural diversity, character education, genocide, and discrimination. 
    • There is no charge for the workshop and lunch will be provided.
    • SCECHs are available.
    • Each attendee will receive (at no cost) the complete curriculum guide & DVDs, valued at $100.00.
    • A signup flyer is available here.
    • Questions may be directed to Margaret Lincoln, Lakeview Schools District Librarian.
  2. Holocaust artist and survivor Miriam Brysk will show "Scroll of Remembrance" at the Battle Creek Art Center in May 2014.
    • Plan now to have your students view the exhibit depicting Jewish communities destroyed during the Holocaust.
    • Schedule a convenient time for this cultural enrichment opportunity where students will be guided by Art Center docents and will engage in discussion and reflection activities.
    • There is no charge and teachers accompanying school groups will receive (free) supplemental Holocaust instructional materials.
    • A signup flyer is available here.
    • Questions may be directed to Margaret Lincoln, Lakeview Schools District Librarian.
Writing Olympics Wins Big at Marshall Middle School

A lively and successful series of writing workshops for Marshall Middle School students culminated in a Writing Olympics Event for each grade level on January 17th. Celebrity Guest Judges listened to the collaboratively authored stories read by Michigan author Alan St. Jean. Each language arts class worked with Alan to build and write a story using their own concept, characterization, conflict, resolution and illustrations. The competition was fierce!

 

 

Celebrity Judges included the Deputy Police Chief, the editor of the local newspaper, our local library director, and with school staff including the superintendent, curriculum director, district data analyst, and high school media specialist. Watching their expressions as they experienced the stories was priceless.

 

Students and staff were very enthused about the writing process which began with an all school assembly where Mr. St. Jean provided background about his process as an author and described the upcoming workshops. During the class workshops some of the most eager and engaged participants were students not always known for their excitement in academic areas. Alan did a masterful job of using humor, encouragement and banter to pull stories out and help the students form them. Each group showed great participation in the process of creating characters, stories and illustrations.

 

   

The event was funded by middle school book fair profits and sponsored and directed by the library media specialist.

What is a MakerSpace? MakerSpaces come in all shapes and sizes. "They all serve as a gathering point for tools, projects, mentors and expertise.  A collection of tools does not define a Makerspace. Rather, we define it by what it enables: making." There is not a single definition of a "MakerSpace."  But most often it is a learning environment with lots of possibilities.  

 

At the International Academy, the MakerSpace pops up in the library every once in a while.  Our students are grade 9-12 and students from each grade level have participated on our after school activities. We probably had more girls participate, but there enough boys making things as well. The guys particularly liked making the games.  

 

Materials we use are either purchased by teachers, who serve as mentors, or things we find around the building.  We also accept donations based on our needs. After the success of our first MakerSpace event, our principal, Lynne Gibson, said she would reimburse reasonable expenses. She felt it was a great after school activity. Although our school day ends at 2:37, teachers stay until 3:37, and many teachers stay until after 4:00pm. We plan our after school MakerSpace dates by talking with interested teachers and finding a good day that works. Teachers' involvement in MakerSpace is a voluntary activity, based on teacher hobbies, so everyone enjoys it. On average, about 4-5 teachers will host a table and set a limit on how many students they can accomodate. We get to know students outside of the classroom.

 

Making can utilize cutting edge technology, or just a few simple, basic tools (like glue and paper). So, far we've up-cycled some materials to create crafts and works of art. We used old books, Mason jars, magazines and scrap paper. Students learned how to decoupage, make creative paper chains, play games, learn how to frost cupcakes, fold old books into trees and stamp cards. Students have a chance to create things that are meaningful to them or just fun.

 

MakerSpaces are popping up in old warehouses and public libraries around the state. While on a smaller scale, the IA MakerSpace might be one of the first school libraries in our area to host MakerSpace events. The public libraries seem to have been doing it for longer.

