EMANUEL COUNTY MEDIA HANDBOOK

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Procedures for Implementing the Instructional Media and
Equipment Policy
Emanuel County Media Centers Goals and Objectives
Media Committees
Role Assignments
Allotment of Funds
Selection and Evaluation of Media
Purchase of Media
Non-Print Materials
Gifts from Individuals
Gifts from Commercial Organizations
Other Non-School Owned Materials
Professional Materials
Reconsideration of Material
Compliance with State Board Policy, State and
Federal Law
Selection of Equipment
Lending of Media and Equipment
Disposal of Materials and Equipment
Copyright Adherence Process
Internet Use Policy
Media Center Accessibility
Accessibility of Media Center Resources
Organization, Processing and Availability of School-Owned
Print and Non-Print Instructional Materials
Inventory

PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTING

THE INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA ANDEQUIPMENT POLICY
OF THE
EMANUEL COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM
Decision Making
With direction from the principal, decision making regarding the selection, utilization and access
to media and equipment is the responsibility of each local school media committee, acting in
concert with approved system policy and procedures. System and school media committees are
responsible for participation in the development of media goals and the evaluation of the media
program. Coordination between the system and school media committees shall be the
responsibility of the System Media Contact Person who is appointed by the superintendent.
EMANUEL COUNTY MEDIA CENTERS
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
GOAL I: The Emanuel County Media Program shall implement, enrich, and support the
instructional programs of the individual schools.
GOAL II: The media specialist shall become an integral part of curriculum planning in order to
know the instructional program at each grade level and within each discipline served by the
center.
GOAL III: The media specialist shall plan with the instructional staff to integrate media skills
instruction within classroom content.
GOAL IV: The media specialist shall create and foster a climate that motivates effective
utilization of media facilities, resources, and services.
GOAL V: The Emanuel County Media Centers shall provide flexible scheduling in order to
facilitate the open center concept.
GOAL VI: The Emanuel County Media Program shall provide professional learning to the
faculty in the use of integrating technology resources in instructional program.
MEDIA COMMITTEES
System Media Committee
The superintendent shall annually appoint a System Media Committee. The System Media
Contact Person will serve as a committee member and in an ex officio capacity, providing
information and guidance required for committee deliberation and action. The System Media
Contact Person functions in an advisory capacity to the superintendent and to the school
committees.

The committee is charged with considering and making recommendations for the media program
concerning:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.

long-range program goals,

budget priorities,
selection of materials,
reconsideration of materials,
operational procedures,
copyright adherence processes,
program evaluation, including expansion and deletion of services,
organization and processing of materials,
policies of disposition of gifts and use of non-school owned materials in the
classroom,
processes for instructional planning between teachers and media specialist(s), and
mechanism for use of information sources outside the school.

School Media Committee

Each principal shall annually appoint the SIP/School Media Committee. Appointments may be
made in consultation with the media specialist. Principals, instructional lead teachers and media
specialists are appointed by virtue of their positions.
Distinct variation may be evident in the role of each school media committee due to the
differences in school programs or populations. However, each committee will, as a minimum,
make recommendations and decisions for the media program concerning:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.

long-range program goals,

budget priorities,
selection of materials,
reconsideration of materials,
operational procedures,
program evaluation, including expansion and deletion of services,
organization and processing of materials,
policies of disposition of gifts and use of non-school owned materials in the
classroom, and
processes for instructional planning between teachers and media specialist(s).
ROLE ASSIGNMENTS

The superintendent provides leadership in establishing effective and efficient media programs,
appoints the System Media Committee members, and designates the System Media Contact
Person.
The System Media Contact Person provides information and guidance about local, state, and
federal policies, regulations, and laws which affect media and facilitates communication between
the system and building media committees.
The principal, as instructional leader of the school, facilitates the implementation of the school
media program by appointing and meeting periodically with the building-level media/SIP

committee. The principal also provides guidance and the opportunity for cooperative planning of
the staff and media specialist to insure integration of media with curriculum development and the
instructional program.
The instructional staff maintains awareness of available media resources and plans with the
media specialist for effective utilization of those resources in meeting identified instructional
needs and in improving student performance.
The media specialist participates in the instructional development process and, through the
building media committee, coordinates selection, evaluation, acquisition, and utilization of
instructional media and equipment. The media specialist collaborates with teachers in
curriculum planning and in selecting and effectively utilizing media resources in meeting the
goals and objectives of the system and school.
PROCEDURES FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING BETWEEN
TEACHER AND MEDIA SPECIALIST
1.

