McKell Elementary School



McKell Elementary School

Materials Selection Policy

District Mission Statement:

The mission of the Greenup County School District is to provide all students with a dynamic, quality education, in partnership with families and communities, to empower students to excel in a global society.

Mission Statement:

We the staff of McKell Elementary, are committed to providing all students with a quality education in partnership with parents and communities to empower students to excel in a global society.

Library Mission Statement:

The mission of the library media program is to ensure that students and staff are efficient and effective users of ideas and information.

Introduction:

The primary objective of the school library media center is to implement, enrich, and support the educational program of the school. The library should contribute to the social, intellectual, cultural, and self-development growth of the students. Educators must strive to meet the needs of students, enabling them to become contributing members of the global society in which they live. Administrators, staff, parents, and the school media specialist must place an emphasis on acquiring essential media, print, and non-print materials to implement, enrich, and support the curriculum and mission statements set forth by the state of Kentucky and Greenup County Schools.

Goals and Objectives:

The library media program should/will provide:

• Instruction to students based on the Kentucky Learner Goals and the curriculum document set forth by the state of Kentucky and Greenup County Schools.

• Materials, which support the school and state curriculum and mission statements taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and maturity levels of the students.

• Materials in a variety of formats (print, non-print, electronic) on all levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal, reflecting a variety of viewpoints.

• Materials representative of the multi-cultural heritage and groups present within the U.S. and world at large.

Procedures for Selection:

• School staff and students are encouraged to submit recommendations for consideration and purchase. However, the final responsibility of coordinating and recommending the selection and purchase of instructional materials for the library media center rests with the certified librarian in consultation with the principal (08.233)

• The school library media specialist will consider the needs of the school based on knowledge of the curriculum and of the existing collection. Materials for McKell Elementary School Library Media Center should/will be selected on the basis of:

✓ Contribution to the objectives of the school, county, and state instructional program

✓ Student interest, readability, and popular appeal

✓ Providing a stimulus to promote life-long and recreational readers

✓ Accurate content

✓ Authoritativeness/reputation of the author and illustrator and/or publisher

✓ Level of reading difficulty/vocabulary/use of illustrations to clarify content

✓ Avoidance of stereotyped images of any group, individual, or institution

✓ Reflection of variety in individual physical and emotional development as well as addressing differences in student learning styles

✓ Value commensurate with cost and/or need

✓ Appropriate format

✓ Logical organization and presentation of information

✓ Impartiality/point of view/freedom from bias/presentation of various points of view depending on need

• Selection of Fiction Materials: Fiction serves an important role in the educational process of students. It not only supports the curriculum, but also encourages and develops the reading interests of students. The treatment of significant historical, social, and personal issues in fiction can contribute to the understanding of human problems and relations. In addition to the above criteria, the following points should also be considered when selecting fiction materials.

✓ Readability and effectiveness in sustaining the reader’s interest

✓ Convincing characterization and plot development

✓ Effective use of language

✓ Presentation of human emotions, values, and ideas

✓ Originality, literary merit, and aesthetic values

Acquisition Procedures:

The school library media specialist selects materials for purchase after thorough evaluation. Evaluation includes considering the above criteria as well as consulting available selection aides of a reputable nature including: Booklist, Junior Library Guild, School Library Journal, Titlewave and other professional journals.

Gifts/Donations:

Materials given as gifts or donations should be judged by the criteria listed above and should be accepted or rejected on the basis of those criteria.

Reevaluation of the Collection:

The selection process begins with the evaluation of material before purchase and is completed with the evaluation of materials for discard. Weeding of the school library media center is important to rid the collection of factually inaccurate and damaged materials. How rigorously and how often a collection is weeded depends on considerations of curriculum requirements and time needs based on extended employment and annual inventories. The weeding of print and non-print materials is an ongoing process in collection development carried out by the library media specialist.

Some suggested criteria for weeding the collection are as follows:

• Currency: If the subject matter is out of date, factually inaccurate, or no longer relevant to the educational program or no longer meets the criteria established for selections; if illustrations present sexual, racial, or cultural stereotypes.

• Technical Quality: If multi-media materials contain poor or faded visuals or if sound reproductions are faulty or inferior.

• Physical Condition: If it is worn, torn, soiled or if pages or parts are missing.

Challenged Materials:

In accordance with Greenup County School Policy, we recognize the rights of individuals and groups within the community to challenge materials included in the library media collection.

1. Informal Consideration:

In response to a complaint, most difficulties should and can be resolved at the building level with the library media specialist and/or principal explaining the procedures of selection, and educational usefulness of the material in question. However, if the complaint cannot be resolved informally, then the challenge progresses in accordance with the policies set forth by Greenup County Schools (08.2322).

2. Formal Consideration:

If a person wishes to file a formal challenge, they will be given a reconsideration form (08.2322 AP.21) to complete, sign, and submit. Upon receipt of the written complaint, the library media specialist shall notify the Principal who in turn will notify the Superintendent. The SBDM will then consider the written concern regarding the instructional material and come to a decision. The council will come to a decision within 30 days after they have completely read and reviewed the challenged materials and considered the needs and interests of all students, the school, curriculum, and community. From initial receipt of the reconsideration form until final decision of the SBDM, the challenged material shall not be removed from the library or placed on a restricted shelf, but should remain in the collection. Within 30 days the council’s decision will be presented in writing and signed by all members of the SBDM. A copy of the findings will then be mailed to the complainant, Superintendent, and any other such person requesting a copy. Individuals may appeal a council’s decision concerning challenged materials under the Board’s policy on appeal of SBDM decisions.

Individual Parental Restriction:

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this policy, any parent or guardian may restrict a minor child from reading or accessing any specific library resource. If the parent wishes to exercise this restriction, he/she will:

1. In writing, advise the librarian that certain resources be made unavailable his/her child. The resources must be specific and include both the title and author of each resource.

2. One copy of the request will be included in the child’s file, one copy given to the parent/student, and one copy kept in the library.

3. The written restriction will only be valid for the school year in which the request was made and will become void on the last day of the academic school year.

(Several documents were consulted in review of this document including: Greenup County High School’s Policy for Challenged Materials courtesy of Missi Baker; Trent Public Schools Materials Selection Policy for Library Media Centers courtesy of Mary Kay Biagini; and Greenup County Schools Policies and Procedures Manual)

Damaged/Lost Books:

In accordance with Greenup County Policies and Procedures, no student shall be denied full participation in any educational program due to an inability to pay for, or rent, all necessary school supplies including textbooks (08.23). This includes “any required curriculum or extra-curricular activity because of his or her inability to pay the fee as determined by the Principal of the school in which the pupil is enrolled as a full-time student” (09.15). However, every effort should be made within these guidelines to locate lost library books or to monetarily compensate the library. Overdue notices and parental communication (including letters, phone calls, phone master, newsletter, etc.) will be used throughout the year in order to better communicate the school’s expectations. While, the library media program does not in any way wish to deny a student an educational activity, it also strives to teach responsibility. Because the library can easily foster this value, students will not be allowed to check out an additional book during the said school year, until the overdue book is returned or paid for. Records of loss, will be null and void at the start of the following academic year. In order not to deny any student an educational opportunity, students with lost/overdue books may still look at materials within the library or within the classroom, but materials borrowed by the aforementioned students will remain on school property.

Attachments:

• Greeup Co. Schools Policies and Procedures Manual: 08.2322 ; 08.2322 AP.1 ; 08.2322 AP.21; 08.2322 AP.22; 08.233 ; 08.23; 09.15

Document Revised 11/8/04

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download