Suzanne Compton, a paraeducator at the Bremerton High School library, was chosen from an outstanding pool of nominees as the Olympic ESD Regional Classified Employee of the Year.
Suzanne, pictured on the left with Olympic ESD Superintendent Greg Lynch, believes that working in a school library is more than customer service. “It’s about being able to connect with students and build a trust…” She says that she loves the challenges and rewards that come with working with young adults.
Suzanne has over 20 years of experience working in libraries, both in the public and school venues. She believes that an important part of her job is to be up-to-date on young adult literature, so that she can recommend books when a student comes in and doesn’t know what they want to read. “I believe that being able to read well is the basic skill that all learning hinges on.” Her goal is to encourage students to see reading as comfortable and entertaining, because reading for pleasure will carry over into other academic achievements.
Her principal says that “Ms. Compton is responsible for helping create a positive library environment…” and has made tremendous contributions to the after-school tutoring program. Attendance in the after-school Tier 1 intervention program that she helped create increased to over 4,000 student sign-ins in 2012-2013.
Ms. Compton competed with other Regional Classified Employees of the Year to vie for the title of Washington State Classified Employee of the Year..
Congratulations, Ms. Compton, for making reading a positive experience for so many young people!
Pictured on the right, Bremerton School District Superintendent Aaron Leavell with the Bremerton School District Board, Sue Compton, and OESD Superintendent Greg Lynch.For more information on the Classified Employee of the Year program, go to the OSPI website.
Wendy McComb
wmccomb@oesd.wednet.edu
360.478.6884