Earlier this month, Peachtree Ridge HS Media Specialist Joni Gilman was surprised by administrators, teachers, staff, students and her family with the news that she is the 2018 GCPS Media Specialist of the Year.
Ms. Gilman was nominated by Assistant Principal Rosie Placek who credits her with “designing inviting learning spaces where students can wonder and explore and dream.” Dr. Jeff Mathews, the school’s principal, says Ms. Gilman’s passion for her job is infectious. “Joni is a self-starter and takes initiative on things when nobody is watching,” Dr. Mathews says. “In her field she’s a true innovator and pushes the boundaries so that the students are benefiting at high levels. She’s a true champion of literacy and someone who under-promises but over-delivers and changes the culture in this building.”
As the school’s media specialist, Ms. Gilman has developed a successful media program that is exemplary in the promotion of reading, information technology utilization, collaborative and innovative techniques, and community involvement. Evidence of her commitment to promoting literacy is shown through events hosted in the media center at Peachtree Ridge, her creative book displays, and the availability of resources— both traditional and digital— advertised to learners.
With her selection as Gwinnett’s Media Specialist of the Year for 2018, Ms. Gilman will be considered for regional recognition by the Georgia Library Media Association district committee. That award will be announced in May.
