About the Library

Welcome to the Rooney Ranch Library!

 
this is an image of the Schiele Family
Hello, I'm Natalie Schiele, the digital teacher-librarian. I can be reached at [email protected] or voice mail 303-982-7355.

I love what I do everyday! I have been a teacher for the past 17 years and this is my seventh year here at Rooney. Outside of school I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, going for walks with my two dogs, and working in my garden. 
I grew up in the Green Mountain area and am a Green Mountain grad (1997). 
 
I look forward to growing with your family and helping students become digital learners and lifelong readers.
CHECK OUT policies:
One book for KINDERGARTNERS until January
Two books for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd GRADERS
Three books for 4th, & 5th GRADERS
 
Books can be checked out for two weeks at a time. Students will have a scheduled time every week to spend time in the library, learning about how to use a library, essential researching skills, and various literacy skills based on Jeffco curriculum.
Renewal:
Books are checked out for two weeks and may be renewed twice.
Magazines are checked out for one week and may be renewed once.
Fines:
Fines will not be assessed for overdue books
Fines will be assessed for books that are seriously damaged or lost. The fine will be based on the replacement cost of the item.
POLICIES

With the exception of the Circulation Policy and the Library and Computer Use Policy, all other Policies have been taken from the Jeffco Board Docs or Jeffco websites and align with the policies of the district. All policies are set in place to best meet the needs of the students and staff at Rooney Ranch.

Selection Policy- Collection Development

Collection development and material selection at Rooney Ranch will follow district guidelines.
Book District Policies - Jefferson County School District R-1
Section I: Instruction
Title Library Materials Selection and Adoption
Number IJL
Status Active
Legal C.R.S. 22-32-110 (1)(r)

Adopted June 26, 1997
Last Revised April 19, 2010
Last Reviewed April 19, 2010

The selection of resources for the school library information collection is a process that includes continuous review of District Curriculum and Content Standards, student needs, ongoing review of the many resources available in the marketplace, and periodic assessment of the changing nature of information storage and delivery. Recommendations from students, staff, and curriculum content specialist teams, and citizens shall be sought and considered for purchase. 

Library information resources shall include print, audiovisual, and electronic and include ownership of actual physical material as well as subscription to/contract with information services. 

The school library information specialist, using established criteria, has initial authority for selecting and weeding library materials. The selections of the library information specialist shall in no way limit the Board's discretion in resolving a challenge to the resource. 

Selection Criteria for Library Information Resources 

Resources shall be appropriate for the range of emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social development of the students. 
Resources shall be integral to the district's instructional programs and shall support and be consistent with the district vision, curriculum, and content standards. 
Assessment of the quality of each resource shall be based on its scope, alignment with standards and curriculum, arrangement and organization, accuracy, authority, intended audience, relevance and timeliness of information, special features, physical qualities, and overall value to the collection. 
Library resources shall provide a diversity of appeal and points of view. 

Review Tools Used to Select Library Information Resources

1. Professional journal reviews/recommended lists.
2. District professional reviews.
3. Recommendations from library information specialists and professional staff members.
4. Award lists.
5. Elementary selected books list prepared by the elementary selected books review team which:

  • Consists of a chairperson and a group of diverse teacher librarians from across the district.
  • Reviews, on a monthly basis, publishers' samples of new resources.
  • Provides an opportunity through the Jefferson County public libraries for citizen input on the list books prior to Board approval.
  • Provides a list of recommended books annually for approval by the Board.
  • Displays books on the selected book list after Board approval for consideration for purchase by elementary schools.
  • Donated materials will be accepted or declined for a library information collection subject to the criteria listed in this policy and public gifts/donations policy KCD. The library information specialist has the initial authority for weeding and discarding of materials from a library information collection using the criteria in this policy, authoritative weeding methods, and the instructional resources and materials selection, adoption, removal, and disposal policy IJ-R.

Challenged Instructional Resource Policy

In the instance where instructional or library materials are being challenged at Rooney Ranch, district guidelines will be followed.

