Spotlight: Ms. Crowley Says Goodbye

AHS Library Media Specialist to Retire After 15 years

Allison Dennehy

Ms. Crowley in the Library Media Center

Ms. Crowley has been a part of the Abington School District in so many different roles, but her 15 year run as the high school librarian is coming to an end this year.

Ms. Crowley’s sons Jared and Shane attended Abington schools. Shane was on the first Abington football team to win a championship. As a parent Ms. Crowley was actively involved as she served on school committee and school council.

Ms. Crowley had previously worked in early childhood education in both Holbrook and Randolph. However, when Ms. Crowley decided to get her Master’s Degree she says, “I knew that I wanted to learn more about educational technology and literacy, not just the love of books, but also digital literacy.” This interest in technology and digital literacy led Ms. Crowley to a career in library media.

While working in our Library Media Center (LMC) at the old school, Ms. Crowley was the first advisor for the Green Wave Gazette. After two years alone, she then co-advised alongside Ms. Pflaumer, who then took it over for several years and is serving again.  Mrs. Crowley also advised the Anti-bullying Club before Mr. Lanner.

For the last few years, Ms. Crowley has been preparing for the move to the new Middle-High School. But she has enjoyed both the old and new LMCs. She says, “I will always be attached to the memories I hold of the LMC in the old school. It had such a homey atmosphere and was my home away from home for fifteen years.”

However, the new LMC has allowed collaboration between several classes, grades and even schools. Ms. Crowley has helped set a great precedent as to the endless opportunities and uses for the new LMC.

Ms. Crowley has not only been a great source of information when it comes time to finding a new book to read, but she is also very helpful when it comes time to do research. She has made the LMC’s own website: www.ahsvirtuallibrary.weebly.com . She has made an entire page dedicated to research and databases. Along with the actual process of doing research, Ms. Crowley has advised us on how to utilize this information as she has another page dedicated to citations and plagiarism. Ms. Crowley says, “I passionately believe that to be successful in today’s world, students need to know how to know what information is needed, how to locate and evaluate it, and to use that information in new and creative ways.”

Just as Ms. Crowley will miss working with “such talented and dedicated educators and to be part of a caring learning community,” the students and staff at both Abington’s Middle and High Schools will miss her hours of dedication and her ability to make everyone else’s needs her priority each day.

Next year, Ms. Milloshi will be the new librarian. Although she has big shoes to fill, getting to work with Ms. Crowley for the past year will definitely be advantageous. The library patrons and AHS students will definitely miss Ms. Crowley’s enthusiasm.