Jill Dempsey, Hoover Middle School Library Media Specialist
Ms. Jill Dempsey is a Library Media Specialist at Hoover Middle School. She has been in the District for 15 years and has worked at the former Kenmore Middle and at Franklin Middle as well. Knowing that students search for books by genre, like readers in a bookstore, she voluntarily re-shelved and catalogued the entire fiction section of the school library by genre. She helped to spearhead the first-ever book raffle at Hoover, displaying 169 books donated from staff members for the Scholastic Book Fair and hosting student groups who deposited their earned ROARS tickets for a chance to win a new book. Jill is a Dragoneer advisor who trains 7th-grade leaders to serve as mentors to assist incoming 5th graders to make a smooth transition to middle school. As coordinator of daily announcements, Jill works with students to write, practice, and live-stream video announcements every morning. Jill works closely with teachers on projects in the Library, such as poetry and research projects, and is proud to display student work such as Greek Temple projects or club productions such as Roller Coaster Club projects. She has completed Accelerated Reader training alongside teacher colleagues to help students expand their reading horizons by matching their reading levels with their "just right books," and she motivates reluctant readers who appreciate the instant feedback they receive from Accelerated Reader quizzes. Jill supports students in the Enrichment Program as they research problems and solutions during their semester-long projects, and helps at the annual middle school Civics Showcase as these students earn points toward their Seal of Civic Readiness for graduation. On a personal note, Jill just completed the WNY Winter Hiking Challenge, has a 15-year-old daughter who attends Sweet Home High School, has two dogs, and loves to travel. Congratulations, Jill!
