Troy School District Librarian and Teacher win Statewide Award

On Thursday, October 24, the Michigan Association of School Librarians (MASL) honored Troy School District librarian Christina Chatel and Boulan Park Middle School teacher Michelle Slaviero with the 2024 MASL School Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award. This award celebrates their collaborative efforts, which have enhanced the educational environment within the Troy School District and serve as an inspiring example of the crucial role school libraries play in student success.

Christina and Michelle were recognized for their work on the Genius Hour and Michigan History Day Passion Projects with Boulan Park Middle School 8th-grade students. These student-centered projects promote deep learning, offering extensive opportunities for students to utilize the library for research and practice using citations in their work.

“I have enjoyed collaborating with Michelle for the past ten years and helping her bring Genius Hour into her classroom through the Michigan History Day project,” said Christina Chatel, librarian at Boulan Park Middle School. “I’m honored that MASL is recognizing our partnership as one of the best school librarian-teacher collaborations in the state this year.”

“It’s such an honor to be recognized alongside a colleague as creative and knowledgeable as Christina,” said Boulan Park teacher Michelle Slaviero. “Our collaboration benefits our students immensely and shows them how essential teamwork is in delivering rigorous 21st-century learning.”

The Troy School District is proud to celebrate Christina and Michelle’s accomplishments, which reflect the district’s commitment to providing a world-class education. Their work highlights the critical role school libraries play in student achievement and reinforces the district’s contribution to the advancement of school libraries.