Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Library topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fox Chapel Area High School library named Pennsylvania Outstanding School Library; students describe mental-health and reading programs
Summary
Fox Chapel Area High School librarian Dr. Laura Ward and students described library programs and said the high school library was named the 2025 Outstanding Pennsylvania School Library by the state; students highlighted Shelf Care Club, Book Club and author visits as daily supports and community partners.
The Fox Chapel Area High School library was named the 2025 Outstanding Pennsylvania School Library, district leaders said during the Board of School Directors meeting.
Dr. Laura Ward, the high school librarian, and Dr. Michelle Young, Fox Chapel Area High School program principal, presented the recognition and brought students from the library’s QRT and clubs to describe programs that staff and students said support reading and mental health.
Dr. Ward told the board, “We are the 2025 outstanding Pennsylvania School Library,” and credited a focus on “connections over collections” and six foundations from the American Association of School Librarians. Students described several long-running and recent initiatives that run in the library: - Shelf Care Club: students said the club provides a safe place to discuss literature that addresses mental-health experiences. Student Sophie Mzotarski described the library as a “safe place” she chose as a tangible refuge while she worked through therapy in high school. - Book Club: students said the book club meets monthly, partners with the Cooper-Siegel Community Library for book lending, and runs fundraisers for community projects. - Back on Track (BOT) and QRT supports: students and Dr. Ward described academic supports, supervised spaces for testing or make-up work, and student worker positions that teach library operations including shelving and display creation.
Student presenters included senior leaders from the library QRT who recounted concrete activities: author visits (the transcript cites Angeline Boulley — spelled in the transcript as Angeline Gulley — as a recent visitor discussing her book Firekeeper's Daughter), Shelf Care Club peer discussions, and the Shelf Care Club’s role in supporting students’ mental health.
Dr. Young introduced the students and said the library’s programming “creates such a wonderful and welcoming environment” and praised Dr. Ward’s leadership. Students told the board the library hosts author visits and that the recognition highlighted the library’s integration of student supports, community partnerships and academic services.
Why this matters Board members and the superintendent praised the library’s role as an inclusive student space that goes beyond circulation: trustees noted the library’s contributions to student wellness and community engagement, and the district said it will continue supporting the programs.
Clarifying details - Award: “2025 Outstanding Pennsylvania School Library” (state-recognized) — stated by Dr. Ward during the presentation. - Student programs mentioned: Shelf Care Club (peer support via literature), Book Club (community collaboration with Cooper-Siegel Community Library), Back on Track (academic support/test supervision), library worker roles (shelving, displays, circulation duties), author visits (one example cited: Firekeeper's Daughter author visit in the school year).
Ending Board members congratulated Dr. Ward, the student presenters and teachers. The recognition and students’ firsthand descriptions underscored the library’s role as both an instructional hub and a student well-being resource for Fox Chapel Area High School.
