At its Annual Meeting on November 14th the Maine Association of School Libraries presented its Walter J. Taranko Library Media Specialist of the Year Award to Deborah Gahm, Library Media Specialist at Lake Region High School in Naples, Maine.
In presenting the award Teri Caouette, Immediate Past President and chair of the award committee cited Debbie for being on the front line of District technology initiatives, for being passionate that students learn to use resources and learn to use them correctly and for being able to keep up with the challenges of constant change. Debbie was also lauded for establishing the position of District Coordinator, spearheading the work on an MLR aligned K-12 curriculum and co-chairing Lake Region High School’s NEASC accreditation visitation.
Teri also noted that Debbie has twice been voted “Faculty Member of the Year”, has served as both a class and a student advisor as well as being foreign exchange coordinator all of which have established strong personal connections with students, parents and staff. In addition she commended Debbie who serves on the MASL Board as PR chair for chairing the committee that is re-writing MASL’s School Librarian’s Handbook. The Handbook will be released at the end of the year and distributed to every school library in the State was touted as a huge job which Debbie managed most ably.
Debbie’s Principal Roger Lowell noted in his nomination that despite severe funding limitations Debbie has managed to create a high quality library program that communicates the importance of the Library Media Center to students and staff alike. He also cited her work coordinating a major three year grant (CSRD) as evidence of her leadership contributions to the school and District. And he noted that her leadership skills and efforts extend beyond school into the local community where she is chairing the capital campaign to raise funds for the renovation of the town office into a new town library. Other staff letters offered additional evidence of Debbie’s knowledge, skill and professionalism.
The presentation on November 14th was preceded by a surprise announcement of the award at a Lake Region High School staff meeting on November 2nd. MASL President Jeff Small and Executive Secretary Edna Comstock traveled to Lake Region HS at the invitation of Lake Region HS Principal Roger Lowell and presented Debbie with flowers and the official word that she would be MASL’s Library Media Specialist of the Year.
The Walter J. Taranko Library Media Specialist of the Year Award honors the memory of Walter Taranko a longtime library consultant with the Maine Department of Education who mentored many in the Maine library community including Debbie. The award is more than 30 years old and has been presented on an annual basis to a Maine Library Media Specialist who exemplifies professionalism, dedication and service to the Maine school Library community. In addition to an engraved plaque Debbie received a $1000 check for her school library.
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