VII.++Providing+Information+and+Reference+Services

Data was collected from the 2009 self-study report that was developed in pursuit of a SACS/SAIS dual accreditation.
 * __Community Resources Survey__**
 * Methods**

Trinity Presbyterian School currently serves 660 families and with a population of 918 students. Approximately 434 students are enrolled in grades K-5, 229 students attend grades 6-8, and 278 students are enrolled in grades 9-12. All of Trinity’s high school seniors are accepted to a post-secondary institution. Over the last forty years, Trinity has graduated twenty National Merit Scholars, twenty-four semifinalists, and twenty-one commended students (Trinity Presbyterian School, 2009).
 * Demographics and Community Characteristics**

Trinity utilized five web-based surveys to determine the school’s current performance. Surveys were administered to administrators, faculty, staff, parents, board members, students in grades 5-12 and alumni (TPS, 2009).
 * Current Status**


 * //Strengths//**


 * Support for student learning (parents and students)
 * Parent/school relationship (parents and students)
 * Academic skills (alumni)
 * Opportunities provided by my high school (alumni)
 * Abilities (alumni)
 * Discouragement of cheating (alumni)
 * Up to date technology/resources/teaching materials (alumni)
 * Interest activities (alumni)
 * Safe/orderly/welcoming/well maintained environment (alumni)


 * //Weaknesses//**
 * Communication-parent/student input in school decisions and collaboration of Middle/Upper school teachers (parents and students)
 * Curriculum-relationship between what is studied and everyday life, problems with bullies (parents, teachers, and students)
 * Lower School class size (parent and teacher)
 * Lower School health education (parent)
 * Middle School discipline (teacher)
 * Middle School curriculum (parent)
 * Upper School- making informed decisions (teacher)
 * Upper School curriculum (parent)
 * Upper School substance abuse (teacher and student)
 * High school counseling and advice (alumni)
 * Academic skills-mathematics (alumni)

In accordance with survey results, Trinity has developed an action plan for improving the areas designated by respondents as weak. Professional development, curriculum and communication with the community are amongst the targeted areas.
 * __Areas for Improvement__**

Trinity currently provides 18 hours of professional development on site. They have identified the following strategies for helping faculty achieve SACS’ recommended 24 hours.
 * //Professional Development//**

(TPS, 2009)
 * Provide time and resources for professional development activities for all staff to include faculty, staff, and administration.
 * The school will form a Professional Development Committee, composed of administration representation, administrative assistant to the Headmaster, and representatives per school division, who will serve 2 year terms and will facilitate the professional development process.
 * Develop a yearly calendar to include the necessary days for professional development.
 * Develop a procedure to facilitate professional development for the school.
 * Develop an annual plan to assure professional development opportunities for faculty, administration, and staff that will include areas alerted in the 2008-2009 Self-Study.
 * Serve as a resource and facilitate professional development opportunities.
 * Document and show progress of professional development opportunities goal.
 * The school will investigate the possibility of providing financial resources for teachers to further their education.

Trinity’s goal for improving the curriculum is to develop a written, scope and sequence formatted, K-12 college preparatory curriculum that is sequential as well as developmentally appropriate and holistic (TPS, 2009).
 * //Curriculum//**

(TPS, 2009)
 * Compose a scope and sequence curriculum, including topic areas and skills, for each subject area taught.
 * Evaluate the sequential development and higher order thinking skills listed in scope and sequence curriculum, from 12th grade-kindergarten, sing research, Alabama Course of Study, and other sources as comparison.
 * Evaluate the curriculum holistically, identifying cross curriculum and Biblical worldview instructional areas.
 * Analyze the effectiveness of the curriculum using standardized test result trends as a comparison.
 * Facilitate the curriculum writing and analysis process by forming a standing Curriculum Committee to oversee the process.
 * The committee will revise the curriculum based on data collected.
 * Ensure commitment to and completion of curriculum goal.
 * Hire an Academic Dean to oversee curriculum and accreditation.