Any student, parent or teacher, who would like to share a skill or activity is welcome!  We posted our activities and products on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/skclance/makers-space/

 

Klaudia Janek

International Academy, Bloomfield Hills, MI
PKSA Karate Visits Lincoln Consolidated Elementary Schools

 

The elementary students at Bishop and Model had an eye-opening experience when Professional Karate Schools of America (PKSA) instructors visited to teach about stranger awareness.  

 

Each class from kindergarten through fifth grade had lively discussions about whether a "bad person" can be recognized based on how he or she appears. The children all learned the importance of being cautious around strangers, regardless of how harmless they may look. As one child explained, "a bad person might want to dress just like everyone else so they can fool you." Therefore, students were taught to keep a sufficient distance between themselves and a stranger. In case a child is caught off guard, younger students were taught to drop to the floor and kick while yelling clearly and loudly, "Help me! Help me! Stranger! Stranger!" The older groups were able to practice an empowering technique that can break them free from a stranger or a bully holding them at the wrist; the technique's effectiveness was demonstrated by their media specialist breaking free from the instructor, even while he was holding onto her wrist as tightly as he could.  
Students shout "Back off!" in a clear voice

Practicing this tool and more ideas of what to do in a scary situation encouraged students to never quit trying to escape to a safe place. Some were shocked by the suggestion to bite the "bad guy" as a last resort, but others already had this idea themselves and suggested it. The seminar grabbed students' attention on the crucial subject of self-protection and may have even saved lives.


  
Connections in the Media Center
At the Bishop Elementary School media center (of Lincoln Consolidated Schools in Ypsilanti), students are able to make connections among all that they learn. We have incorporated art, physical education, music, and technology, just to name a few subjects explored so far. Parents are welcome to come see our eight-foot tall, twenty-foot wide bulletin board decorated by all Bishop's students' colorful artwork, inspired by pop artist Romero Britto. 
We have also practiced assertiveness strategies during a Child Safety Seminar about stranger awareness (see Karate article). Students learning how to  successfully use the online catalog of library resources to find information and have tied in music by rapping about the Dewey Decimal System. The media center is where we make connections and connections are made.


 
Calling All Retirees!!
MAME 4Ever needs you to join in our gang to work (a bit) helping new professionals in small to medium ways, which are always appreciated. We are needed for a couple of weeding projects, and were aren't talking gardens! Both projects will have us freshening up school library collections, one is located in the Detroit metro area and the other is in Marshall. Please email  Terry Belcher if you think this would be fun - the library media specialist provides lunch for us and we have a ball helping out all day - or whatever portion you can offer.

Secondly, we are planning our annual "Not going back to school" trip for the week after Labor Day, which is early this year!  We will be in Tawas on the beach and you can choose to come for the whole time or whatever days you can, from Tuesday, September 2nd through Saturday the 6th with most of us Tues-Friday.  We will have a group rate and do things together or in small groups with hikes, shopping, happy hour-ing, dining or BBQing, strolling the marina, lighthouse touring, and maybe boating, too.  Last year we were on the sunset side of the state, and this year we will be watching the sun rise (maybe).  Contact Annette Haley to get on the list! 

The attendees decide on the next year's location at our final dinner together on each trip, so if you want to have input, show up and be counted!

We retirees advocate for our profession! Come join us!  Annette and Teri (click to email)
Region & SIGS Corner 

Thank you to the MAME Region and SIG Reps. Click the link below for a complete list of the regions and their representatives 2014 Region & SIG Reps 

  

We have many openings for region reps. If you are interested please contact Carma Roesch, VP Regions & SIGs, at  carmaroesch74@gmail.com.
 
Thank you!
Carma Roesch
VP Regions & SIGs  
  ______________________________________

The MACUL SIGMS will be offering three exciting preconference sessions, March 12, 2014 at the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids.

