Community Analysis and Report

 

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to showcase and summarize a community analysis of an elementary school library (Albion Elementary) in Maple Ridge, BC which is located in the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows School District #42. This analysis will identify current and anticipated needs of students and community members as they relate to the library. Using a variety of data collection methods, an overview of how community, school, resources, and curricular connections impact a library’s collection building and program creation will be looked at. Information gathered for this report should be heavily considered for future implications and plans.

I am an elementary school teacher in this district with a background in sciences and a passion for ADST and applied skills. I have chosen a grade 3 Science curriculum to work with and use as a lens. The curricular objectives for this unit of study will provide contextual information for how the library is used and what resources are available.

Methods of Data Collection

A collection of strategies were used to obtain information needed. Analysis of existing data regarding community demographics, and current library usage, as well as personal experience and knowledge allowed an in depth look at what areas impact the library and its collection development. Most information gathered was from websites and community documents as I have limited access to a school currently. The community analysis is broken down by different sections, including community, school, resources and potential partners, and a curricular connection focus.     A demographic analysis allowed a look at the make-up of the community and its needs. According to Mardis (2016), it is important to consider the needs of a community and its location in order to accurately serve the school population.

 

Community

To create a more precise and supportive collection in a library, Mardis suggests that “effective collection development must be based on reliable knowledge about the collections users.” (Mardis, 2016). To properly assess how to serve the needs of students and community, the community itself must be looked at. This is broken down into a handful of categories as follows:

Setting -          Geographic setting - Topographic features (near mountains, oceans, or rivers)				Maple Ridge is a city in the northeastern section of greater Vancouver. It is situated between mountains and a major river and made up of several different historical areas. It is considered both urban and rural and markets itself that way for tourists and newcomers. The physical setting of Maple Ridge allows for many types of lifestyles and provides many different types of business opportunities. Maple Ridge has a mild climate and a huge selection of outdoor recreational activities.   The physical setting of the elementary school is just off of the main highway on the east end of the city and situated in a suburb. There are many parks around, with trees and mountains and close to the main river. There is not much retail in the area, but it is only 10 minutes from the main core of the city.
Population and Demographics - Age distribution of the population - Ethnic and racial groups - Educational levels of the population - Economic levels of the population				Maple Ridge has an approximate population of 82, 256 (based on census data from 2016). There are 14,430 between the ages of 0-14 (17.5% of population) 55,905 between the ages of 15-64 (68% of the population) and 11,920 that are 65 and over (14.5% of the population). The average age of the population is 40.1 years old. The breakdown of ethnic, cultural, and racial groups is shown in the table below:
Canada 2016 Census[7]		Population			% of total population (2016)
	South Asian	2,480			3%
	Chinese	2,340			2.8%
	Black	945			1.1%
	Filipino	1,810			2.2%
	Latin American	875			1.1%
	Arab	160			0.2%
	Southeast Asian	705			0.9%
	West Asian	740			0.9%
	Korean	840			1%
	Japanese	570			0.7%
	Other visible minority	195			0.2%
	Mixed visible minority	465			0.6%
Total visible minority population		12,115			14.7%
Aboriginal group	First Nations	1,955			2.4%
	Métis	1,760			2.1%
	Inuit	10			0%
Total Aboriginal population		3,815			4.6%
European Canadian		62,330			75.8%
Total population		82,256			100%
Economy Employment opportunities Businesses socioeconomic status			The elementary school chosen serves a small to medium community on the east side of Maple Ridge. It is a fast-growing area, with many business opportunities and jobs. The currently unemployment rate is 5.1%. The employment rate is 65.4%. Majority of the population is employed in a sales and service occupation. Maple Ridge boasts a variety of different economic sectors: agriculture, commercial/retail, construction, education, film, food/beverage, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and tourism.       A median total income of households in 2015 was $86,178
Government Political activities Government Structure			Maple Ridge is governed at the municipal level by a seven-member council made up of six councillors and a mayor. Five of the seven school trustees elected to the School District 42 Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Board of Education are chosen by Maple Ridge voters. School trustees, councillors and the mayor are elected on the same ballot for four-year terms. In addition, residents of Maple Ridge vote for representatives to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and the House of Commons of Canada. ("Maple Ridge, British Columbia - Wikipedia") Maple Ridge has one seat in the House of Commons, won by the Conservative Party.
City Modes of transportation Medical care facilities and organizations Housing Recreational facilities/Religious institutions			Transportation Public transit (Translink) provides bus service within and to/from Maple Ridge, there are also SkyTrain connections close by as well as a commuter train which takes people into Vancouver. The city also has a handful of vehicles equipped to handle people with exceptionalities. Taxi’s and Car rentals are also possible here although it is not as common. The nearest regional airport is about 17km away, and the nearest international airport is 46km.   Healthcare Services Ridge Meadows Hospital is a full-service hospital with 171 acute care beds for primary and secondary acute care. Speciality services are also offered there as well as a handful of clinics around the city. Healthcare services are provided by Fraser Health.   Housing According to the City Of Maple Ridge’s website, this city has one of those most affordable residential real estate in Metro Vancouver. Most residents here own their own homes (approx. 76%) The average price of a house was $1.1 million (as of January 2022) with 202 new listings in the last 28 days alone. It is considered the 8th fastest selling city in Greater Vancouver. There are a handful of shelters in place for those without dwellings or transient folk.   Recreational Facilities and Religious Institutions Albion & Kanaka is the neighbourhood where the school is located in Maple Ridge, BC. The Albion Fairgrounds which is nearby is used year-round to host many various events, such as: Country Fest, Caribbean Festival, Home Show and many more. The Sport Complex is home to Planet Ice (Ice Rink) and Golden Ears Winter Club (Curling Club). There are many trails, parks and outdoor adventure and sports possibilities. Close by is Golden Ears Provincial Park which is one of BC’s largest parks. Maple Ridge has a museum where they have many great resources about pioneer families and history of the city.   Historical development and future plans Maple Ridge has been working at restoring some of the sites, as well as working towards including more First Nations culture into the city. Maple Ridge is located on the traditional territory of the Katzie First Nation and the Kwantlen First Nation. The neighbourhood around Albion Elementary was one of the first built by settlers. There are many historical buildings in the area as well.
Education Educational institutions Availability of libraries and museums			This particular elementary school (Albion Elementary) is one of 28 schools, of which 22 are elementary schools. The school district also has a variety of continuing education and online learning programs as well as a college for certificate programs. Some of the secondary schools have specialized programs such as IB program or an equestrian academy. There are a few private or religious based schools in the city, as well as non-traditional schools. There are 30 churches or religious organizations in Maple Ridge of many different denominations. There is one public library in Maple Ridge, and it is a branch of the Fraser Valley Regional Library. The library offers programs, books, and playtime opportunities for families.

