Source: South Dakota State Library. Reprinted with permission.
Pierre, S.D. – The South Dakota State Library pronounced Claire Nehring, St. Joseph’s Indian School librarian, the inaugural recipient of the School Achievement Through Libraries (SATL) Distinguished School Librarian Award. Nehring was selected among 19 esteemed library professionals whose work exemplifies the three SATL pillars: professional, program, and place.
Each year, school libraries are invited to apply for the SATL Award Program by July 1. New this year, a committee reviewed each submission and selected South Dakota’s first SATL Distinguished School Librarian.
In her ten years as the school librarian at St. Joseph’s Indian School in Chamberlain, Nehring has built a library program that honors culture, nurtures curiosity, and places students at the center of her decisions. Nehring places strong emphasis on the importance of collaborating with students and staff to deliver engaging and purposeful resources, tools, and experiences that deeply connect with students and their lives.
“Claire Nehring brings a wealth of passion to her role as our librarian,” said St. Joseph’s Indian School Principal Sharmel Olson. “She brings books to life in her library and actively pursues finding books students want to read and can relate to. Classroom engagement expands beyond the seats with nature walks and hands-on discovery and creations. St. Joseph’s Indian School is blessed to have Claire Nehring at our school.”
An example of Nehring’s passion and dedication is demonstrated through her Flight Path program, which combined science, math, art, English Language Arts, and Lakota components while students learned about birds and coordinated efforts to protect them on their campus.
As a SATL Distinguished School Librarian, recipients show their commitment to professional leadership, impacts made on students and their learning, and deliver program excellence through collaboration and innovation while positively contributing to the overall school community.
“Claire is a model example of the impact of school librarianship,” said State Librarian George Seamon. “She has far exceeded the criteria set for measuring up to the prestigious recognition of the SATL Distinguished School Librarian award.”
She is an inspiration for school librarians across the state to apply for next year’s SATL awards to highlight the impact they are making in their communities through their own program.
To learn more about school library excellence in South Dakota, visit the SATL webpage at library.sd.gov/LIB/SLC/satl.aspx.