Julie Smith named region's best

SMS librarian picked as Region I Middle School Teacher of the Year

SANDPOINT - Sandpoint Middle School librarian Julie Smith is the Region I Middle School Teacher of the Year for 2008.

SMS teachers and Lake Pend Oreille School District officials surprised her with the announcement after school Thursday.

“I couldn't have done any of this without a supportive staff,” said a teary-eyed Smith.

Prior to becoming a librarian at SMS, Smith was a language arts teacher.

She had planned to become a librarian, but thought it would be a career path taken further along in her career.

However, when the previous librarian retired, Smith decided to make the move.

If it were not for the support of her co-workers, she could not have given up teaching, she said.

Smith's selection was made by the Idaho Middle Level Association. She was to received the honor at the annual IMLA Conference on Friday at Templins' Resort in Post Falls.

Smith was selected for her wide-ranging involvement with students and teachers in the classroom and networking with community volunteers.

When not working with library patrons, coordinating a group of parent volunteers, working with Sue Gervais on art work for the halls, or perusing catalogs for the best in adolescent literature, Smith might be found as a visiting professor in one of the classrooms. Smith would prefer to call it “team-teaching.”

A veteran teacher who stepped out of her role in language arts (affecting 60 students) into the role of school librarian (affecting 500 students), Smith uses her expertise to enrich the curriculum and the lives of both students and staff. She collaborates with teachers on a weekly basis.

Two of her outstanding units include “Character Shoes” and the “Middle School Brain Unit.” 

Without a doubt, the students' favorite is Smith's “Character Shoes.” On the first day of the unit, Smith dresses colorfully. She challenges students to record a detailed description of her “character.”

The shoes are the most outrageous part of her costume. 

Smith brings in music and a slide show on the Smart Board (“These Boots Are Made for Walking”), a trunk full of unique shoes to stimulate inquiry and analysis, and delivers humorous lectures on character traits, elements of literature, and how characters drive theme, mood, and tone. Each day, Smith lectures dressed as yet another character type. 

The seventh grade students love the music, the pageantry, the unusual lectures, and the creation of their own character sketches. Her coworkers said Smith brings “character” to life. 

The teachers' favorite unit is the collaborative brain unit. 

Smith helped select cutting edge materials to share with classes; conducted  research on middle school brain development; lead a teachers' study group in brain development for college credit; wrote grants to purchase books, CD's, and supplies for activities involving brain development; studied sleep patterns and dreams; and examined how to use the eight intelligences while conducting the unit.

“Julie Smith is an outstanding teacher who takes collaboration, co-teaching, and cooperative learning to a level of excellence. As librarian at Sandpoint Middle School,she has built a program and created a library that has become the heart and soul of SMS,” language arts teacher Jeannie Lyon said.

Smith has worked at the middle school since its inception and is a strong proponent for the middle school philosophy of learning teams or houses and cross-curricular activities. Smith has also played a key role in the enrichment programs at SMS, including organizing the annual talent show, Read Across America/Dr. Seuss's Birthday, Where's Mrs. Ferkle?, and the Poetry Slam.