 

School

This school district meets the learning needs of around 15,000 students and is growing with over 200 students each year. Albion Elementary is home to 467 students, although its capacity is at 421, so it is currently at 110% capacity, this is an ongoing issue. A new school was built a few kilometres away, two years ago which took about 50% of the schools population, but it was instantly full again. It has approximately 42 staff members which includes teachers, prep, EA’s and various people that work with students in special programs or classes. There are 2 classes that have grade 3 students, with a possibility that there are others in split levels. I would approximate about 50-60 grade 3 students attend.    

According to district reports (School Growth Plan 2021/22 Albion Elementary) many students in lower grade levels (k-3) struggle in literacy at this school, as well as lower levels of social emotional regulation, and well-being (partly due to COVID-19 pandemic). The current school growth plan is addressing these concerns.

There has been a big shift in library this year and the current librarian is working part time, where the other pieces of the part time are currently posted for hire. My understanding is that it is filled with a TOC for the time being. The library works on a fixed schedule, with specific hours and times for classes and patrons to use it. Each class is given one book exchange block a week. In primary grades this block is a prep for the classroom teacher where the librarian will take the students for a 40min period. In intermediate grades they come by at their set time and can exchange a book and then go back to class. The librarian works with all the classes, but mainly the intermediate ones for projects and research. The library often will host clubs or guest speakers (often related to literacy) with small groups of students. Most librarians in this district do not have a background in Library Science, or Librarianship. Often, they are classroom teachers who have shifted over to working in the library. The library has its own website that stays somewhat current and updated. This is definitely an area to be worked on in future as many parents and students attempt to access the site both at home and at school. This library is starting its shift to a library learning commons. There are a large portion of reading and literacy resources available to teachers due to the school growth plan focusing on that aspect.   

Resources and Potential Partnerships

There are many local businesses and programs that our school library works with, but there are also way more that would be beneficial to partner with. Currently the library and school, work with:

-          Bricks4Kidz

-          ACT Arts Programs

-          Maple Ridge Parks, Recreation and Culture

-          FreeSpirit Yoga

-          United Way Lower Mainland

-          Left

-          Kids Innovative

-          Red Fox Healthy Living Society

-          The Family Education & Support Centre  

These partners are mainly providing after school programs or courses for students to sign up for. In regards to my curriculum focus of grade 3 Science there are a handful of potential partners and/or community resources I would consider for the library.

-          Alouette River Management Society – society dedicated to increasing awareness and knowledge about local environmental issues. They are actively involved in watershed enhancement and restoration initiatives and create programs for members of the community to come and learn about current and local environmental issues. This society partners with local indigenous groups.

-          Wild Learnings – Provides adults and children with outdoor fun experiences, educating them about biodiversity, outdoor recreation, and biology. They offer forest school, camps and private events. It is run by a team of people all dedicated to bringing a sense of curiosity in science outdoors.

-          Maple Ridge Historical Society/ Maple Ridge Museum-  manages both the Maple Ridge Museum and Haney House Museum. Their aim is to provide their community access to historic images, documents, and artifacts.

There are not any specific specialized library resources that can aid a teacher in this exact curriculum, however the library does have a good selection of science books.   

Curricular Connections

The focus for this section will be on Grade 3 Science. There are four big ideas that guide this subject.

