Holley recognizes library media specialist

Photo by Kristina Gabalski – Holley Elementary School Assistant Principal Ashley John Grillo, Elementary Library Media Specialist Julie Bader and Principal Karri Schiavone are pictured last month when Bader was presented with a Soaring to New Heights award.

In October, Holley elementary students decorated pumpkins to look like book characters, including this one that resembles Junie B. Jones.

HOLLEY – Julie Bader, Holley Elementary School Library Media Specialist, was presented with the Soaring to New Heights Award during a recent Holley Board of Education meeting.

Karri Schiavone, Holley Elementary School principal, and Ashley John Grillo, Holley Elementary assistant principal, nominated Bader for the award recognizing her efforts to bring the Elementary School Library to life.

“There is always something great inside and outside the library,” Schiavone told Board members on Dec. 21. She noted the library “is always full of kids.”

Schiavone described Bader as “so clever and so creative. There is always something fun happening in the library.”

In their nomination, Schiavone and Grillo praised Bader for collaborating with teachers to incorporate themes and skills being taught in the classroom.

“She designs activities during the day and after school to involve children in the ‘fun’ of reading,” the nomination stated. “She helped design and is teaching integrated technology classes to all of the third through sixth graders. Julie has really taken the library from a place to simply exchange books to a child friendly, adventure filled literacy rich media center.”

School Board President Brenda Swanger said she also has been impressed with the activity surrounding the Elementary Library.

“I walk by and then I turn around and go back,” she said.