Friday, January 28th

Sauk Rapids-Rice High School (SRRHS)

Mentor: Maria Burnham

Date: Friday, Jan. 28th 

Time Worked: 7:30-3:30pm

Total: 40 hours 

   Today we had the late start so that faculty can attend technology PD sessions from 8:00-9:15. The sessions included Google Drive, Laptop Efficiencies, and Activboard. The first sessions were presentation orientated and then there was work time. However people could bounce around if they chose during the work time sessions. I attended the Activboard session because I have not used this type of board before. It is made by Promethean but it does have a different layout, and can only be used with an Activboard pen, and not one's finger. I learned quite a bit in this session and feel that I could use one if I needed to. I prefer the Smartboard but that could be because I'm more comfortable with using it. Although, honestly the Activboard feels a bit clumsy in it's design. It does not feel as streamlined as the Smartboard.
   After these session there was a faculty meeting from 9:15-10:00. The Principal spoke and we went through how Spirit Week went and what activities are approaching. The meeting had a good feeling. I could sense that people felt like the school was in a good spot and ready to move forward.
   These meetings also gave me a chance to introduce myself and connect with a few more faculty members. It is nice to walk down the halls and see a few friendly faces, and not all strangers!
   Once we finished the meeting it was time to drop off our computers and everyone is required to head to the gym for the Spirit Week assembly. This is a larger school of about 1,000 students, and I'm not used to this large of a high school, so it was a bit overwhelming! The students did a talent show, the dance team performed and t was quite fun to see all of the school spirit. Go Storm! :)
   After the assembly it was noon, and students only had several class periods remaining in the day. I headed back to the media center and almost finished up making notes about the fiction books in series.
   It was a great first week, and I'm really looking forward to what next week will bring!
  

Thursday, Jan. 28th

Sauk Rapids-Rice High School (SRRHS)

Mentor: Maria Burnham

Date: Thursday, Jan. 28th 

Time Worked: 7:30-3:30pm

Total: 32 hours 

   Today I worked quite a while with Maria on creating her presentation for tomorrow's PD tech session on laptop efficiencies. I learned quite a few new tips and tricks about suing the mouse pad and different ways to control your tabs in the tool bar. We are excited to see how tomorrow's sessions will impact the teachers.
   I then entered in the rest of the corrections I made for books that need to be marked as part of a series. I'm also making note of books where there might be numbers 2 and 3 but no number 1 in the collection. Maria can decide if it is worth purchasing book number 1.
   Maria and I also discussed our experiences with book fairs. She no longer does Scholastic book fairs and instead does them at B&N. She had a lot of great tips and ideas on having one there successfully. Her first year doing one at B&N she made $400 and the second year she made $1,000! This money is used to purchase books as well as materials for her teen book club.
  
  

Wednesday, Jan. 27th

Sauk Rapids-Rice High School (SRRHS)

Mentor: Maria Burnham

Date: Wednesday, Jan. 27th 

Time Worked: 7:30-3:30pm

Total: 24 hours 

   This morning Maria and I went to Mississippi Heights elementary school for a meeting on creating makerspaces in the district. We discussed possible options for running a makerspace, what would be in each makerspace and how they might acquire the funds to purchase what they wanted to have at each school. The issue of having equal access was addressed as well during the meeting. This district uses google to create a collaborative note taking space during meetings. Maria shared the group's google doc with me and that was helpful to be a more integrated part of the group. I enjoyed meeting the other media specialists in the district and also to see a school I had not previously visited.
  Once back at SRRHS I went into the stack again to work on the series project. I got through the S's today. I also entered in some of the corrections into Alexandria.
   Maria also showed me how they make the school badges, where the color printer is and also how to use the large banner/poster printer. It is great that they have so many resources available to them.

Tuesday, Jan 26th

Sauk Rapids-Rice High School (SRRHS)

Mentor: Maria Burnham

Date: Tuesday, Jan. 26th 

Time Worked: 7:30-3:30pm

Total: 16 hours 

   During the morning time before school starts, I observed Pat and Tish to see the system they use for checking in and out MAC books to students. I learned more about Alexandria and how they handle students who need a MAC book checked out to them on a daily basis.
   Maria then showed me the new books she purchased from B&N. She taught me how they are processed in Alexandria, and then I entered in a couple books. I am used to using the system Destiny, so it is good to see the different library systems available.
   Next I went into the stacks, to continue my work from yesterday. Today I got through the N's! It is a long process, but I am finding many records that were not entered in as a series that should be so it is improving the records and will help when we are genrefying the books because we will make sure to keep the series together.
   I was also able to help out Pat with a student looking for a book about wildlife. He wasn't too keen on her suggestions, so since I was in Alexandria I checked to see if they had the book called "Poachers Caught." They did, so I recommended it to the student. He thought it looked good and he checked it out, so that felt great!
  During the day I also observed how Maria trouble shoots the lap top issues students and staff are having with their school issued device. Each district has its quirks, so it is good to see what types of issues she has to handle on a regular basis.

Monday, January 25th

Sauk Rapids-Rice High School (SRRHS)

Mentor: Maria Burnham

Date: Monday, Jan. 25th 

Time Worked: 7:30-3:30

Total: 8 hours

   I arrived at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School (SRRHS) on a very snowy day! I signed-in and Maria met me in the main office. It is Spirit week, so she was all decked out in workout clothes for 'Muscle Monday,' so I knew this was going to be a fun week!

   We went to the media center and she showed me around. So great to have a kitchenette and bathroom in the media center. Mainly because the school is so huge I'm not sure I'd find my way from another bathroom!

She introduced me to the two paraprofessionals, Pat and Tish. They were friendly, and keep busy with all of the student devices used at SRRHS.
   Maria reviewed with me what projects she would like me to work on while I am there. I will be assisting with cleaning up some of the Alexandria files. Such as finding books that are a part of a series and marking them in the system. As well as working on genrefying the fiction collection.
   I began working on going through the books in the fiction section to check that the series record is correct in Alexandria and write down ones that are not in the system yet as part of a series.
   We also had two meetings. One was in the morning with the Principal, Assistant Principal and the Technology Integrationist; Laura Mackenthun. During this meeting we planned out the technology professional development (PD) sessions that will form the PD happening on Friday.
   Maria and I had a quick lunch, and that was nice because I got to meet some more of the faculty members.
   After lunch we had a meeting with Laura to create the session descriptions for Friday's PD.
   Once we finished that meeting, I began to work in the fiction section again going through the books and checking their record. I got through the L's and that felt pretty good for one day!