BIG IDEAS	CONTENT
Living things are diverse, can be grouped, and interact in their ecosystems.	Students are expected to know the following: • biodiversity in the local environment • the knowledge of local First Peoples of ecosystems • energy is needed for life • matter is anything that has mass and takes up space • atoms are building blocks of matter • sources of thermal energy • transfer of thermal energy • major local landforms • local First Peoples knowledge of local landforms • observable changes in the local environment caused by erosion and deposition by wind, water, and ice   https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/science/3/core
All matter is made of particles.
Thermal energy can be produced and transferred.
Wind, water, and ice change the shape of the land.

 

 

 

CURRICULAR COMPETENCIES

CORE COMPETENCIES

Students are expected to be able to do the following: Questioning and predicting • Demonstrate curiosity and a sense of wonder about the world • Observe objects and events in familiar contexts • Identify questions about familiar objects and events that can be investigated scientifically • Make predictions based on prior knowledge Planning and conducting • Suggest ways to plan and conduct an inquiry to find answers to their questions • Consider ethical responsibilities when deciding how to conduct an experiment • Safely use appropriate tools to make observations and measurements, using formal measurements and digital technology as appropriate • Make observations about living and non-living things in the local environment • Collect simple data Processing and analyzing data and information • Experience and interpret the local environment • Identify First Peoples perspectives and knowledge as sources of information • Sort and classify data and information using drawings or provided tables • Use tables, simple bar graphs, or other formats to represent data and show simple patterns and trends • Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings Evaluating • Make simple inferences based on their results and prior knowledge • Reflect on whether an investigation was a fair test • Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of evidence • Identify some simple environmental implications of their and others’ actions Applying and innovating • Contribute to care for self, others, school, and neighbourhood through personal or collaborative approaches • Co-operatively design projects • Transfer and apply learning to new situations • Generate and introduce new or refined ideas when problem solving Communicating • Represent and communicate ideas and findings in a variety of ways, such as diagrams and simple reports, using digital technologies as appropriate • Express and reflect on personal or shared experiences of place

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are two classes and approx. 50-60 students who will make use of this collection for Grade 3:Science. This subject is big and can often be connected with other subjects such as Language Arts, ADST, and Fine Arts, among others.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the library is very well stocked in terms of number in their collection, however it does fail to provide for local-community related and subject specific resources. There are many fiction books, but many of the non-fiction are outdated or few in number. There are many resources and potential partnerships that can aid the Grade 4 Science curriculum, especially some that are local and have great hands-on opportunities. There seems to be a lack in connection with the community as a whole which is an area to work on for this library. More communication with teachers and community members in regards to purchases would benefit this library.    

 

 

 

References

"About Us – Maple Ridge Museum". Mapleridgemuseum.Org, http://mapleridgemuseum.org/about-us/.

image. https://1wn3pg4fh5uh2dktoa28c8c9-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp content/uploads/2019/08/18034346_web1_albion.jpg. Accessed 25 Jan 2022.

image. https://facilitiesreview.sd42.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Albion_Elem1.jpg. Accessed 25 Jan 2022.

image. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdailyhive.com%2Fvancouver%2Fgolden-ears-closed-medical-incident&psig=AOvVaw07OSiJUHPCbX3wnQSdtzgn&ust=1643495663686000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAsQjRxqFwoTCKi26M7A1fUCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD. Accessed 26 Jan 2022.

"Census Profile, 2016 Census - Maple Ridge, City [Census Subdivision], British Columbia And British Columbia [Province]". Www12.Statcan.Gc.Ca, https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5915075&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&SearchText=Maple%20Ridge&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=5915075&TABID=1&type=0.

"Discover Maple Ridge | Maple Ridge, BC". Mapleridge.Ca, https://www.mapleridge.ca/1908/Discover-Maple-Ridge.

"Fraser Valley Regional Library". Fvrl.Bc.Ca, https://www.fvrl.bc.ca/.

Green, Doug. Library Community Needs Assessment Report. DH Green Consulting, 2015, https://cms9files.revize.com/arcadia/Library/LibraryNeedsAssessmentRepo.pdf, Accessed 25 Jan 2022.

"Maple Ridge Real Estate Trends". Zolo, https://www.zolo.ca/maple-ridge-real-estate/trends.

"Maple Ridge, British Columbia - Wikipedia". Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_Ridge,_British_Columbia.

Mardis, M. (2016). The collection program in schools: concepts and practices. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Needs Assessment For The Richmond Public Library. 2009, http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentView.asp?DID=4257, Accessed 27 Jan 2022.

"School District 42 - Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows". Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School District 42, http://www.sd42.ca/.

School Growth Plan 2021/22 Albion Elementary. 2021, https://elementary.sd42.ca/albion/growth-plan/ Accessed 28 Jan 2022.

Supporting All Learners 2018/19. 2019, https://www.sd42.ca/district-reports/, Accessed 27 Jan 2022.

"The Alouette River Watershed - Alouette River Management Society". Alouette River Management Society, https://alouetteriver.org/the-alouette-river-watershed.

"Wild & Immersive | Outdoor Learning In Maple Ridge". Wild & Immersive, https://wildlearnings.ca/.