Respondents indicated a need to improve communication between classroom teachers and parents. In an attempt to promote their motto, //“One school, One Campus,”// Trinity is employing the following strategies: (TPS, 2009) **__Community Resources__** (TPS, 2009)
 * //Communication//**
 * To promote internal communication, reinstate the weekly faculty bulletin highlighting the coming events of the week and activities inclusive of arts, academics, and athletics.
 * To promote internal/external communication, establish written policies for extra-curricular activities.
 * Ensure effective communication of policies and guidelines for student conduct, attendance, and dress by updating the //Parent/Student Handbook// to include all current policies.
 * Devise an effective system of communication with graduates.
 * Strengthen communication among all stakeholders concerning decision making issues
 * Facilitate the completion of Strategic Operating Plan communication goal by forming a Communications Committee to oversee the process.
 * Create a communications office.
 * Create a communications office.
 * Orientation for new faculty and staff**
 * New teachers meet with their department heads or Lower School grade level teams prior to formal meetings. The department heads/grade level teams gather materials, explain the curriculum, and orient the new teachers to the school courses.
 * New teachers attend a formal orientation before school begins.
 * A mentor teacher is assigned to each new faculty member.

(TPS, 2009)
 * Professional Development**
 * The administration evaluates professional development needs annually.
 * Professional development opportunities are provided for faculty both on and off campus.
 * Teachers are provided with 150 dollars annually for profession development purposes.

(TPS, 2009)
 * Evaluations**
 * The headmaster evaluates the administrative staff annually.
 * Teachers are evaluated by the administration twice a semester (one announced and one unannounced).
 * Trinity is currently in the process of evaluating the support staff. The evaluation is conducted by the staff member’s direct supervisor.

o Administers testing and admission for perspective kindergarten students. o Meets with individual families to advise them on admissions decisions. o Meets with new students in each grade level each year to have a popsicle party. o Meets with new families at a new family tea reception and follows up with personal phone calls. o Refers students for academic testing. o Counsels students on school-related issues (e.g., behavior, academics, etc.). o Meets with individuals based on administration and faculty referrals. o Conducts classroom lessons regarding study skills and self-esteem. o Administers and counsels results of the Iowa Test Basic Skills (ITBS). o Assists in the transition process when a student leaves the school. o Meets individually with new students during the first semester o Makes presentations in grades 6-12 regarding school policies. o Conducts guidance learning activities in the classroom. o Counsels students on school issues. o Serves as the facilitator of parent/teacher conferences. o Confidentially documents every meeting online. o Assists students in developing self-esteem, developing decision making skills, problem solving, and positive human relations skills, and spiritual growth. o Meets with individuals as referred by school staff. o Assists in and coordinates the college application process. o When the school cannot provide a service to a student, the counselor provides parents with a file of agencies and resources that can help. (TPS, 2009)
 * Counseling Services**
 * Trinity has one Lower School guidance counselor and one Middle/Upper School counselor.
 * Each counselor provides a variety of services. The Lower School counselor:
 * The Middle/Upper School counselor:

(TPS, 2009)
 * Budget**
 * Trinity’s budgeting process ensures that the school has sufficient funds to operate.
 * Trinity produces monthly budget reports.

**References** Trinity Presbyterian School. (2009). //Self-study report//. Montgomery, AL: Trinity Presbyterian School.

**__Analysis of Reference Collection__** The TPS library currently supports all students in grades K-12. All students receive instruction in the core subject areas as well as Christian/bible studies. Lower school students attend specials in art, technology, choral music, library and Spanish. Middle and upper school students can choose from an array of electives including technology, art, band, choral music, drama, dance, forensics and speech, theatrical design and production and foreign language. Students in eighth grade are required to take a foreign language survey course in which they study French, Latin, and Spanish for six weeks each while upper school students may choose which language to study.

**__Online Subscription Databases__**

A link has been provided on the Destiny homepage to AVL for supplemental resources.

