Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Libraries And Gifted Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Teachers, students and parents urge Gilbert schools to retain certified librarians and broaden gifted services
Summary
Multiple speakers during public comment told the governing board they are concerned about the district's elimination of certified librarian positions and asked the district to expand gifted services earlier than fourth grade, citing student outcomes and equity concerns.
Teachers, students and parents used the public-comment period at the April 29 Gilbert Public Schools governing-board meeting to press the district to preserve certified school librarians at the secondary level and to expand gifted services beyond an emphasis on "high achieving" students.
Lauren Eaton, a teacher at Campo Verde High School, told the board she was “devastated” at the news that Campo Verde’s librarian, Sarah Flaherty, would not return because the position is being eliminated. "A walk through the library space she has created would spark joy and enthusiasm in even the most reluctant readers," Eaton said, and she cited research linking certified librarians to improved reading and math performance.
Student speakers, including Lizzie Stone (book-club president at Campo Verde), described school libraries as everyday learning centers that provide study space, printing and curated collections, and asked the board to reconsider cuts that would reduce those services. Parents and community members repeated that preserving librarians supports literacy, equity and student engagement; one parent, Kristen Stone, a choir-booster treasurer and former elementary-education student, said libraries help students who lack home resources and warned of downstream effects on test scores.
Separately, a parent identified in the record as Mike M. urged the board to treat giftedness as a spectrum and to expand support for twice-exceptional students ("2e") who may be gifted but not high achieving. He said gifted services in the district historically focus on high-achieving students and often do not provide supports early enough; he asked the board to consider offerings before fourth grade for children identified as gifted in kindergarten.
Speakers repeatedly requested greater transparency about district data and budget rationales behind staffing decisions. Several speakers said they recognized budget constraints but asked the board to explore alternatives to cutting certified librarians, arguing those positions have a measurable impact on student outcomes and build school culture.
Board members did not respond with new policy decisions during the public-comment period; the meeting proceeded to reports and action items.
Facts from the comments: Campo Verde High's librarian Sarah Flaherty was named by speakers as the position scheduled for elimination at the secondary level; witnesses described a broader pattern in which some secondary librarian positions were not refilled after retirements. Speakers cited state-level literacy statistics and research linking certified librarians to improved outcomes (the district did not present new research at the meeting).
