From left to right, Stone Mill Elementary School media specialist Anita Blank; assistant principal Chris Lyons; principal Kimberly Williams Cascio; and media assistant Ming Hsieh.
Stone Mill Elementary School principal Dr. Kimberly Williams (Cascio) has been honored with the Nancy C. Walker Award for Outstanding Support to a Library Media Program for the 2020 – 2021 school year. The award is given annually by the Montgomery County Educational Media Specialists Association (MCEMSA) to highlight the role by administrative leaders in supporting library media centers.
Anita Blank, the media specialist at Stone Mill, nominated Dr. Williams because she encourages her “to advocate for [her] program … as one of the curriculum leaders for reading and writing.”
In the 13 years that Blank and Dr. Williams have worked together, Blank has developed a successful library program because Dr. Williams respects Blank’s contribution to the growth and education of their students. Dr. Williams not only trusts her to order appropriate books for students and to supervise online resources to enhance the school’s curriculum, but also supports diverse programs and the best media scheduling model for the students.
For many years, the two have collaborated with student interns from Montgomery College, helping young teachers learn the importance of working in the classroom and in the media center.
“Our school is not without challenges in the school media program,” says Blank. “A few parents sought to remove books from our library due to content.” Dr. Williams personally addressed their concerns and assured her trust in Blank’s collection development decisions.
But by far, the biggest challenge this past year has been the pandemic. “How would the media program virtually assist students effectively with reading and technology?” Dr. Williams, with a calm demeanor and attention to detail, encouraged Blank to do whatever was necessary to solve these issues. She believed Blank would succeed and invited her to be a part of the core team. By making her a leader in the building, Dr. Williams’ support of Blank allowed the school’s media program and their students to thrive.
