DATE:
September 18, 2018
TO:
Elementary Principals
FROM:
Shelley Nordick, PhD, Administrator, Teaching & Learning
Norman Emerson, Instructional Support Services Consultant
SUBJECT:
Elementary Media Assistants Guidelines
The top priority of elementary media assistants is to administer the school library. Under normal circumstances, they should not be given additional responsibilities outside of the media center. If additional responsibilities or changes are being considered, the Instructional Support Services Consultant should first be contacted to provide an assessment of the library program to determine if it is functioning in a manner that will allow the change without compromising the library program.
All Jordan School District library schedules should be arranged to deliver the following:
- An open checkout time for students to independently come into the library to exchange books Monday through Friday.
- An assigned library time for each class which should be at least 30 minutes. The library time should include check out and instruction time (which includes story time and library curriculum lessons that are based on the Utah Library Media Core).
- A schedule that avoids having more than one class at a time in the media center.
- Sufficient time for book reshelving and maintenance.
- A two-hour weekly collaboration time for media assistants to work together to plan book promotions, displays, curriculum scheduling, and district projects.
- Time for library upkeep (including processing books and orders, repairs, overdue books reports, etc.).
Also, please be aware that assistants who are scheduled to work more than five (5) hours per day are entitled to a 30-minute duty-free lunch (not included in the 17-hour paid schedule).
During the school year, four training meetings for the media assistants are held. Please work with your assistants in making arrangements so that both of the assistants can attend each of these meetings.
Please contact Norman Emerson at 801-567-8364 if you have any questions about these guidelines.
