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Re-envisioning the South Knoxville Elementary Library
Tanna Niceley and Viktoria Henderson
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When Dr. Tanna Nicely became principal of South Knoxville Elementary (SKE) two and half years ago, the first vision she had was to add a splash of color to an old school. At over 50 years old, the school was in need of some new life, and the first place she decided to start was in the library (see Figure 1), a room that touches every child in the school and could be opened to the community.
Figure 1. South Knoxville Elementary Library before remodelingFigure 1. South Knoxville Elementary Library before remodeling
Dr. Nicely began the revitalization process by repurposing the librarian position. Historically, SKE employed a part-time librarian, but Dr. Nicely saw the importance of having a full-time librarian who could co-teach and collaborate with teachers and make books available to students. To fund the full-time position, Dr. Nicely was given the autonomy to use Title I funds.
After repurposing the librarian position, Dr. Nicely worked with the East Tennessee Community Design Center and Cope Architects to transform and enhance the old library into a revitalized space for our young learners. An initial meeting with community stakeholders and Douglas Dillingham, Knox County Schools...