Book District Policies - Jefferson County School District R-1
Section K: School-Community-Home Relations
Title Public Concerns/Complaints about Instructional Resources
Number KEC
Status Active
Legal
Adopted June 26, 1997
Last Revised October 23, 2001

It is the policy of the district to provide channels of communication concerning the learning resources used in the Jefferson County School District. Learning resources include instructional materials and human resources used in the district. Appeals concerning learning resources may be brought by any Jefferson County citizen, student, parent or guardian of district student, or district employee.

These challenges are heard by a committee of district parents, teachers, and administrators, which submits a recommendation to the superintendent for his/her decision. The superintendent will forward a copy of the decision to members of the Board of Education. A copy of this decision will be kept on file by the district.

A challenge shall result in the withdrawal of a learning resource that has been previously approved by the Board only if presented to and approved by the Board.

Public Concerns/Complaints about Instructional Resources Policy

Please refer to the full Board Policy above before taking any action on a complaint
School Process
1. School personnel will refer the complaint to the principal.
2. The principal shall contact the Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services to determine whether the resource has been formally challenged before. 
3. A conference shall be held, including the principal, complainant, teacher, library information specialist, or staff member responsible for using the resource. The principal shall determine whether the resource is on any District approved list, request professional reviews from the Professional Library or the Library Services Coordinator, and share reviews at the conference. The principal will gather information regarding the selection and use of the resource. The material will remain available throughout the process.
4. The principal shall issue a report summarizing the conference information and decision in writing. Copies shall be forwarded to all participants and maintained on file at the school.
5. If requested, a copy of the form, "Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of Learning/Human Resources" shall be provided to the complainant. The principal shall forward the completed form, with a written report of the conference, to the Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services and all staff members involved.

District Process
6. The Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services shall review the complaint and determine whether to schedule a meeting of a challenge review committee.
7. The Assistant Superintendent, with input from the affected administrator, shall appoint a challenge review committee composed of a Chair, an equal number of administrators, library information specialists, teachers, and parents/community members.
8. The Chair shall plan, set the agenda, conduct the challenge review hearing, and write the committee's recommendation. Oral or written testimony may be submitted at the hearing. Note: The hearing is open to the public, however, the deliberations are not.
9. The committee shall deliberate and render a recommendation based upon its review of the learning resource.

Superintendent's Decision
10. The Superintendent shall make an administrative decision which shall be submitted to all parties.

Appeal to the Board
11. An appeal may be made, and must be received by the Board of Education within ten (10) calendar days of the Superintendent's decision.

Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries.

An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights

A strong intellectual freedom perspective is critical to the development of academic library collections and services that dispassionately meet the education and research needs of a college or university community. The purpose of this statement is to outline how and where intellectual freedom principles fit into an academic library setting, thereby raising consciousness of the intellectual freedom context within which academic librarians work. The following principles should be reflected in all relevant library policy documents.

1. The general principles set forth in the Library Bill of Rights form an indispensable framework for building collections, services, and policies that serve the entire academic community.

2. The privacy of library users is and must be inviolable. Policies should be in place that maintain confidentiality of library borrowing records and of other information relating to personal use of library information and services.

3. The development of library collections in support of an institution’s instruction and research
programs should transcend the personal values of the selector. In the interests of research and
learning, it is essential that collections contain materials representing a variety of perspectives on subjects that may be considered controversial.

4. Preservation and replacement efforts should ensure that balance in library materials is maintained and that controversial materials are not removed from the collections through theft, loss, mutilation, or normal wear and tear. There should be alertness to efforts by special interest groups to bias a collection though systematic theft or mutilation.

5. Licensing agreements should be consistent with the Library Bill of Rights, and should maximize access.

6. Open and unfiltered access to the Internet should be conveniently available to the academic
community in a college or university library. Content filtering devices and content-based restrictions are a contradiction of the academic library mission to further research and learning through exposure to the broadest possible range of ideas and information. Such restrictions are a fundamental violation of intellectual freedom in academic libraries.

7. Freedom of information and of creative expression should be reflected in library exhibits and in all relevant library policy documents.