  

Please join us for the following sessions:

  • "No Instruction is Complete without E-Resources from the Michigan eLibrary" - by Deb Biggs-Thomas - 8:30 am-12:00pm
  • "Triple E Framework of Technology Integration" - by Liz Kolb - 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
  • "Getting Started with Digital Badges" - by Angela Elkordy - 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm

All revenue from these precons is returned to SIGMS to provide programs and services for the school library media community. Please register today and support your professional community.

 We'll also be holding our annual membership meeting from 5:00 to 6:00 on Thursday, March 13. The location is tentatively being changed to GP Sports in the lobby of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. Please watch for confirmation of this change next week. Appetizers and soft drinks will be provided. We'll be holding our election for Director and Communications Officer at the meeting. Be sure to sign up when you register for the conference. 


For more details and information about the full MACUL 2014 conference visit the 2014 MACUL Conference site. Click here to register for the conference now.

 

SIGMS now has over 300 members!

Please continue to help us to recruit members. Membership in MACUL and all SIGs is free! MACUL members can join SIGMS at any time by visiting macul.org/membership. 

 

 

 

Erik Drake, MACUL SIGMS Director

Amy Lambries, MACUL SIGMS Assistant Director

Erica Trowbridge, MACUL SIGMS Communications Officer.  

Send Your News!

Tell us about your successes, your struggles, your amazing discoveries.
Email your newsletter editor, Shannon Clark with stories that should be shared.

We'd love to hear from you!
Media Matters! Editor

 

Database Manager
Karen Becknell   mamedatab@gmail.com 



SpringSem
MAME Spring Seminar
click above for full details
 
Branding Your Media Center:
Get ideas on how to update the look of your library website, integrate ideas for new content, and brand
yourself and your school library as the hub of learning in your school. 

BYOT or use a desktop with a guest log-in. 
 
Learning 4 Life:
Learn more about AASL's L4L program and the online resources available. 

When: Sat., March 22, 2014
Time: 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Where: Birmingham Covington School
1525 Covington Road
Media Center & Staff Development Room
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 
Cost: (includes pizza, salad, & beverage lunch ~ gluten free available upon request)
MAME Members: $70
Non Members: $75
SCECHs available: $10
 
No refunds after March 21st

MACUL & MAME team up for Declaration of the Rights to Libraries
DecOfRightsThe MACUL Board has agreed to allow MAME to have a signing of the "Declaration of the Right to Libraries" at the MACUL Conference on March 13th and March 14th in Grand Rapids. The signing will most likely be in the MACUL Zone (in the Exhibit area) which will be open 9:30am-5:00pm on Thursday, March 13th and 8:30am-1:00pm on Friday, March 14th.
 
We are planning on having information about School Libraries (the AASL Infographic as well as a specific Infographic about Michigan school libraries) at the signing table.  We would like to have the signing tables 'manned' to help with the advocacy effort.
 
Thus, if you are going to the MACUL Conference -- we hope that you would be willing to donate an hour or so of your time.  Also, if you do not have currently have plans to attend the MACUL conference; Ric Wiltse (MACUL Executive Director) has agreed to provide free 'exhibit only' passes to our volunteers.  We need your help to advocate for school libraries! Please consider donating some of your time.  Please email Teri Belcher if you are willing to help.
 
Thank you.
MAME 41:
 Connect the Dots
Planning is already in the works for this year's MAME Fall Conference! Mark your calendars for Oct. 22-24, 2014 for MAME 41 Connect the Dots. This year's conference will be held at the Sheraton Ann Arbor. 

One great way to become involved in MAME and make great professional connections is to join the Conference Committee. There are still numerous positions available, if interested contact Gwenn Marchesano. 
 
