Objective: Comprehensive and Collaborative Strategic Planning and Assessment

Indicator: Candidates use data for decision-making

Reflection:

Data collection and analysis: these words are mentioned at every staff meeting, department meeting, leadership team meeting, and school library media program meeting. I sense that data collection is important. One tool developed by a team of MCPS media specialists is a spreadsheet tracking the media center activity through each marking quarter. Not only do we tally the number of visits we get, but we indicate the lesson information, information literacy skills addressed, location of lesson, level of collaboration, and resources used. We also record the circulation statistics by month. This data can be used to support the SLM program in several ways. The implementation of this tool:

• promotes collaboration
• enables me to be proactive with information literacy skills
• provides a planning tool for teachers
• allows for the creation of a master research calendar for the school
• justifies expenditures on resources
• assists in determining the need for technology

Data drives decisions. Using this tool helps me make the best decisions for my school library media program and for my school.