District presents elementary media, digital citizenship and coding program; staff say media specialists circulate 48,000+ books this year

Hudson School District staff described elementary media-center work, digital citizenship instruction and the district’s K–5 coding curriculum at the March 20, 2025, board meeting.

District administrators said elementary media specialists taught classes and circulated more than 48,000 books during the 2024–25 school year (elementary libraries only). Dave (presenting the report) explained the shift from the old library model to “media centers” that combine book circulation with instruction in digital skills. Amanda McCarthy (district IT lead) and Sarah Enberg (elementary media specialist) presented examples of lessons and explained how the program builds over time.

Sarah Enberg described the district’s digital-citizenship scope: simple device use and safety in kindergarten, progressing through password basics and privacy in third grade to online identity, copyright and fair use by fifth grade. Enberg said digital-citizenship lessons include interactive tools (Pear Deck) and that coding instruction uses code.org in K–1, moves to functions and conditionals in later grades, and introduces variables in fifth grade. Enberg gave classroom examples including student projects and a classroom robot exercise.

Board members praised the curriculum; one trustee said coding had become a favorite activity in a fourth-grade child’s experience. The presenters said media and coding are reported on report cards and highlighted through building newsletters and social media when appropriate.

No formal action was taken; the presentation was recorded as an informational report to the board.