Teacher formulates classroom objectives, identifies content and specifies unit objectives.

2.

Teachers and media specialist cooperatively plan the activity.

3.

Teacher and media specialist plan and implement unit:

a.
develop instructional strategies
b.
determine instructional responsibilities
c.
determine student groupings
d.
select resources
e.
allocate time and space
f.
determine evaluation measures

4.

Teacher and media specialist assess student performance using the following techniques:
a.
observation of performance
b.
written test
c.
performance test
d.
puzzles, games
e.
activity sheets
f.
product, project
ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS

Instructional media and equipment shall be purchased from federal, state, system, and local
school funds. In allotting funds, consideration shall be given to the following:
- full time equivalent student count;
- instructional goals and objectives of the system;
- current and projected curriculum, textbook adoptions;
- standards of public schools of Georgia;

- criteria of accrediting agencies;

- needs of professional staff on school and system-wide levels;
- characteristics of local school and community;
- recommendations from professional sources.
State funds for instructional materials and equipment are allotted for purchase, maintenance and
repair and in compliance with federal and state laws and state and local board policies.
In some years, the system may need to allot a greater portion of funds to new schools or those
experiencing significant change (i.e. student population, catastrophes) in order to develop a
collection of media and equipment which compare favorably with that of other schools.
SELECTION AND EVALUATION OF MEDIA
Selection and evaluation of print and non-print instructional media shall be the responsibility of
the media specialist(s) and approved by the principal.
Purchase of Media
The primary basis for purchase shall be the present or projected contribution to curricular needs.
Attention shall also be given to the quality of the media, clarity of presentation, integrity of
treatment, instructional design, and appropriateness for the instructional and maturity levels of
students to be served. Other factors to be considered are:
requirements of the copyright law;
-

formats to vary content presentation;

instructional and ability levels;

balanced treatment of issues which are addressed in the instructional program;

representation of various ethnic, cultural, and religious groups (with priority given
to those present in the school);

replacement of damaged/lost materials which continue to have instructional value;

updating obsolete media;

cost in relation to learning benefits, the number of potential users, and a

comparison of comparable material;

established selection criteria for particular formats;

materials available from some other sources.

Critical reviews from reputable, professional publications and/or personal examination of

materials by teachers, media specialist(s), or media committee shall be the basis of selection.
Materials should be cataloged and processed prior to shipment to the school when possible.
Non-Print Materials
Non-print materials are purchased to enhance and supplement units of study. Instructional
relevance and appropriateness for the maturity levels of the students should be considered.
Gifts from Individuals
All gifts of instructional material or equipment shall be subject to approval by the local board
and to the same criteria as those for purchased media. They shall be reviewed by the media
committee to determine their contribution to the philosophy and instructional objectives of the
school. If accepted, donated materials shall be processed and circulated in the same manner as
like media. (See appendix).
Gifts from Commercial Organizations
Instructional materials provided by businesses shall contribute to the curriculum and shall not be
designed to promote a business or a product. Such materials shall be subject to the selection
procedures developed at the local school and shall be donated as a community service rather than
as advertisement.

4.

Other Non-school Owned Materials

Any print or non-print media brought to the school by teachers, students, or parents for possible
classroom use shall be subject to procedures stated herein and those at the local school.
1.
All materials shall be previewed and approved by the following people prior to
anticipated use:

Principal and/or designee

Media Specialist and/or designee

One other Media Committee member

Classroom teacher requesting use

2.
All materials should have instructional relevance with the current unit of study.
3.
Consideration should be given as to whether there are comparable school-owned
or state-provided resources which effectively present the same or similar content.
Adherence to fair use guidelines and other relevant copyright stipulations shall be assured. In no
instance shall media and/or equipment be used in such a manner as to violate Board policy or the
law.
Professional Materials
In order to effectively meet the needs of students, materials must also be provided for teachers
and administrators. A professional media collection shall be maintained and updated periodically
at the school or system level. It shall include print and non-print media which are relevant to the
educational goals and objectives of the system, to the instructional activities of the school, and
which provide information on professional trends and developments. The collection shall be
selected, cataloged, and circulated using standard procedures.

