Greetings


 * From a local colleague:**

Just a few thoughts and observations about Joyce and her wonderful leadership and vision for librarians, teachers and students:

I have known Joyce for 14 years and she continues to work tirelessly to bring the latest technologies and resources to her students, teachers and librarian followers. She is always so helpful, no matter who she deals with and where she is providing her voice. Her blog is award winning, her writings in many scholarly magazines are cutting edge with the research and assessment she provides in introducing new web 2.0 applications in education.

Joyce shares all of her work on the web in her many wikis, blogs and glogs, and as a result, we are all better educators due to her ability to provide equity in books, resources and technology. I can’t wait to read her blogs because they make me cutting edge; I pass on this knowledge to my teachers and we enjoy our collaboration together. Joyce makes her world of learning exhilarating, and fun, and she is contagious in her excitement and the world is her audience (as well as those 700 students in Springfield High School).

Springfield High School has such a great reputation as an excellent school with a library (and a virtual library) that offers so much to the students, teachers, and parents in the Springfield community all due to Joyce’s leadership and collaboration.

Joyce Valenza is the leader of our tribe and she has many followers because she is the present and the future of libraries, and her word is stimulating and timely and honest. As Joyce attains the best for her students, we learn about her best and pass it along in our libraries and schools. Thanks for being our leader, go forth and continue your quest. You make schools, students and libraries the best as a result.

Sincerely, BJ Neary Librarian Abington Senior High School Abington, PA


 * From a teacher and Social Studies Department Chair:**

Dr. Valenza has turned the Springfield High School library into the nerve center of the school. When I first started teaching the library was to be a place of quiet and only books, magazines, and the vertical file were the resources. Students started with the card catalog in their search for information. We now have a 21st century library with a librarian who is constantly not just on the cutting edge of technology herself but is also helping us to become a true community of learners. Dr. Valenza always has time to help staff and students alike with both individual and group needs. Our library is now abuzz with the sounds of learning and the interchange of information. Yes, we still have books and magazines but now we also have the computers and the Internet and best of all, we have Dr. Valenza.

Alan Eickhoff, Social Studies Dept. Coordinator


 * From our former Principal and Assistant Superintendent:**

Joyce Valenza is a visionary educator who has led the effort to transform the role of the traditional school librarian into a 21st century information literacy expert who impacts all areas of a school's curriculum and instruction. Joyce is ALWAYS ahead of the curve when it comes to identifying the educational impact of new information technologies. Joyce's influence locally, regionally and nationally simply CANNOT be understated.

Dr. Joseph Roy  Superintendent, Bethlehem Area School District


 * From our former Superintendent:**

Congratulations, Joyce, on a well deserved award. I believe that our High School Library is a true treasure for the District and I am pleased that it has been discovered, not only in the State, but our Nation as well. You have created an environment where students want to learn more deeply and excel. I have always been honored to work with you and hope this award inspires more librarians to rise to your standards.

Roseann Nyiri, Ed.D. Former Superintendent Springfield School District


 * From our secondary PTA:**

People brag about their things…children brag about their school…the sports, the band, how great the school show is going to be, their favorite teachers. Add to the list their library!

**Our students brag about their library**. The greatness of it is evident when they are here in school. The resources that are available to them, the up-to-date and cutting edge learning that actually goes on in our library. Most of us could venture to say that appreciating the excellence of your school library would not be something folks would expect young people to do. However, I want to say it is even more evident and more appreciated when they go on to college. While they are here they are unaware that this is certainly not the norm. Those of us with students who have gone off to college know that our children were more than a step above their college classmates when it came to utilizing library resources. Some of the students came back to Springfield for research because their college libraries didn’t even compare.

We try very hard not to let this resource go untapped. Every year we have a tag team presentation with Dr. Valenza and Mrs. Becker from the middle school at one of our PTA meetings. Our intention is to not only let our parents see the awesome library, but to allow them to feel the pride we all do in what is available for our students. Honestly this one night presentation could be a miniseries; there is just so much to learn. We certainly understand why our children brag about their library.

Laurie Kristiniak President, Springfield Secondary PTA