In this year with more demands and less help, I found that the district put no limitations on me for the end of year report. In fact, other than the principal’s evaluation online, there really isn’t any kind of requirement for a report. I made one anyway. I made one to help me review my year. I made one so that I could point out some surprise successes to myself and my principal. (‘Blind Date with a Book’ was HUGELY popular with students and staff!) I made one because I need to remind everyone that I also have standards and goals and I work on improving those every single year.

This year the EOY report is again an infographic. I thought my little video last year would help my administrative team and I sent them all a link. Not a single view came from that link. (I’m a librarian – of course, I can check on views.) Maybe a video is not the best communication tool for this particular team. It gets back to knowing your audience.

Since October, I have been working on my ISTE Certification. One of the things I have learned from this process is the importance of understanding the individual standards or criteria while recognizing that they are interwoven into an artifact. In other words, the examples we do of our work actually combines several standards. Communication is a standard that should be in every single thing we do, not off to the side on its own. The School Librarian Evaluation Instrument (SLEI) and its 10 standards do not need to be separated, just identified.

The infographic summarizes my two SMART goals for the year (see below the image for the full SMART goals). Then, under each item, I also list the SLEI standards that apply. Does this document define who I am? Nope. Does it show all of the things I do or try? Nope. Does it highlight a few things that may matter most to my principal? Yes, it absolutely does. Our now annual Comic Con, TigerCon, is a part of the larger community and identifying it is essential to the report the principal makes up the chain. The Reading Bowl competition team matters as a statement in the school district and to the community. No where in the infographic does it mention that the Reading Bowl team tied for first in the district. Part of using an infographic is to limit the verbiage. I originally put a picture of our team with the trophy. But on consideration, I thought it more important to put a list of the various clubs I am responsible for. The principal and the district knows that we won. For my summation, I used a picture of the cookies one of our students made for our party – they are covers of each of the twenty books we read. And, for the words, I listed all of the clubs, not just the competition team. When you are making your own report, consider the importance and tone of each carefully placed word.

Remember, no matter whether you are a librarian, an academic coach, a technology coach, or any other title, your EOY report needs to speak to the person you are reporting to. It needs to provide them a summary that they can use to justify you and to enhance their position as they send it up the ladder. We will, at times, feel isolated in our positions, but we are not. Our jobs are interconnected.

For reference, I thought I’d provide my two SMART goals in their entirety here.

GOAL # 1  Student Success with Equity & Access  

To engage students with a school-wide book reading initiative that includes reading, discussions, and activities to increase student literacy and build critical thinking skills by May 1, 2023. 

Action Plan:  

• Work with teachers from different subjects to create a Choice Board of activities for students 
• Work with community members to provide incentives for completion 
• Create a website and online challenge board 
• Create a form to accept submissions 

Evaluation Plan:  

• Student sign out sheets from ELA teachers for a copy of the book 
• Tweets/ IG 
• Pictures with the materials they create  

GOAL # 2:  Staff Effectiveness 

To provide educational technology materials and training to staff at least once a month to increase their technology proficiency by May 1, 2023. 

Action Plan: 

• Tiger’s Tissue Tabloid 
• Tickling Tech Tuesdays 
• Encourage and support teachers to be leaders in providing help to colleagues. 
• Additional help as requested. 

Evaluation Plan: 

• Faculty meeting presentations 
• TTT newsletters 
• Tickling Tech emails/handouts 
• Listing other teacher volunteer instructors