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November 2002
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Elaine Mokrzycki
October 31, 2002
Dear Commissioner Driscoll:
President Dorothy McQuillan, In-Coming President Ann Perham, Marianne McGowan, Chairperson of the Massachusetts School Library Media Association's Award Committee, Donna Guerin, Palmer Public Schools and Chairperson of the Public Relation Committee and I, wish to bring to your attention, Dr. Mary Czajkowski, Superintendent of the Agawam Public Schools. Dr. Czajkowski has been recognized by our organization for her commitment to excellence in teaching and learning, through her support of school library media technology programs. She is the 2002 winner of MSLMA's Administrator Advocate for Excellence in School Library Media Programs Award.
Announcement of the award came during your visit to Agawam High School, by the Massachusetts School Superintendent's Executive Director, Dr. Christopher Martes, followed by formal recognition among her peers at the annual MASS Technology and Leadership Conference in October 2002 (http://www.mslma.org/whoweare/adminaw.html).
It was our pleasure once again, to showcase our display, which contained MSLMA educational materials, curriculum and facilities standards as seen at http://www.mslma.org/ as well as to formally recognize Dr. Czajkowski at the October 31, 2002 annual state level conference October 28, 2002 in Sturbridge Massachusetts. At that time, an exhibit of individual projects was displayed under the title of "In Harmony: A Collaborative Workshop for Librarian/Music Teacher Pairs, collected and presented by project coordinator Kathy Lowe, Librarian at the Boston Arts Academy http://www.mslma.org/SuperConf02/collaboration.html. Also on exhibit was the MSLMA online frameworks based support site of educational links, developed from an ABC-CLIO Leadership Grant for the Common Core Initiative viewed at http://ccbit.cs.umass.edu/vrroom/ coordinated by John Keenan, Librarian at Tantasqua Regional High School and various other educational project samples rooted in the Palmer Public High School Library.
We want you to know that we appreciate our administrators, and school committees for their consistent willingness to explore information provided by our organization, which in logical sequence, helps to encourage and activate support of school libraries as learning and reading enrichment centers. Through this consistent support, educational initiatives are extended throughout all curricular areas within the school. Studies have shown that we do make a difference when that support is present, and we can increase the potential for student achievement in each and every school. Through partnership with administrators such as Dr. Czajkowski, who will be leading us, as we lead our students through the 21st century, we celebrate education with you, in our centers of inspiration and literacy!
The Massachusetts School Library Media Association is dedicated to the improvement of teaching and learning through the integration of school-library-media-programs, resources, and technologies into the total educational process. The organization advocates, promotes, and works to strengthen school-library-media-services to students and teachers. Criteria for selection of the award are based upon a school administrator's support of the integral role of the library media center in the total educational program http://www.mslma.org/whoweare/rubrics.html.
In honoring an administrator, the over 700 MSLMA librarian/technology members wish to recognize the proactive efforts of those administrators who have contributed to the promotion of effective school-library-media-programs and services through their responsible and influential role as school administrator.
In notifying you, it is our attempt to pause this moment, and allow you to share in some of the many positive educational experiences taking place in your school libraries throughout the state. We hope that you will explore the links provided, and contact us if you wish to receive further information about our library programming expectations. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
On Behalf of MSLMA
Elaine Mokrzycki M.L.I.S., I.T.S. Certified Teacher
Agawam High School Library Media Specialist
Agawam High School
760 Cooper Street Agawam MA 01001
jepm@prodigy.net