Glenwood librarian named Teacher of the Year by Oak Ridge Schools

Amelia Bell, a librarian at Glenwood Elementary School, has been named Teacher of the Year for the Oak Ridge school system.

Oak Ridge Schools announced their pick on Tuesday.

Bell is a librarian with 20 years of teaching experience, a press release said. She is a member of the Glenwood Leadership Team and has presented at several conferences, including the Tennessee Afterschool Summer Symposium and the American Association of School Librarians National Conference. She has also served as a lecturer in the School of Information Science at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

In addition, Bell is a prolific grant writer, the release said. She has been instrumental in writing grants to support Glenwood’s after school programs, “learning lunches” to increase science instruction during the school day, book studies linking science and literature, and summer reading opportunities. Bell was awarded the Tennessee Association of School Librarians Innovative Library Award for creation of the lunchroom library so that students could read for pleasure after finishing lunch.

The press release said Bell collaborates with classroom teachers in order to link information literacy and literature to curriculum standards. She also incorporates information skills that can be applied across the curriculum, such as interpreting information from charts, tables, and graphs. Bell shares her passion for history and government by teaching information literacy skills in the context of social studies.

The release said Bell has led the development of student-based conferencing and coordinates family events such as Family Math Night, Science Saturday, and book fairs.

“Not only does Ms. Bell serve as librarian, she consults with classroom teachers about units of study and standards they are covering and then creates lessons to support classroom instruction in other content areas,” said Pearl Goins, principal of Glenwood Elementary School. “She has also formed a special reading club whereby students can establish goals and are rewarded with a special lunch with her in the library.”

Bell’s colleague Kristi Boruff said: “It is extremely difficult to put on paper all that Amelia Bell does to ensure the success of students at Glenwood Elementary. If there is something happening at Glenwood, most likely Amelia has a significant leadership role. However, most of the time, her efforts are unnoticed.”

“Ms. Bell, we’ve noticed,” the press release said. “Congratulations on your selection as Oak Ridge Schools’ Teacher of the Year.”

The Teacher of the Year program in the State of Tennessee recognizes and honors outstanding teachers. The program is designed to “promote recognition, respect and appreciation for teacher, to stimulate interest in teaching as a career, and to encourage public involvement in education.”

Teachers of the Year must be facilitators of learning, be poised, articulate, enthusiastic, and energetic, the press release said. They must have a superior ability to inspire in students a love of learning, and they must show active involvement and leadership in extra-curricular activities, among other criteria.