Excellent Educators is a WAVY-TV 10 initiative to celebrate local teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students and communities during the coronavirus pandemic. These Excellent Educators were nominated by their school divisions. Congratulations to these educators for all of their hard work and accomplishments!
Name: Shannon Kerr
Division: Gloucester County Public Schools
Position: Media specialist and librarian at Page Middle School
What the school division said about this Excellent Educator:
Shannon Kerr has worked as a media specialist and librarian in the new Page Middle School since its opening in 2016. As a “traditional” librarian, she provided literacy services and classroom instruction related to the English standards for research and technology. When COVID-19 closed our schools, Kerr completely revised her librarian role so that the needs of all students in the new environment could be met.
This year, Kerr has become proficient in the Canvas Learning Management system and had embedded research links and library resources in her Canvas modules for students to access. She has moved to a “cart” to provide access to hard copies of books for students to check out. She has increased access to electronic books red through Kindles and Canvas, and she provides just-in-time lessons to individual classes related to research, current events, and the appropriate use of technology.
Kerr’s role has included ensuring students always have access to technology to engage in online learning, whether at home or when in school. She has become the “Door Dash” for Page — physically walking loaner Chromebooks to students when they forget theirs at home and providing extra chargers when needed. Typically, each morning and each afternoon, we find Kerr walking the building to delivery and monitor devices, and she’s earned those steps.
Although she misses her traditional role of librarian, Kerr quickly adjusted when she recognized the need to shift instruction from visiting the library to engaging in library and curriculum resources through technology. She has met the need with students by providing one-to-one technology instruction, has met with parents who have expressed confusion in supporting their children’s Chromebook use, and has gone above and beyond by making home visits to help parents and their children with Chromebooks.
We are better because Kerr is a member of the Page family — and, she’s also a volunteer deputy with the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office. How cool is that? Kerr’s energy and enthusiasm will light up your day!