8. Library meeting rooms, research carrels, exhibit spaces, and other facilities should be available to the academic community regardless of research being pursued or subject being discussed. Any restrictions made necessary because of limited availability of space should be based on need, as reflected in library policy, rather than on content of research or discussion.

9. Whenever possible, library services should be available without charge in order to encourage inquiry. Where charges are necessary, a free or low-cost alternative (e.g., downloading to disc rather than printing) should be available when possible.

10. A service philosophy should be promoted that affords equal access to information for all in the academic community with no discrimination on the basis of race, values, gender, sexual orientation, cultural or ethnic background, physical or learning disability, economic status, religious beliefs, or views.

11. A procedure ensuring due process should be in place to deal with requests by those within and outside the academic community for removal or addition of library resources, exhibits, or services.

12. It is recommended that this statement of principle be endorsed by appropriate institutional governing bodies, including the faculty senate or similar instrument of faculty governance.

Student Use of the Internet

Rooney Ranch students shall follow the approve district internet rules and regulations.
Book District Policies - Jefferson County School District R-1
Section J: Students
Title Student Use of the Internet
Number JS
Status Active
Legal 47 U.S.C. 201 et seq. (Communications Decency Act of 1995)
47 U.S.C. 231 et seq. (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 2000)
Adopted June 26, 1997
Last Revised May 3, 2010
Last Reviewed May 3, 2010

The district believes the Internet should be used in schools as a learning resource to educate and to inform students. Accordingly, the district provides access to the Internet for its students as a means to offer a wide variety of educational resources. While many opportunities offered by the Internet are exciting and appropriate, others are unsuitable for school use. Consequently, use of the computer and Internet is for educational purposes only while attending school.

The Internet is a fluid environment in which information available to students is constantly changing. The district acknowledges that it is impossible to predict with certainty what information students might locate. The electronic information available to students does not imply endorsement by the district of the content, nor does the district make any guarantee as to the accuracy of information received on the Internet.

The district will make every reasonable effort to ensure that this educational resource is used appropriately and responsibly by students. To this end the district will provide content filtering devices and applications that control student access to inappropriate material on the Internet. Administrators, teachers, and staff have a professional responsibility to work together to help students develop the intellectual skills needed to evaluate and choose information sources, to identify information appropriate to their age and developmental levels, create effective and appropriate information, and to evaluate and use information to meet their educational goals.

Use of this educational resource demands personal responsibility and an understanding of the district's acceptable use procedures for the Internet. Student use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right, and therefore entails responsibility. General rules for behavior and communications apply when using the Internet. Failure to follow the district's acceptable use procedures and/or this policy will result in the loss of the privilege to use this educational tool and restitution for costs associated with damages, and may result in school disciplinary action (including suspension or expulsion) and/or legal action.

The district's network administrators may review student files and communications to maintain system integrity and to ensure that users are using the system appropriately and responsibly. Students shall have no expectation of privacy in any information stored on the district's servers, or in their use of school computers. The district reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review and store (at any time and without prior notice) all usage of district computers and computer systems, including all internet and electronic communications access and transmission/receipt or materials and information.

Students and their parents/legal guardians shall be required to complete and sign the district's "Acceptable Use Agreement" prior to students being permitted to access the Internet at school. The completed and signed Agreements shall be kept on file with the school.

Prohibited Uses
No student shall access, create, transmit, retransmit or forward material or information that:

  • promotes violence or advocates destruction of property including, but not limited to, access to information concerning the manufacturing or purchasing of destructive devices or weapons.
  • is not related to district educational objectives except as provided in other district policies.
  • contains pornographic, obscene or other sexually oriented materials, either as pictures or writings, which are intended to stimulate erotic feelings or appeal to prurient interests in nudity, sex or excretion.
  • depicts, describes or represents in a potentially offensive way simulated sexual act or sexual content or a lewd exhibit of the genitals that, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific values.
  • harasses, threatens, demeans, or promotes violence or hatred against another person or group of persons with regard to race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, marital status, disability or handicap. Sexual orientation is a person's orientation toward heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, or transgender status or perception of the individual's sexual orientation.
  • plagiarizes the work of another.
  • uses inappropriate or profane language or depictions likely to offend or intimidate others in the school community.
  • is knowingly false or could be construed as intending to purposely damage another person's reputation.
  • violates any federal or state law, including but not limited to copyrighted material and material protected by trade secret that contains personal information about themselves or others, including information protected by confidentiality laws.
  • impersonates another or transmits through an anonymous remailer.
  • shares student or district staff home addresses, phone numbers, or other private information except as allowed in district policy JRA/JRC.

