2006 Audrey Friend Scholarship Award 
| 2006 MSLA Administrator Award |
|
|
|
|
2006 MSLA Administrator Award By Reba Tierney, Quincy High School  “No. The library is too important, can’t give it up.” With this reply to my question about using the underutilized library space for another purpose, I knew I had met an administrator who truly understood libraries. Allow me to introduce Roland Boucher, the winner of the 2006 Administrator Advocate for Excellence in School Library Media Programs Award, nominated by Mary Melaugh. When Mr. Roland Boucher became the principal of Marshall Middle School in 2002, the library media center was housed in a space of approximately 1,000 square feet, but was underutilized and under equipped. His solution? To make the library media center the “hub of the school.” When School Media Specialist Mary Melaugh came on board four moths later, the opportunity for true collaboration opened up, and a dynamic, thriving school media center was born. Mr. Boucher felt so passionately about improving the status of the media center that he made sure it appeared on the school improvement plan three years in a row. Mary Melaugh learned how to collect data about what was going on in the media center space, and used that data to make decisions about time, space and money. She counted whole class data and produced an annual report. Between the report and the data collected, Mrs. Melaugh was able to validate the additions, upgrades and purchases needed to bring the school media center into the 21st century. Working together, Mr. Boucher and Mrs. Melaugh approached the media center improvement with a multi-pronged plan, including increased budget funds, PTO sponsorship, grants, donations, and the allowance of multiple book fairs with all proceeds benefiting the library. One particular donor, the Loranger family, made an incredible and lasting contribution by donating books and furniture. The school media center of Marshall Middle School now boasts 30 PC stations, 4 laptops with LCD projectors on lockable carts, and a circulating smart board. All of this new and improved technology totals around $30,000.00. Mr. Boucher and Mrs. Melaugh have truly created and fostered a sense of learning and shared community. Teachers are now signing up in advance, and willing to share space and resources. Circulation has gone from 1,000 volumes annually to 6,000. The increased technology has made the library media center hugely successful as the “hub of the school.” You might think that having achieved all this, Mr. Boucher and Mrs. Melaugh would rest easy, but that is not that case. When asked about additional help in the library, possibly an aide, Mr. Boucher promptly responded, “That’s something else to put on the list.” So, congratulations to two outstanding individuals who truly have worked together and with their school community to create an environment of collaboration and learning. |
|
| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 01 May 2007 ) |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|