ALA/AASL Election – Region 6 Director

By Frances Reeve on 03/17/2015 • ( 0 )

The 2015 ALA/AASL Election is quickly approaching. As many were not able to attend the AASL Candidates Forum at Midwinter, we wanted to use this public forum as an opportunity to introduce the candidates running for AASL offices. Each candidate was given the opportunity to respond to this question: If elected, what will you do to advance AASL’s new mission to empower leaders to transform teaching and learning? Read their responses and vote beginning March 24.

Kathryn Lewis, Candidate for Region 6 Director
Laura Sheneman, Candidate for Region 6 Director

Today we hear from:

Kathryn Lewis, Candidate for Region 6 Director
I am Kathryn Roots Lewis, Director of Media Services/Instructional Technology for Norman Public Schools, district winner 2007 AASL NSLMPY. If elected as the Region 6 Director, I will represent Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The needs of school libraries and librarians in these states are as diverse as their lands and cultures. I seek to represent these states through open and frequent communication as their liaison to AASL.

I have experience as both classroom teacher and school librarian at all levels. Currently I am past chair of AASL SPVS. I am past president of Oklahoma Library Association and currently on several OLA committees. This year I was named as a Lilead Fellow. I co-wrote AASL/Achieve Implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS): The Role of the School Librarian with Dr. David Loertscher. I chaired AASL/ALSC/YALSA Interdivisional Task Force on CCSS and served on AASL Task Force on CCSS. I am on the University of Oklahoma SLIS Alumni Association Board of Directors and the School Library Advisory Council for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, South Central Region.

I seek to understand the unique strengths and challenges of each Region 6 state by opening dialogue, building common ground, and representing the states’ strengths and interests. I will emphasize the role of school librarians as transformers of learning by promoting their roles as teacher-librarians, co-teachers, information professionals, program administrators, technologists, and collaborators who empower students and teachers to explore ideas, craft compelling questions, find information, tinker, innovate, create new knowledge, and read voraciously. I will work to create a culture where school librarians are seen as relevant to ALL members of the learning community. I promise to be forward thinking now and in the future working to help stakeholders see school librarians as educational change agents.

I appreciate your consideration!

Laura Sheneman, Candidate for Region 6 Director
School librarians are highly trained professionals who have been prepared and are ready to transform teaching and learning on each campus. It is vital for school librarians to step up and reach out as the education experts they are. But, in order to step up, many librarians would benefit from leadership development. If elected I will work to empower librarians with key communication tools to prepare them to showcase their skills as education leaders. I will do this by working with leading librarians across the country to prepare professional development opportunities librarians can work through to develop themselves as leaders and to prepare them to guide others through the process of leadership development.

I will also work to increase the recognition of librarians as teacher-librarians who are vital participants in curriculum decisions on campus. I will work with leading librarians across the country to prepare professional development that targets a librarian’s role in impacting intellectual, social, and other needs of students.

As leaders in the field of education, librarians must never stop learning and should always strive to improve themselves. Not only will the librarians benefit personally, but all of the students and educators they support will benefit greatly!