Professionals: Dana Hochstedler with Rob Cox
Dana Hochstedler is an elementary media specialist. She currently manages two elementary libraries: Mt. Comfort Elementary and McCordsville Elementary, which support over 1000 children between them. Dana has recently had the exciting opportunity to open a new library within her school corporation, while supporting the existing libraries. It was a busy 2004-05 school year!
Website of Mt. Comfort Elementary School http://www.mvcsc.k12.in.us/mces/
Website of McCordsville Elementaary School http://www.mvcsc.k12.in.us/Mccs/
Dana holds a B.A., M.ED., and Media Specialist certification. Her teaching experience ranges from inner city and rural high school to preschool to her current elementary status. Dana has been published in Library Talk Magazine as well. Dana has found her true love is teaching and collaborating with her peers. She loves to travel abroad with her teaching peers, having visited Spain, Portugal and Mexico and is looking forward to her next journey when she heads to Ireland this summer.
This has been said of Dana:
“Dana Hochestedler has always been a "get it done" sort of teacher and media specialist and she has increased her media center budget dramatically through agressive budgeting practices.”
Her
approaches include, among other things:
1. Knowledge of encumberance
deadlines (October), not only that she needs to spend all of her budget,
but that she knows others (teachers, principals) may not have spend
down some lines...so you have ideas as to what they can buy for you...a
great time to make that wish list work in your favor.
2. Knowledge of various budget lines, not only the accounts in which the district "gives" you money, but also accounts that allow you to place money you have raised through events such as book fairs so that the funds will roll over from one year to the next and not be consumed by others at the end of the year.
3. Knowing that money from book fairs, PTA, and other groups is money that is more flexible for spending; you are not restricted by the account desciptions given by the state on just books or technology....flexible money allows you to bring an instructional plan to life with field trips and speakers.
4. She knows how to play off her vendors so that they are aware of deals and bids so she can get more for her money.
5. Understands that showing comparisons of her budget against the budgets of school districts that spend more and do more, but might be models of where her administrators want their school to go or become, can help to make the case for more dollars.
6. Strategically overspending on major projects so that administrators help find additional money, and it is clear she needs more money to run a good media program.
Biography – Robert
Cox
I am a beginning media specialist; this is my very first year and I am
greatly enjoying it! I am the media specialist at Mount Vernon Elementary
(K-4) and at Mount Vernon Intermediate School (5-6). I rotate between
the two buildings, spending a full day at one, and then the next day
at the other. I received my MLS from IUPUI in August of 2003. I have
previously worked as a library assistant in two different elementary
schools in Noblesville, for a total of about 4 years. I worked for Kristi
Boyd and Carroll Hopp at White River Elementary and Hazel Dell Elementary,
respectively. I worked as a mechanical engineer for nearly 12 years prior
to my being a library assistant. I did my student teaching at Carmel
High School with Bonnie Grimble and at Cherry Tree Elementary with Nancy
Hettlinger. I hope to bring to your class, and share with your students,
my perspective on what it is like to be a beginning media specialist.