Franklin Sherman Librarian Honored

By Donna Peterson, Special to McLean Patch

Like a group of random mushrooms in rich soil, the children sit planted on the floor over big books, flipping the pages, searching for picture treasure.  Nearby, classmates look into computer screens until a voice calls for "blue screens." 

A flurry of clicking and rolling mice instantly line the wall in blue and beige checkerboard. Then, with practiced efficiency, a line forms as the "caboose" of the day raises his hand, and then the class files out of the library at Franklin Sherman Elementary School. 

The conductor of this synchronized motion is Librarian Nicole Choiniere-Kroeker, who has been named the 2011 Potomac Region School Librarian of the Year. by the Virginia Educational Media Association.*   She was selected from among school librarians serving in  Fairfax, Arlington, Rappahannock, Loudoun, Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Fauquier, Prince William, Orange and Culpeper counties. 

Choiniere-Kroeker has brought a new focus and mission to FS library, thanks to her prior experience as a classroom teacher in Trumbull, Connecticut. "The first thing I did was reorganize for teaching," said Choiniere-Kroeker.

When she arrived three years ago, the library was in boxes on open house day because a major renovation had just been completed.  Choiniere-Kroeker considered every detail in setting up the remodeled library, from choosing round desks for small group work and rectangular desks for large groups, and then creating cozy spaces for multiple classes to learn in the library simultaneously.  

A key area for teaching happens in the SMART Board space, where students take part in lessons by using clickers and thereby give Choiniere-Kroeker an indication of whether they've understood the concept she's presenting.

"My belief is we need to prepare the students with technology.  You should have heard them today when we looked at Google maps, from the country, down to the state, the city.  Then we correlated that to atlases" on the desks.

Principal Kathleen Quigley, said, "She is innovative and dedicated to making the media center a vibrant learning environment.  She supports teachers and students and contributes to the school in countless ways.  We know she is the best!"  

Choiniere-Kroeker is also piloting a new circulation and cataloguing system for  Fairfax County Public Schools aptly named Symphony.  Choiniere-Kroeker transitions from managing classes and pilot programs to helping students like Ava, an upper-grade girl who wanders in looking for survival-themed books to read over spring break and who leaves with a small stack.

*VEMA's mission is to be the recognized voice for excellence in Virginia’s school libraries through the promoting literacy, information access and evaluation, love of literature, effective use of technology, collaboration in teaching and learning , intellectual freedom, professional growth, instructional leadership, and lifelong learning.

Choiniere-Kroeker is now a candidate for the state Librarian of the Year Award.