All six elementary school buildings in Huntington UFSD will be staffed by a full-time library during the 2019/20 school year. The voter approved district budget provided the funds needed to establish the positions.
The Huntington School Board recently approved a course revision proposal covering library classes on the K-6 level. The proposal was earlier presented to the district’s Educational Development Committee and the Subject Matter Council that covers the library program.
The new plan approved by district trustees features:
Primary: K-3 students will have one traditional library period each week and one technology integration period. The latter may include makerspace, coding, keyboarding, research, digital literacy/citizenship or other similar activities.
Intermediate: Students in grades 4-6 will receive one traditional library period each week and one technology integration period. The latter may include makerspace, coding, digital, literacy/citizenship, research, Innovation Lab (STEM only) or other similar activities.
“The technology integration/Innovation Lab period will be co-taught with the classroom teacher,” states the proposal approved by the Huntington School Board. “Teachers will integrate the curriculum written last summer to reflect the introduction of a double period of library per week to kindergarten and first grade students as well as curricular diversification associated with the second period of library for students in grades 2-6.”
Assistant Superintendent Beth McCoy told trustees that the increase in library staff “will provide students in grades K-6 with the skills they need related to library media skills, including exposure to literary genres, technology integration, coding, keyboarding, research, note-taking, digital citizenship, makerspace and the virtual reference collection.”
Mrs. McCoy said that designing the second weekly period as a “co-taught experience with the classroom teacher will help build capacity in the area of instructional technology as well as enhance existing curricula with interdisciplinary projects.”
The new program will beginning when classes resume in September as the 2019/20 school year gets underway.