Library / 2022/2023 Impact Report

2022/2023 Impact Report

Librarian

Paint Like Picasso was a Hispanic Heritage Month collaboration with the World Languages Club. Students enjoyed creating self-portraits from two perspectives, using various painting and coloring resources and models.
PTSA Reflections help sessions were held in the library pit. The librarian assisted students with writing their entry form statements, completing their entry forms, and providing art supplies and workspace. One-hundred six students submitted art and writing entries.
Over the weeks leading up to Library Palooza, students were given free copies of titles by Library Palooza authors. On February 25, several students took a library-sponsored trip to the event at Brandeis HS. Students were excited to meet top YA authors and hear their inspirational stories of success despite struggles.
Students participated in the Read Across Texas: Empathy campaign in April, along with National Poetry Month. Students read and reflected on excerpts from Naomi Shihab Nye’s, Voices in the Air, both in person and digitally, through a Google classroom. Students and staff accessed the text digitally using Sora or hard copy books.

20,200
print books in collection

20,202
ebooks books in collection

20,204
print books checked out

20,206
ebooks books checked out

Teacher

EB Academic Lit students accessed a shared News-O-Matic link to select and read an article for Hispanic Heritage Month. Students then completed a Frayer model to organize their thinking and information.
Ms. Hammock’s On-Ramps ELAR students explored SIRS Issues Researcher and GALE One File in the library. They selected their preferred database and searched for information for a class project on a controversial issue with 1:1 librarian assistance.
Students in Mr. Ortega’s Law Enforcement I classes used Learning Express’ Job & Career Accelerator to research personal skills and education/training required for law enforcement and safety careers. The students recorded their findings on a Google Slide and reflected on how well that job fit their personality and goals.
The librarian created a digital lesson on paradox, satire, and allegory for the English IV team, to be used before a comparative analysis of “A Modest Proposal” and a recent satirical piece. The librarian co-taught the lesson with Mrs. Schaub’s classes.

Lesson Spotlight

During National Poetry Month, Mrs. Bass’ Academic Literacy students explored library poetry stations for Blackout Poetry, Book Spine Poetry, and Paint Chip Poetry. The teacher and librarian modeled how to create a poem using the materials at each station and then encouraged students to select a type of poem to create. Students worked as they wished— alone, with a partner, or in a group, seeking guidance from the teacher and librarian. Many students were EB learners, and every student created at least one poem. Several students wrote more than one poem and were eager to share their creations with peers and teachers. One student exclaimed, “I didn’t know I could do that- I’m going to give this to my Mom for Mother’s Day!!” after she wrote an excellent paint chip poem for her mother. This was a great writing experience for all levels of learners since those who did not “have the words” were able to re-arrange book titles or mark words in a piece of text to create meaning.

Collaborator

The AVID teacher, Trinity adviser, CCMR counselor, and school librarian collaborated to guide students in ROTC, AVID, and DATA English II in using Learning Express to access college and career resources. This included test prep for ASVAB, TSI, and PSAT, as well as the school and scholarship finders.
The librarian, CCMR Counselor, Family Specialist, and Trinity Adviser collaborated to host a parent FAFSA/TASFA Fiesta in the library room L109 on November 10, after school, for students, parents, and guardians. Staff plus representatives from San Antonio College assisted families with financial aid applications.
The librarian collaborated with English IV teachers, Mrs. Schaub and Ms. Foote, to implement an EduProtocols CyberSandwhich lesson on comparing and contrasting the accessibility features of Gale and Britannica resources. Students worked in pairs using written and digital resources, under allotted time frames for each step of the process, with most students completing the assignment and enjoying working with peers.
The librarian and Law Enforcement I Instructor/CTEC Dean collaborated on a blended SEL and reading activity on the importance of empathy and how empathy is necessary for law enforcement. Students read the poem “Bully” by Naomi Shihab Nye; viewed a short video on Sympathy vs. Empathy; discussed how a police officer showing empathy could change the direction of a crisis; and created EduProtocol Thin Slides with a visual representation of empathy and a descriptive sentence.

Collaboration Spotlight

I’m most proud of the Learning Express one-pager collaboration with Mr. Ortega, the Dean for CTEC and instructor for Law Enforcement I. Students were free to explore their chosen career or any career under the Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security category under the Job and Career Accelerator in Learning Express. Students browsed Occupation Cards and chose one occupation for the learning activity, evaluating projected job availability, skills needed, personal qualities necessary for the job, and training/education options. As students found information on job availability, training required, training costs, etc., they shared this with their peers and Mr. Ortega. The final part of the lesson asked learners to evaluate how well-suited they were for the career research and discuss whether they would pursue this career. This was an excellent opportunity for students to use different Learning Express tools.

a group of students work together using Chromebooks

Campus Leader

The school librarian attended district ELAR training and regularly planned with the ELAR dean, district ESL specialist, administrators, and teachers of EB newcomer classes. The librarian was a significant source of support for EB newcomer students who came to the library for prayer, academic help, and programming.
The librarian delivered 1:1 PD on Learning Express test preparation, school finder, and scholarship finder features to the AVID teacher, Trinity program adviser, DATA E2 teacher, and the CTEC dean. Students were eager to use the scholarship finder independently. In the spring semester, the librarian provided 1:1 PD on using PearDeck and Edu Protocols Cyber Sandwich with Mrs. Schaub, the E4 teacher, and 1:1 Edu Protocols Thin Slides training and exploration with the Dean for CTEC, Mr. Ortega.
The librarian regularly advocated for the school library programming through social media posts; campus bulletin posts; emails to departments; face-to-face meetings with administrators, deans, and teachers; Teams messages to PLCs; and contact with PTSA leaders.
The librarian worked closely with the Director of Library Services; principal; SAPL lead librarian; SAPL teen Librarian; assistant principals; and PTSA members to update the library’s physical layout, furnishings, and collection to serve students and community members better. Upgrades were shared on social media, in the daily campus bulletin, and over the announcements.