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Baltimore School Library Makeover Opens a New Chapter for Students

  • Hazelwood Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore serves approximately 527 students in preK through eighth grade. It has been 20 years since the school’s library was last remodeled, so Principal Amanda Rice was thrilled when she was joined by district officials recently to cut the ribbon on the newly transformed library.Baltimore Public Schools' Hazelwood Elementary/Middle School's New Library

    As part of the transformation, the school received 18,000 new books, as well as new bookcases, shelving, and storage to hold them. The makeover was the result of Baltimore City Public Schools being selected as the recipient of the fourth annual Richard M. Robinson Literacy Champion Award, named in honor of the late Scholastic Chairman and CEO Richard (Dick) Robinson. 

    Sponsored by Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, in collaboration with the Council of the Great City Schools, the annual award recognizes a Council member school district for demonstrated progress in advancing reading achievement. 

    As the Richard M. Robinson Literacy Champion Award winner, the Baltimore school district chose Hazel Elementary/Middle School to receive the grand prize of a library makeover. Students at Hazelwood were also given 10 books each to take home over the summer to add to their home libraries and help prevent summer learning loss.

    For principal Rice, the transformed library is a dream come true for the students at Hazelwood.

    “Reading opened up doors for me, and as a principal I still read,” said Rice in an interview with the Urban Educator. “So now the kids have a place where they can go, they can sit down, they can relax, work on their reading skills, and enjoy a book. The children of Hazelwood deserve this, and I’m just so excited for them.”Council of the Great City Schools Executive Director, Ray Hart speaking with students at the Hazelwood Elementary/Middle

    Joining Price at the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for Hazelwood’s library makeover was Alison Perkins-Cohen, Baltimore’s chief of staff; Ray Hart, executive director of the Council; Tai Chapman, national director, Scholastic Education Solutions; and several community members.

    Rahsann B. Simon was hired in August as Hazelwood’s library media specialist and is looking forward to helping the library support the school and its teachers. “I want to find out how I can use the resources in the library to help students engage in their academic work and help them be successful.”