This annual award is given in memory of the dedication, commitment to student learning and teaching excellence that Dan Fleming’s career as professor, school library teacher, and school administrator exemplified. It is awarded to a Simmons graduate student enrolled in the School Library Teacher Program who has demonstrated academic excellence, outstanding achievement in the school library teacher practicum experiences, leadership, and service – all qualities associated with its beloved and highly esteemed dedicatee, Daniel Fleming.
The Daniel Fleming Outstanding Student School Library Teacher Award
Remarks for Laura Szaro
During her graduate program, Laura has had the clear goal of becoming an excellent school library teacher. She has worked to learn all that she can to achieve that goal. She has maintained a 4.0 GPA.
Laura is especially interested in the integration of instructional technology into the curriculum, and she strives to effectively integrate technology into her teaching. At the same time, she has a deep commitment to helping students develop a love of reading. Her practicum work was outstanding and received high praise from both her cooperating practitioners and from her college supervisors. She completed her practicum experiences at Brookline High School and at the Zervas Elementary School in Newton. During her Brookline High School practicum, she assisted a student group, Brookline Literacy Partnership, with efforts to support and reorganize the Mather School Library in Dorchester.
This past fall, Laura was the recipient of the Simmons MSLA Scholarship given to a student to attend the American Association of School Librarians Conference – held this year in Minneapolis. She has shared knowledge gained from this experience with other members of the organization.
In addition, she has served as the Co-President of the college’s Student Chapter of the Massachusetts School Library Association – thus demonstrating not only her commitment to the profession but her leadership skills as well. She, along with her Co-chair, successfully organized an excellent fall career panel and an outstanding spring conference for our Simmons MSLA Student Chapter. Her excellent organizational skills have been demonstrated through these activities.
During her time at Simmons she has also been a Teen Room Volunteer at the Main Branch of the Brookline Public Library, and she has worked as the Ebooks Project Manager for the Harvard Education Publishing Group at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
She now looks forward to a career as a school library teacher.
We congratulate her and wish her well.
(Thank you to Fran Zilonis for her lovely words.)
Posted by simmonsmsla 
