Cranston Public Schools is pleased to celebrate the recent honor of Park View Middle School’s librarian, Stephanie Mills who has been named as the School Librarians of Rhode Island (SLRI) School Librarian of the Year for 2020. This major announcement comes just on the heels of the national School Library Journal’s (SLJ) recent news article which featured Mills and her partnership and work with Cranston Public Library’s teen librarian Alyssa Taft.

Mills was nominated for the award by fellow CPS colleague, school librarian Meredith Moore, who described Mills in her nomination as “... an inspiring, enthusiastic educator who is always coming up with new ideas for lessons and projects. In addition to book clubs and book talks, Steph fosters a reading culture via displays, contests, raffles to get to read the newest books first (like “Guts” by Raina Telegemaier), and book blurbs posted all around the school,” and noted that the warm, welcoming school library at Park View is filled with students by 7:40 a.m. each morning and again throughout lunch time.

CPS Library Program Supervisor Susan Rose expressed her admiration for Mills and her work.

“I would have to say that Stephanie is a Power Librarian. School Librarians are Not Just About the Books (even though encouraging and engaging students to read, to enjoy reading and to WANT to read is what we breathe for), and Stephanie demonstrates this every day. If you look at her instructional libguide, you will see that she collaborates with every discipline, every teacher in the school,” said Rose. “The students learn best practices with embedded technology supports with her instruction, and she sees every student in most every discipline. So if you combine instruction (given that this is currently distant learning, that's pretty amazing), and resources and access, and FUN, and service, and motivation … I’ m thrilled she was recognized as the person she is: RI School Librarian of the Year.”

Superintendent of the Cranston Public Schools Jeannine Nota-Masse is proud to have Mills as part of the CPS team of educators and is proud of her accomplishments, noting: “Our library educators work very hard here in Cranston to provide our students with a myriad of resources, from books-in-hand to digital technology and a sense of community relationships. During this time of distance learning, our school librarians have worked extra-hard to help support our students in getting all of the resources they need. Stephanie is a wonderful example of a school librarian who has gone above and beyond to keep our students engaged in reading, in learning, and in utilizing our library’s many resources and supports. Our libraries are community hubs and Mills’ library at Park View Middle School certainly illustrates that important community dynamic. She is outstanding.”

Mills, who has previously served on the board of SLRI, recently shared her thoughts on the recent award.

“I am incredibly honored to receive this award,” she said. “Teaching middle school students, collaborating with teachers and sharing my love of books are some of the most important things in my life. I genuinely enjoy the students and staff at Park View and going to work each day brings me joy. Life is about the company you keep and I am lucky to be surrounded by incredible educators and enthusiastic students who enjoy reading and the library as much as I do."

To visit Mills’ Park View Middle School Libguide go to: www.guides.rilinkschools.org/parkview and click on the link for Park View Middle School.