The following activities are also prohibited:

  • Using another individual's internet or electronic communications account.
  • Unauthorized attempts to log in to any network as a system administrator.
  • Any malicious attempt to harm or destroy Jefferson County Public School (JCPS) data, data of another user, or other JCPS computing facility.
  • Downloading, installing, storing or using malicious software, viruses, 'cracking,' and keystroke monitoring software and/or hardware.
  • Attempting to evade, disable, or 'crack' password or other security provisions of the systems on the network.
  • Interfering with or disrupting another information technology user's work as well as the proper function of information processing and network services or equipment.
  • Intercepting or altering network packets.
  • Using information systems or resources for personal use or gain.
  • Sharing or loaning accounts: all computer/security accounts are for the use of the single individual, the person for whom the account was approved. Sharing or loaning accounts is prohibited.
  • The individual assigned a computer/security account is accountable for any and all transactions entered under that computer/security account login.
  • Leaving an active system unattended, thereby allowing an unauthorized person to gain access to district resources through the user's login session.
  • Attempting to gain unauthorized access to any other computer/security accounts.
  • Using a computer for unlawful purposes, such as the illegal copying or installation of software, or violation of copyright laws.
  • Exporting software, technical information, encryption software, or technology in violation of international or regional export control laws.
  • Altering technology equipment (hardware or software).
  • Accessing, viewing, or altering any official record or file of the school or district.

Sanctions
Sanctions for violations of any of the above prohibitions may include loss of Internet access, restitution for costs associated with damages, school disciplinary action (including suspension or expulsion), and legal action.

Student Generated Content Limitations on School Web Sites
Online publication of student newspapers, yearbooks, and/or literary magazines may be included or directly linked from school web sites if the following items are observed:

1. Those sections are clearly identified as such in the site’s directory and in those sections themselves.

2. All materials published in these sections meet the requirements of school and district policies and state and federal laws including but not limited to C.R.S. 22-1-120 and district policy JICEA.

3. The publication is supervised by an advisor assigned to the task by the principal or principal's designee.

Content contained in the publications shall be under the control of the staff members who are assigning and grading the work or overseeing the activity. The school and district shall not be responsible for work created by a student that fails to conform to the above restrictions.

Student Initiated Organizations on School Web Sites
Student organizations that are curriculum related and recognized in accordance with district policy JJA, Student Organizations, may have sites on the school web site. The content of such sites shall be supervised by the student organization’s approved sponsor. 

Collaborative Technologies
Students may use blogs, wikis, and other forms of collaborative technologies as long as such use is consistent with this policy and provided that a staff member is assigned to a moderator role to ensure that inappropriate material is removed in a timely fashion. The school and district are not responsible for inappropriate content posted by participants acting outside of the identified educational purposes.

The use of collaborative technologies with student participation shall be restricted to an environment that includes staff supervision and does not allow anonymous participation. It is acceptable for participants to use screen names as long as the staff supervisor shall know the true identity of each student using a pseudonym.

Changes in Technology
Technology changes rapidly, and this policy may be revised at the district's discretion.

Protection of Private Information
Because internet publications are available to the entire world, special care should be taken to protect the privacy of students and staff. No personal information about students and staff, such as home addresses and telephone numbers, shall be included on a district hosted or supported internet resource. Pictures of students and other directory information, as defined by district policy JRA/JRC and regulation JRA/JRC-R, Student Records/Release of Information on Students, may be included unless the parent or eligible student has refused in writing to permit such information to be designated as directory information as permitted by district policy JRA/JRC.

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