Today, Sedley Abercrombie (NSCLMA President) and I head to Washington DC for a few days to participate in  National Library Legislation Day .  We will do our best to keep you posted through our twitter accounts  @sedley1  and  @bitsygriffin . Here is the  schedule for Monday if you are interested in seeing what we'll doing. Ours is a little different, so you may see us off-schedule as the day goes on. You can join us virtually by registering here . # NCSLMAadvocacy

The North Carolina  School Library Media Association (NCSLMA) is offering a special professional development opportunity for school librarians who have been in the field for five years or less. This year long program will begin with an introductory session at the 2017 NCSLMA annual conference and will conclude with the pre-conference held at the 2018 NCSLMA annual conference in October. You will have an opportunity to meet and collaborate with new and experienced librarians in North Carolina, NCSLMA Board members, NCSLMA officers, and join networks in your area of the state affiliated with NCSLMA. You will learn more about being a leader in your school and district. You will also learn what NCSLMA is, what we do, and how you can be an active part of the organization. Learn more: Emerging Leaders - 2017

Check here for some great ideas!

I just finished my 3rd week of metabolic aftershock . Oh my goodness. I was having a lot of joint pain before I started, but I realized that when I hurt my shoulder last spring, I'd quit moving because my shoulder hurt. So the shoulder got better and the rest of me was a mess.  I can't believe how much better I feel today and how much easier it is to move! The only complaint I have involved the ordering process. It took forever and was way too gimmicky, but well worth the hassel. 

NCAE has planned a Week of Action beginning May 8 to support PE, music, art, and foreign language teachers. Unfortunately media specialists are not mentioned.   Please join me in sending NCAE a comment thanking them for their support of all these courses and asking that they add school librarians to the list! Please advocate for school libraries! Contact NCAE  

We got a reprieve until 2018. NC Senate committee approves revised version of HB13; Class-size changes pushed to 2018 | abc11.com A bill approved by a Senate committee Monday evening would phase-in the reductions for the maximum class sizes in kindergarten through third grades currently scheduled for next fall. Now, those caps won't have to be met until fall 2018. Source: NC Senate committee approves revised version of HB13; Class-size changes pushed to 2018 | abc11.com

http://abc11.com/education/nc-senate-committee-approves-revised-version-of-hb13;-class-size-changes-pushed-to-2018/1912645/

Everyone means well, but there are so many unintended consequences of not understanding poverty. When Elite Parents Dominate Volunteers, Children Lose - The New York Times

The Senate Education Committee will consider Monday night a bill that school districts say is needed to prevent thousands of potential teacher layoffs and cuts in art, music and physical education classes in North Carolina elementary schools. Source: NC Senate panel to hear K-3 class size flexibility bill Monday | News & Observer

Please consider donating to this OTES Library Donor's Choose Project !

Thanks for visiting my blog - I'm a Jack of All Trades,  so it goes in all kinds of directions. I'm a librarian, so it goes in that direction quite a bit! Scroll down to see my most recent posts.

This may be the start of a collection . . . 

If you live in NC and are remotely attuned to educational issues, you've probably heard about HB-13. NCGA passed strict class-size limits for the lower grades that districts will have a difficult time meeting in terms of both staff and space. HB 13 allows districts a bit more flexibility on those numbers. Currently, this bill is stalled in the senate. Reportedly, they are in no hurry to act on it. And the problem here is that school districts are working on next year's budgets. What quality decisions can they possibly make with this hanging over their heads? Understanding the ramifications of the stalling of this bill, which range from understated to catastrophic, is a complex matter that will differ from district to district. Each district is grappling with what this means for them. On the catastrophic end - schools will lose art, music, p.e., and language teachers. Assistants will probably be cut. One area not mentioned in many reports is school librarians - which is the