Transforming the School Library into a Learning Community

Mt. Abraham Union Middle/High School is poised for transformation. We have pockets of innovation from Pathways and electronic portfolios (for students) to Grade Level Friends (for teachers). Our three guiding principles are Student-Centered Learning, Multiple Pathways to Graduation, and Standards Based Assessments. Although our teachers know the school is changing, they don’t yet see what the re-imagined school might look like. Many are wondering, “What does it mean for me? What will happen to my curriculum?” Laura and Lauren will be agents of change, making the theory visible, both by personalizing professional development and creating the physical space for it.

We will be using the funding from the Rowland Foundation to transform our school library into a full service library media center. As our school moves forward in its own transformation efforts, our intention is to develop the library so that it serves as a centrifugal point for professional development, collaboration, and student exploration. Our vision is that when a teacher signs up for time in the library with their class, they will be signing up for collaboration as well. Each teacher will work with both the technology integration specialist (Lauren Parren) and the library media specialist (Laura Mina) to create student centered learning experiences. These learning experiences will be formed around the individual teacher’s content and will integrate technology, research skills, and opportunities for students to creatively show what they know. Our goal is to act as a solid link between the school’s initiatives, teacher implementation, and student growth. We will provide professional development programs to support the former and lesson planning and team teaching to support the latter. In order to carry out our plan, we will conduct research, visit schools and libraries, and develop a new library floor plan that will accommodate transformation.

Mount Abraham Union Middle/High School continues its sprint towards personalization with growing implementation for both students and teachers. Over 25% of our student body now accesses opportunities available through the Personal Learning Department. Mt. Abe teachers are assessing student learning through the lens of our 5 School-Wide Competencies which will play a pivotal role as our district moves towards multiple pathways to graduation. Analytic rubrics and student-centered invitational rubrics are being developed across all disciplines. As students are taking control of their learning it is becoming increasingly clear that learners need new skills in accessing information and in sharing their new knowledge with the outside world. The opportunities, facilities, and technology we now offer through our Library Commons are becoming increasingly relevant to our population.

Thanks to the Rowland Fellowship, the Mt. Abraham Library has been physically re-worked into a Commons and now features a variety of zones, reflecting the archetypical spaces of a campfire, cave, and wateringhole. In Fall 2014 we will be re-launching the space with the addition of a cafe aptly named “The Eaglet” and serving students and faculty in true watering hole fashion. This spring (2014) saw the launch of our digital presence through the Library’s new website and digital curation platform. This resource will not only allow all of our patrons to access well-selected content and flipped library components 24/7, it will serve as an essential tool in the collaborative and interdisciplinary work we will be doing with Mt. Abe teachers beginning in the fall. A newly created research space allows teachers and their classes to work in conjunction with L and L, directly implementing innovative practices developed collaboratively. Computers and charging stations now are continually accessible on the library floor, something necessary for learning and collaborating in the modern world. The Professional Development Space we originally proposed is now called The Innovation Space and will be made available to faculty and staff throughout the district the professional learning opportunities we offer; learning will be personalized for teachers and students alike.