Parents, media staff urge Pocatello-Chubbuck schools to restore certified elementary librarians
May 22, 2024 | Pocatello District, School Districts, Idaho
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
At a Pocatello-Chubbuck School District No. 25 board meeting, former and current library staff and a parent urged trustees to restore certified elementary librarians and strengthen district library support.
Kaye Turner, a former elementary library teacher, traced the district’s history of media specialists and said the district once staffed certified librarians at every elementary school. "Why have none of them been elementary school library teachers?" she asked, urging the board to place "one qualified, talented librarian full time at Wilcox or Tahi" and monitor reading outcomes.
Michelle O'Byrin, a library media assistant at Wilcox Elementary, described daily operational demands and limited training and requested a district media specialist to oversee the 13 elementary libraries. "We are not assistance to anyone," she said. "We see every class every week for 30 minutes each" and added that the volume of processing, inventory and repairs is more than one person can reasonably do.
Megan Anderson, who identified herself as a district media specialist, presented handouts and pointed the board to IRI (reading) data. "That's almost 1 in 5 K through 3 students who read below grade level," she said, citing a Tier 3 figure that rose to 19 percent after elementary librarians were eliminated. Anderson asked the board to add one paraprofessional at Century High School so she could focus on overseeing elementary libraries.
District staff and board members said the public comments and handouts will be scanned into the meeting packet as addenda so trustees and administrators can review them. Jody Kelly, who described Gate City School’s Renaissance reading program, said that program’s success relied on collaboration between a certified media specialist and a library assistant and offered an Excel spreadsheet documenting time and outcomes.
The board did not make a staffing commitment during the public-comment period. Trustees and staff acknowledged the concerns and said they will review the handouts and pursue follow-up conversations with the administration.
What's next: The speakers said handouts will be added to the meeting packet for board review. District staff signaled willingness to meet with commenters and to consider library staffing options ahead of next year’s planning cycle.
Kaye Turner, a former elementary library teacher, traced the district’s history of media specialists and said the district once staffed certified librarians at every elementary school. "Why have none of them been elementary school library teachers?" she asked, urging the board to place "one qualified, talented librarian full time at Wilcox or Tahi" and monitor reading outcomes.
Michelle O'Byrin, a library media assistant at Wilcox Elementary, described daily operational demands and limited training and requested a district media specialist to oversee the 13 elementary libraries. "We are not assistance to anyone," she said. "We see every class every week for 30 minutes each" and added that the volume of processing, inventory and repairs is more than one person can reasonably do.
Megan Anderson, who identified herself as a district media specialist, presented handouts and pointed the board to IRI (reading) data. "That's almost 1 in 5 K through 3 students who read below grade level," she said, citing a Tier 3 figure that rose to 19 percent after elementary librarians were eliminated. Anderson asked the board to add one paraprofessional at Century High School so she could focus on overseeing elementary libraries.
District staff and board members said the public comments and handouts will be scanned into the meeting packet as addenda so trustees and administrators can review them. Jody Kelly, who described Gate City School’s Renaissance reading program, said that program’s success relied on collaboration between a certified media specialist and a library assistant and offered an Excel spreadsheet documenting time and outcomes.
The board did not make a staffing commitment during the public-comment period. Trustees and staff acknowledged the concerns and said they will review the handouts and pursue follow-up conversations with the administration.
What's next: The speakers said handouts will be added to the meeting packet for board review. District staff signaled willingness to meet with commenters and to consider library staffing options ahead of next year’s planning cycle.
Don't Miss a Word: See the Full Meeting!
Go beyond summaries. Unlock every video, transcript, and key insight with a Founder Membership.
✓
Get instant access to full meeting videos
✓
Search and clip any phrase from complete transcripts
✓
Receive AI-powered summaries & custom alerts
✓
Enjoy lifetime, unrestricted access to government data
30-day money-back guarantee
