My name is Michaele (pronounced ‘My-kul,” like Michael Jordan) Sommerville, and I am Bradley Elementary School's Library Media Specialist.  We are going to have a wonderful year reading, listening, exploring, researching, sharing, and choosing books and other resources that will support our interests and help us continue our love of learning!

This is my twenty-eighth year in education, having taught in Alaska, New Mexico, and Kansas. I graduated from the University of Alaska in Fairbanks with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, earned my Master's Degree in Educational Technology from Pittsburg State University, and spent many years as a kindergarten teacher.  I have actively continued my professional development while raising three children with my husband, a retired Army SGM. I am an advocate for children and for developmentally appropriate practice and maintain professional memberships in NAEYC (the National Association for the Education of Young Children), the ALA (American Library Association), and SITE (Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education). I was honored to be selected as our district's nominee for the 2012 Kansas Teacher of the Year Award.

I believe in building respectful, caring, and joyful relationships full of humor with students, families, and staff as working together creates a wonderful school experience for all!  To support academic and social-emotional learning and make our library a welcoming and engaging learning space, I provide multi-sensory activities and lessons aligned with the Kansas Curricular Content Standards for Library Information and Technology.  Students are encouraged to explore and express their ideas, feelings, and questions, and will have opportunities to increase their intrinsic motivation as learners and leaders during visits to our library.  Students who miss their class's scheduled weekly visit to the library due to absence and students who are "fast finishers" will have the opportunity to visit the library to check out new books multiple times each week.  During our last school year, Bradley readers checked out OVER 19,000 books!

More information about volunteer opportunities in the library, grade level schedules, reading programs, book fairs, and other announcements will be added to this page via posts or links.  And remember: the Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library (CARL) is also available in support of Fort Leavenworth soldiers and families!

HAPPY READING!

Michaele Sommerville

Email: [email protected]