**Middle/Upper School**

o //Discovery Education// o //World Almanac// (Facts on File) o //World News Digest// (Facts on File) o None o //Bloom’s Literary Reference Online// (Facts on File) o //Literary Reference Center// (EBSCO) o //Thomson-Gale Virtual Reference Library// o //Health and Wellness Resource Center// (Thomson-Gale) o //Health Reference Center// (Facts on File) o //Scientific American// o //Today’s Science// (Facts on File) o //Issues and Controversies in American History// (Facts on File) o //Issues and Controversies// (Facts on File) o //Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center// (Thomson-Gale) o //Points of View// (Facts on File) o //World Magazine// (Christian News Magazine) o None
 * **General**
 * **Math**
 * **English**
 * **Science**
 * **History/Government/Economics**
 * **Bible/Ethics**
 * **Enrichment**

**Lower School**

o //The World Almanac for Kids// (Facts on File) o //Discovery Education// o None o //BookFLIX// (Scholastic) o //PebbleGo// o //PebbleGo// o //World Magazine’s// //God’s World News// o None
 * **General**
 * **Math**
 * **Language Arts**
 * **Science**
 * **Social Studies**
 * **Bible**
 * **Enrichment**

As one would expect, more online resources have been acquired for the middle and upper schools since these students are required to engage in higher level research activities more frequently. The upper/middle school areas of science, ethics and English have been well supported. While history has only one database and math and enrichment course have none, teachers can find resources and media for these subject areas in the general databases. The teachers have access to Discovery Streaming Plus which allows them to access thousands of videos in the core subject areas as well as the specialty topics covered in enrichment courses. The databases selected are supplied by trusted, authoritative publishers such as EBSCO, Thomson-Gale, and Facts on File. The lower school has access to some excellent databases that can be easily navigated by novice researchers. For example, //PebbleGo’s// science and social studies databases include a visual search option. Emergent readers are supported through narration and highlighting features found in //BookFLIX// and //PebbleGo//. //The World Almanac for Kids// covers a variety of subject areas as well as offers a homework help feature for older elementary students. To support all areas of study in the lower school, including Spanish, it would be a good investment for the library to subscribe to //Brain Pop//. This site contains excellent videos for introducing and reviewing subject matter as well as quizzes at the end of each lesson which can be e-mailed to the teacher with the students score.

__**Periodical Collection**__

**Adult and Middle/Upper School**
 * General/News
 * // Newsweek //
 * // World // (Christian News)
 * // Time //
 * // Consumer Reports //


 * Science
 * // Popular Science //
 * // Discover //
 * // Popular Mechanics //
 * //Make: Tech on Your Time//
 * // Scientific American //
 * //Science Illustrated//
 * //Issues in Science and Technology//


 * Social Studies/Economics/Civics
 * // National Geographic //
 * // Money //


 * Fa mily/Christian Values
 * //Focus on the Family Citizen//
 * //Christianity Today//
 * //Traditional Home//
 * //Disney Family Fun//


 * Sports and Special Interest
 * //Sports Illustrated//
 * //Justine//
 * //Alabama Game and Fish//
 * //Field and Stream//
 * Lower School**
 * Science
 * //Ranger Ric//
 * //Nat Geo Kids//
 * //Kids Discover//
 * //Odyssey Adventures in Science//
 * //Zoobooks//


 * Social Studies
 * //Nat Geo Kids//
 * //Cobblestone//


 * Sports
 * //Sports Illustrated Kids//


 * Christian
 * //Sparkle// (Girls)
 * //Shine Brightly// (Girls)
 * //Children's Ministry//

The library subscribes to a total of 31 magazines. At this time, there are no subscriptions for magazines supporting the math or reading curriculum. The upper and lower school science content is well supported by the subscriptions as is social studies and Christian studies. Teachers use their professional development funds to purchase professional periodicals in their subject area(s).

__**Print Reference Collection**__

The bulk of the collection supports the sciences and mathematics, literature, geography and history, and social sciences. The arts, technology and religion are also well supported which is appropriate given that the school's curriculum exposes students to all three subject areas. The classes of philosophy and psychology, generalities and languages are underrepresented in the print collection.