2013 SLANZA Awards List

Awards Recipients 2013

SLANZA encourages and rewards excellence in school libraries, recognising the success and achievement of those working in and with school libraries, with a series of annual awards.

These are the recipients of the 2013 awards:

Award of merit for literacy and enjoyment of reading

Trina Yuretich, Teacher with Library Responsibilty, Ahipara School
Nominated by Jeannie Skinner and Jennifer Puckey
Trina has demonstrated excellence across several areas of school library development. She has transformed the library environment with vibrant displays, and developed the library as a hub for reading, enabling a reading culture to develop throughout the school. The summer reading programme she organised over the summer holidays has significantly reduced student summer learning loss. Trina takes advantage of all the professional development opportunities available to her, as well as organising such literary events as Storylines and Kids Lit Quiz for her students to attend during the year.

Pam Garry, Library Manager, John McGlashen College
Nominated by Carole Gardiner and Bridget Schaumann
Pam is forward thinking and solution focussed in the education world. She is always trying new things and working to improve existing things. Pam runs a range of stimulating and exciting reading programmes throughout the school such as a peer reading programme; Go McGlashan Read, and Chockywockydoodah. She is an adjudicator for the speech competition, and organises the SHRIMP holiday reading packs to ensure minimal loss of student learning through summer school holidays. Pam is an excellent colleague who keep in close contact with all departments, especially English, and creates exciting visual displays for the library. Her contributions to the reading and learning of the students are wise, well-considered and always practical.

Glenys Bichan, Librarian, Cambridge High School
Nominated by Linda McCullough and Vicki Stephens
Under Glenys’s guidance the use of the library has increased greatly. This is the result of well-run book promotions, the creation of a welcoming environment within the library and timely promotions of current events to capture student interest. She has embraced digital technology by developing a number of digital resources, and moved the school into the area of ebooks, providing students with access to these resources from home. Glenys is always responsive to the changing learning needs of her students.

Kimberley Atkinson, Librarian, Robertson Road School, Mangere, Auckland
References: Ravi Naidoo and John Nicholls
Kimberley works in a decile one, full primary school with 500 students and a 90% Pasifika student roll. Some examples of the innovative programmes she has initiated are the creating of Māori and Pacific collections, introducing graphic novels, a parenting library, which matches well with the Home School programme run throughout the school community, series boxes for fiction and the presentation of all fiction in face-out position. Kimberley has had great success with her funding applications to several organisations and has used the money wisely to increase the number of reading resources in the library. Her school is now a part of the Authors in Schools programme with recent visits from Kyle Mewburn, Tracey Duncan and Paula Green. Kimberley has proven herself to be a passionate advocate for her school library, with the reading and literacy interest of her students always at the heart of her work.

Award of merit for promotion

Tracy Westall, Librarian, Diocesan School for Girls, Auckland
Nominated by Elizabeth Atkinson and Chris Arthur
Tracy is acknowledged for the energy and passion she brings to her work, ensuring that her library is a vibrant and exciting place for readers to discover and enjoy a range of books and resources. Tracy has been extremely successful in promoting and encouraging use of the library, in ways that are centred on students, and foster a sense of ownership and belonging for them.

Michelle Simms, Librarian, Te Totara Primary School, Hamilton
Nominated by Jude Cosson and Linday McCullough
Michelle is acknowledged for her innovative and proactive promotion of her library to members of her school community. Michelle’s sharing of new ideas and information reaches beyond her school into the wider school library and education communities; she is a role model for the ways technology can be used to enhance library services and develop community connections.

Award of merit for Library Manager

Clare Giesbers, Library Manager, Northland College, Kaikohe
Nominated by Jeannie Skinner and Jennifer Puckey
Clare is acknowledged for her unflagging commitment and enthusiasm, despite difficult circumstances, to the development of her library as a relevant and engaging environment that is positive, welcoming and inclusive for all students and staff at her school.

Award of merit for Information Literacy

Clare Forrest, Library Manager, Raroa Normal Intermediate, Wellington
Nominated by Jason Ataera and Janet Hart
Clare is acknowledged as a valuable member of her staff who has successfully developed and implemented an effective approach to improving students’ literacy, and has been able to share these approaches with the wider library/school community.

Principal’s Awards

Sandy Hastings, Beckenham Primary School, Christchurch
Nominated by Glenda Fortune and Paula Eskett
Sandy is recognised for providing inspiration and actively demonstrates how highly valued the library and it’s services are in the school community.

Patrick Drumm, Aorere College, Auckland
Nominated by Anne Rolinson, supported by Bharathi Char and Kaaren Hirst
Patrick is acknowledged for his sustained support of the library team and consistently promoting the importance of the library to the school and the wider community.

Lee Whitelaw, Ohaeawai School, Kaikohe
Nominated by Jeannie Skinner and Jennifer Puckey
Lee is recognised for placing the library at the heart of literacy and learning at Ohaeawai School creating enthusiastic, fluent, engaged readers and writers. Lee sees the library as integral to achieving that goal.

Philip McCreery, Cambridge High School, Cambridge
Nominated by Glenys Bichan and Richard Carter
Philip has supported the creation of the library as the hub of learning in the school allowing it to consistently demonstrate innovation; fostering high morale among staff and promoting community use of the library.

Certificates of Appreciation Awarded to retiring regional chairs and National
Executive representatives

Kaaren Hirst - retiring Auckland regional chair
Bridget Schaumann - retiring Otago regional chair
Donna Watt - retiring Southland regional chair
Bharathi Char - retiring National Executive Representative, Auckland region
Di Eastwood - retiring Te Tai Tokerau chair
Michele Ayres - retiring National Executive Representative, Aoraki region
Jude Cosson - retiring National Executive Representative, Waikato / Bay of Plenty region
Donna Watt - retiring National Executive Representative, Southland region
Paula Eskett - retiring National Executive Representative, Aoraki region
Michele Whiting - retiring National Executive Representative, Wellington region

Certificate of Appreciation awarded to Past President

Fiona Mackie

Certificates of Appreciation awarded to members of the 2013 conference committee

Michele Whiting - Corinna School
Karen Clarke - St Patrick's College, Kilbirnie
Katrina Young-Drew - National Library of New Zealand, Services to Schools
Clare Forrest - Raroa Normal Intermediate School
Robbie Wathne - Rongotai College Christine Cross - Worser Bay School
Joanna Ludbrook - Houghton Valley School Anne Keenan - Sacred Heart College, Lower Hutt
Judith McGhie - Hutt City Libraries
Marianne Dobie - Chilton Saint James School
Jane Shallcrass - Wellington High School Rosalba Finnerty - Samuel Marsden Collegiate School Archives
Jenny Carroll - Wellington Girls' College Susan Arthur - Mana Education Centre
Angela Ryan - Mana Education Centre