The intention of the award is to honor an educational administrator or library advocate in the OCM (Onondaga, Cortland, Madison) region who has made significant contributions to school librarianship. 2013 is the first year that the award will be presented to a school building principal. Mr. Schnabl has demonstrated innovative administrative initiatives in the area of school libraries and the importance of the library connection to instruction.
Schnabl was nominated for the award by Vicki Reutter, a librarian for Cazenovia High School. In her nomination letter, she commended Mr. Schnabl for not only advancing the high school’s library program, but also the school’s educational standing.
Schnabl was nominated for the award by Vicki Reutter, a librarian for Cazenovia High School. In her nomination letter, she commended Mr. Schnabl for not only advancing the high school’s library program, but also the school’s educational standing.
With Mr. Schnabl at the helm, Cazenovia was ranked third for academics in Upstate New York by Business News and was awarded the 2012 NAAE Outstanding Secondary Agriculture Program, named the 2011 Model School for Project Lead the Way, ranked 154 in New York state high schools by U.S. News & World Report, and named an Outstanding Secondary School by the U.S. Department of Education, Mrs. Reutter writes.
In her letter, Reutter also highlights Mr. Schnabl’s ability to recognize the importance of a library media specialist in helping a school adjust to the curricular demands created by the new Common Core Standards. “Basically, I feel he has been a strong literacy advocate for our school, and has definitely supported my program on a daily basis,” Mrs. Reutter said. “We've had budget cuts and staff cuts, and I know he has taken these to heart and tried to come up with creative solutions.”
As an example, Mrs. Reutter cited the principal’s decision to approach teachers’ aides with an innovative idea for library staffing.
"His interpersonal skills paid off when we had staff cuts and there was no one to staff the library after school," Mrs. Reutter wrote in her nomination letter. "Mr Schnabl went literally door to door asking staff members to adjust their hours to cover the library, and was successful finding an aide to agree."
When Cazenovia High School English teacher Christie Brenneck needed additional copies of a novel that was added to the curriculumn, Mr. Schnabl came to the rescue. "Previously, the 12th grade teachers had taught different units at different times in order to share books, but we were still short," Mrs. Brenneck said. "As we had no funds for additional books that year, Eric went to Barnes & Noble and came in the next day with two bags filled with books for my students."
OCM BOCES Superintendent J. Francis Manning will present the award to Mr. Schnabl during the May 8 award ceremony.
“His program support, moral support and respectful treatment of students, staff and teachers are just a part of his hopeful and positive nature, making it a pleasure to work with him,” Mrs. Reutter said.
For more information about the OCM BOCES School Library System or their Administrator/Advocate of the Year Award, contact Marcie Mann, Interim School Library System Coordinator at 315/433-2665.
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