Agenda Item
c. Proclamation: School Library Month ~ DeKalb County School District (DCSD) Library Media Specialist of the Year and DeKalb Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl (HRRB) 26th Anniversary
Summary: Presented by: Tiffany Hogan, Ph.D., Board Member, District 5
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education proclaim the month of April as School Library Month in the DeKalb County School District and recognize the contribution of school libraries, their teacher-librarians/school librarians, and library support personnel to the teaching and learning process. It is also requested that the Board of Education recognize the DCSD 2025 Library Media Specialist of the Year, Ms. Tracie Harden, teacher-librarian at Clarkston High School. Additionally, we want to recognize the 26th anniversary of the DeKalb Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl and the reading bowl participants, coaches, volunteers, and planning committee.
Why: DeKalb County School District recognizes April as the month to celebrate school libraries, library personnel, and the 26th anniversary of the DeKalb Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Competition.
Details: School Library Month exists to:
Recognize the contribution of school libraries and their teacher-librarians to the individual growth and development of all students while fostering both excellence and equity in education;
Celebrate the unique learning environments and opportunities available to our students and communities through the work of school librarians and reading competition;
Promote intellectual freedom by providing materials to meet individual needs, varied interests, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and maturity levels of students served;
Encourage lifelong learning as developed through library media programs in our elementary and secondary schools;
Honor Mrs. Helen Ruffin, a dynamic and innovative Library Media Specialist at Sky Haven Elementary School in DeKalb County, who in 1986 created a unique and competitive reading competition called The Reading Bowl. Her vision was to have teams, comprised of students from different schools, compete to test their knowledge of select books. Twenty-six years later, it has grown into a statewide competition with local, regional and state competitions known at the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Competition.
Financial impact: None
Contact: Ms. Stacy E. Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678-676-0731
Dr. Sean R. Tartt, Deputy Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678-676-9234
Dr. Penny Mosely, Assistant Superintendent, P-5, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678-676-0137
Dr. Rose Prejean-Harris, Assistant Superintendent, 6-12, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 676-676-0137
Mrs. Lummie Baker, Director, Educational Media & Instructional Materials, Division of Curriculum and Instruction, 678-676-2424
Effective: April 21, 2025
Status: Attorney Approval Not Required
P R O C L A M AT I O N School Library Month
WHEREAS: April 2025 has been designated as the annual National School Library Month with the theme
Excellence is Our Story: School Libraries Leading the Way; and
WHEREAS: The school library media program’s mission is to ensure that students and staff are effective
users of ideas and information; and
WHEREAS: The teacher-librarians and library media assistants of DeKalb County have dedicated
themselves to work for quality school library media programs for all students; and
WHEREAS: The teacher-librarians teach the skills of locating and using information through traditional
resources and new technologies, provide literature appreciation activities, and encourage
content and recreational reading to every student; and
WHEREAS: School library media programs promote intellectual freedom by providing materials to meet
the needs, interests, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and maturity levels of all students
served, while fostering excellence and equity in education; and
WHEREAS: The DeKalb County School District recognizes Ms. Tracie Harden of Clarkston High School as
the 2025 Library Media Specialist of the Year (LMSOTY). Her leadership is evidenced by her
collaboration with teachers and community partners, integration of technology into instruction,
and celebration of student reading; and
WHEREAS: On Saturday, January 25, 2025, 71 elementary, middle, and high school teams were registered
to compete in the 26th Annual DeKalb County School District’s Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl
competition held in-person at Arabia Mountain High School. Of the six DeKalb first and second
place teams who advanced to the Metro Regional competition, Kittredge Magnet School and
Lakeside High School advanced to the State competition held on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
THEREFORE: By this action, let it be known that the DeKalb County Board of Education does hereby
proclaim April 2025 as School Library Month in the public schools of DeKalb County and calls
upon school administrators, teachers, and citizens of DeKalb County to recognize and support
this action and to participate throughout the month of April in celebration of School Library
Month. It is so proclaimed and in official recognition whereof, we hereby affix our signatures,
this 21st day of April 2025.