Sussex Middle School teachers worried about students’ lack of access to library

English and Language Arts teachers at Sussex Middle School are worried about student performance after a change in teachers’ schedules limited students’ ability to access the school library.

While the new schedule has allowed teachers to have more direct contact with students, time in the library became “unforeseen collateral damage” as the librarian’s schedule also changed, teacher Jennifer Apolito told the Sussex-Wantage Regional Board of Education at its Dec. 22 meeting.

A letter she read on behalf of the ELA teachers said several advanced students in an eighth-grade ELA class were discussing the library and said, “If they don’t care about books, why should we? We should all just stop reading.”

“As a department and as educators, we found this to be extremely disheartening,” Apolito said. “These are our top brightest students and to hear this sort of discussion from a students’ perspective is alarming. It should be noted that students at all levels are reacting to the limited access they have to our library as well.”

Teachers have said that with limited library access, student performance has declined and students are not completing assignments the way they had before.

Superintendent Michael Gall said he was optimistic that the district would reach a balance.

“We probably have to take a harder look at it and balance the needs of keeping the library open with the instructional obligations for the full number of periods,” he said.

Board of Education president Nick D’Agostino said he believes that the librarian, who also teaches Media Literacy and STEM classes, should be there every period of the day that students are.

Before the schedule change, the library was closed for two periods a day so the librarian could have lunch and a prep period.

Teachers said that in the two weeks before the Dec. 22 board meeting, 20 students a day had asked to use the library.

Before the schedule change, students were able to take a make-up test and the librarian would supervise it.

Gall said the librarian is a teacher under the terms of the contract.

Cell-phone policy

The board also approved the district’s new cell-phone policy, which prohibits the use of cell phones by students during the school day.

Students may keep phones in their lockers.

If there are emergencies, parents may call the main office and the student will be brought down immediately. If students have an emergency, they can go to the office to use the phone.

The policy is effective immediately.