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=Welcome to the Portfolio of Cynthia Wood=

Internship and employed at: Cedar Grove Elementary School, Nashville, NC [] 15 hours of internship were completed at: Southern Nash Middle School, Spring Hope, NC []

Description of Setting
Cedar Grove Elementary School (CGES) is located in Nash County, which is in the eastern part of North Carolina. Based on 2000 census results, Nash County was the 30th largest county in the state with a population of 87,420 and is considered a rural county, ranking 8th in the state in area devoted to farmland. The Nash-Rocky Mount Public School District is made up of 28 schools, 17 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 5 high schools, and one alternative school. CGES is the smallest of the elementary schools in the Nash-Rocky Mount Public School System with an enrollment of 220 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The makeup of the students at CGES: 53% males, 47% females, 48% African American, 41% White, 5% Hispanic, 5% Multi-Racial. 34% receive free lunch and 9% receive reduced lunch. The staff that supports CGES consists of 18 teachers of which 100% are fully licensed, 6 teachers have advanced degrees and 2 teachers are national board certified.

School Mission Statement
Cedar Grove Elementary School will provide all students an education that promotes academic excellence and good citizenship. We will collaborate with families and the community to establish a safe and nurturing learning environment for all students, empowering them to become productive citizens in the 21st century.

CGES Library Media Program Mission Statement
The mission of the CGES Media Center is to create lifelong learners, to instill the love of reading, and to be an information access point and collaborate in the instructional process. We teach students, teachers, and parents the necessary skills to locate and use information.

The CGES Media Center consists of 2 areas with shelving for approximately 6600 books and reference materials, 7 round tables seating 4 students each, the circulation desk, a desk for the teacher librarian, 7 computers a small seating area, and a separate room used for teacher resource materials and the school's main frame and servers. The CGES Media Center serves the students and staff of CGES as well as parents of their students. There is one teacher librarian on staff in the Media Center with one teacher assistant that helps daily during 8:00 to 8:30 when all students are allowed to come to the Media Center to exchange books.

Personal Philosophy Statement
The library should serve as the hub of the school, a place for students and staff to go to find information and resources as well as materials for reading enjoyment. There should be activity in the library throughout the day with classes as well as patrons selecting materials for class projects, assignments and pleasure reading. It should be a source of information and materials that support the needs of the students, the staff and the community.

As a teacher-librarian, I will strive to serve my patrons effectively and efficiently each and every time they visit the library. I will support the students, helping them with their informational needs as well as helping them to become life-long readers by finding enjoyment in reading. I will lay the foundation for the informational skills the students will need to complete lessons and research assignments throughout their school years and into adulthood. I will support the staff with their informational and technology needs, sharing with them new technologies and available tools that can help them bring 21st century knowledge to their classrooms.