Upcoming Events
March 9-15, 2014
 
March 12-14, 2014
DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, MI
 
March 22, 2014 
MAME Spring Seminar Branding Your Media Center
Birmingham Covington School Media Center
 
June 28 - July 1, 2014
Atlanta, GA 
Cheers & Tears

Cheers and Tears
Congratulations to Kati Krolczyk, library media specialist at Page Middle School, this year's nomination for Oakland County Middle School Teacher of the Year! Kati is the first media specialist in the district to be nominated. 
Colleagues write and submit nomination essays are collected from colleagues describing how the individual is deserving of the award. Administrators review the essays and select the nominees. The winners are announced in May. Kati is thrilled to be nominated and believes the honor speaks volumes about the importance of what media specialists do and the district's appreciation of her position as an educator. 
Good luck Kati!
MAME4Ever Membership
MAME logo 
Joining the retirees is very simple and quite obviously fun! 
 
When you retire, just pay your lifetime membership to MAME and you become a member of the elite group MAME4Ever. 

Why would you want to do that?
  • Attend the annual conference for FREE!
  • Get rid of your "library/school" stuff at our auction at the conference
  • Help support MAME
  • Start each school year with a fantastic get-a-way

Many of you may have lost your library or become overwhelmed in your position, but knowing you have this wonderful group of friends is such a blessing. We also go into libraries to volunteer with special projects, if a request is made.


Please contact Teri Belcher @ Teachonwheels@gmail.com or Annette Haley @ annettehaley@att.net if you have retired so you can be added to the group!
A New Year ~ A New MAME Board
Congratulations & welcome to the incoming board members!
PresidentKathy Lester
President-ElectGwenn Marchesano
Past-PresidentTom Stream
VP Regions SIGSCarma Roesch
VP Continuing EducationJulie Harris
TreasurerBruce Popejoy
SecretaryJeanna Walker
Database ManagerKaren Becknell
ISTE LiaisonMarsha Lambert
MACUL SIGMS LiaisonErik Drake
MAME4EverTeri Belcher
MAME4EverAnnette Haley
Spring WorkshopSue Lay
Summer InstituteKay Wejrowski
Author LiaisonCyndi Phillip
Awards and CitationsLisa Brakel
Awards and CitationsAmy Cote
Conference SitesAnnette Haley
ExhibitsBruce Popejoy
Government RelationsCynthia Kleinheksel
Historian
Intellectual FreedomSusan Gilmore
MarketingRachel Markel
MembershipLynn Gordon
NewsletterShannon Clark
Online CommunicationJulie Harris
Parliamentarian/PolicyChristine Swanson
Michigan Authors DatabaseKaren Becknell
Conference Online
Denise Lovse

MAME Still Needs MAMEboardYOU!
Worried you missed your chance to become more involved with MAME this year. Fear not, there are still several important positions available on both the MAME Board and Conference Committee. 
 
The MAME Board still has the following openings:

Intellectual Freedom Chair - Create awareness of Intellectual Freedom information and issues in MAME

Historian - Lead efforts to decide which MAME records to save and the best method for saving them

The Conference Committee also has openings:

Program Chair - Working with other who have done this before, solicit, select, and schedule conference sessions.

Local Authors Chair - Contact and schedule Michigan Authors for the Cavalcade of Authors session

If you are possibly interested in any of these positions or just getting more involved or have any questions; please contact Kathy Lester or Gwenn Marchesano.

Thank you for your consideration!
ISTE 2014
ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education, offers an outstanding conference each year for library media specialists, teachers, administrators, and technology coordinators. The conference demonstrates the latest technology in education, while providing an opportunity for educators to collaborate.
 
This year, educators of all grade levels will gather in Atlanta, Georgia for ISTE 2014. Don't wait, register today! Early bird housing opens Nov. 7, 2013.

For full conference details and registration click the link below.

ISTE 2014 

What's on
Your Mind?
What great things are going on in your media center?

 

Has a journal article or book recently inspired you?

 

Found a shortcut, great website, new and improved techie tool?

 

...Or just have a funny story to share?

 

We love to hear from our readers!
 Send your newsletter contributions to
Shannon Clark @ 
Media Matters
Archives
 Looking for a previous issue of the MAME Media Matters newsletter?

You can find the

archives at the MAME Website Publications Page.