RECONSIDERATION OF MATERIAL
Careful evaluation and selection of media by qualified school personnel does not insure
acceptance by all segments of the school community. Therefore, occasional complaints may be
made concerning appropriateness. While the Emanuel County Schools recognize individual
students' rights, the system also respects the right to question selection procedures. Therefore, an
orderly and fair procedure for handling complaints shall be adhered to by local school personnel.
1.
2.
3.

4.
5.

6.

7.
8.

The complaint shall be referred to the school principal who shall attempt to
resolve the situation in accord with system policy and procedures.
If the complaint is not satisfied, the complainant shall be informed of the
reconsideration procedure and requested to submit the complaint in writing on the
approved form.
An individual student may be excused from using specific materials once his/her
parent/guardian has filed a written complaint or request. In order to allow for
review when a complaint has been filed, materials may be removed from the
collection pending committee action.
The principal shall inform the superintendent, curriculum director, and
chairperson of the system media committee of the ensuing review process.
Within one month of receipt of the written complaint, the school media committee
shall:
a.
examine the material in its entirety and convene to consider the written
complaint. (The principal may add other persons to the committee for this
process as deemed necessary.)
b.
evaluate the media with consideration for the relevance of the material to
instructional objectives; the intended use of the material; age and maturity
level of students; professional reviews; literary merit; and any other
criteria which impinge upon the material in question;
c.
invite the complainant and a representative of an opposing view to address
the committee for a specified period of time;
d.
discuss and deliberate the issues; vote on the proposed solution;
e.
prepare a written decision (listing the committee members and signed by
the principal) which is discussed with and submitted to the complainant by
the principal;
f.
file a copy of the complaint and the decision with the principal, the system
media committee, and the superintendent.
If the decision of the school media committee is not acceptable to the
complainant, the complainant may appeal to the system media committee within
10 school days after receiving the written decision of the school media committee.
The system committee will, within one month of receipt of a formal complaint,
follow the same procedure as that of the school media committee.
Further appeal may be made to the local Board of Education which shall follow
its regular process for hearing such appeals. The Board is the final local authority
in all appeals.
The complainant may appeal to the State Board of Education for review in
accordance with State Board of Education policy IFA.

COMPLIANCE WITH STATE BOARD POLICY, STATE AND FEDERAL LAW

The System Media Contact Person shall maintain awareness of State Board policy, state and
federal laws which are relevant to media program and services and shall communicate the same
to local school personnel.
The System Media Contact Person shall maintain an awareness of current copyright provisions
and furnish such information to system personnel on a regular and timely basis. The Contact
Person shall assume responsibility for the development of a copyright clearance request form for
use by schools and shall maintain a system file of copyright clearances. (Appendix)
The principal of each school shall designate one staff member to maintain an awareness of
current copyright provisions and furnish such information to school personnel on a regular and
timely basis. This person shall submit requests for copyright clearance and shall keep a file of
requests and responses.
SELECTION OF EQUIPMENT
Instructional equipment shall be selected by the media committee and shall be appropriate for the
media formats owned by the school.
Attention should be given to the selection of equipment which is compatible with that already
owned by the school. (Standardization of particular kinds of equipment may be desirable.)
Other considerations should include storage capabilities, climate control, maintenance, and
availability of service contracts, services provided by the vendor (e.g., unpacking and set-up,
training, maintenance and repair.)
LENDING OF MEDIA AND EQUIPMENT
Non-school organizations which request loan of school media or equipment shall complete a
written form at least two weeks prior to the desired use. The principal shall approve or
disapprove the request. The borrowing organization shall assume monetary responsibility, in
writing, for any damage or loss of material while in its possession and for compliance with the
copyright law.
DISPOSAL OF MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
Since one purpose of the school media center is to maintain a meaningful up-to-date collection
that will be used, individual items should be disposed of when they have outlived their
usefulness. Such discarding shall be in accord with state and local policy, state and federal law,
and any restrictions related to the source of the funds.
COPYRIGHT ADHERENCE PROCESS
The superintendent shall annually appoint a system-level staff member to assure copyright
adherence who shall in turn appoint a building-level staff member at each school within the
system. These building-level personnel shall assume responsibility for informing and
distributing current information concerning copyright laws and procedures.
The system-level staff member shall make available to building-level media specialist the
following:

Professional learning opportunities concerning current

copyright laws and practices; and

Current information pertaining to the copyright process..

The building-level staff member shall inform the faculty and support staff about current
copyright laws in the following manner:

by providing and having readily available written information on copyright laws;

and

by explaining the process whereby copies/duplication of copyrighted materials

may be made.
INTERNET USE POLICY
The Emanuel County Board of Education recognizes that as telecommunications and other new
technologies shift the ways that information may be accessed, communicated and transferred by
members of the society, those changes may also alter instruction and student learning. The
Board generally supports access by students to rich information resources along with the
development by staff of appropriate skills to analyze and evaluate such resources. (Bd. Policy
IFBG)
The Emanuel County Board of Education makes available to its students and faculty a wide
variety of media resources, including electronic media such as the Internet. Electronic
information research skills are now fundamental to the preparation of citizens and future
employees during an Age of Information. The Board expects that the staff will blend thoughtful
use of such information throughout the curriculum and that the staff will provide guidance and
instruction to students in the appropriate use of such resources.
Both students and employees are expected to follow legal, ethical and school rules regarding use
of the Internet and other electronic media. Students are responsible for good behavior on school
computer networks just as they are in a classroom. The network is provided for students to
conduct research and communicate with others. Access to network services will be provided to
students who agree to act in a considerate and responsible manner. Students who fail to abide by
such rules will be subject to disciplinary action, which may include revocation of use privileges,
suspension or other appropriate action. Employees violating the rules also will be subject to
disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Teachers will employ the same supervision and care in determining appropriate use of the
Internet as is used with other instructional materials. The Board of Education authorizes the
Superintendent or designee to develop guidelines for use of the Internet. These guidelines should
include language that addresses the importance of following all federal and state laws, including
copyright laws, when using the Internet; the importance of complying with Internet etiquette,
including privacy and appropriate language use; appropriate educational uses of the Internet;
need for notification to parents regarding Internet use, including a description of the Internet and
the wide variety of materials that students may encounter; need for parental permission before
using the Internet; and possible disciplinary consequences for violating the guidelines or any
other school rules established for Internet use.
Access to telecommunications will enable students to explore thousands of libraries, databases,
and bulletin boards while exchanging messages with people throughout the world. The Board
believes that the benefits to students from access in the form of information resources and
opportunities for collaboration, exceed the disadvantages. But ultimately, parents and guardians

of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their children should
follow when using media and information sources. To that end, Emanuel County Schools
support and respect each familys right to decide whether or not to apply for access privileges.
Each student, parent/guardian and employee must sign the Emanuel County Internet Acceptable
Use Policy ensuring that they have read and agree to abide by the guidelines before using
Emanuel County Internet.
MEDIA CENTER ACCESSIBILITY
The media center at each school shall be accessible for both individual and groups
simultaneously during the instructional day.
ACCESSIBILITY OF MEDIA CENTER RESOURCES
Emanuel County media center resources shall be available to support instruction in any Georgia
Board of Education approved course when offered outside regular instructional time in Emanuel
County.
ORGANIZATION, PROCESSING AND AVAILABILITY OF
SCHOOL-OWNED PRINT AND NON-PRINT INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
The media specialist in each school in Emanuel County shall be responsible for the organization,
the processing, the inventory and the availability of all school-owned print and non-print
instructional material, except basic textbooks. The inventory will be maintained in the school
media database, i.e. Destiny.
INVENTORY
The Emanuel County School System maintains an accurate and up-to-date inventory of all
instructional materials, computers, and equipment. The media specialists are responsible for
maintaining the data. At the beginning of the school year, each teacher will sign an inventory list
verifying the items that are located in his/her classroom. If any items are missing from the
classroom at the end of the school year, the Report of Lost, Damaged, Destroyed or Stolen
Property form must be completed and returned to the principal. If a teacher leaves the system,
he must be cleared through the media center for the inventory of items in the classroom and
those checked out from the media center.