Library ParaEducator Rebecca Cattin guides students through a LEGO challenge at Kenroy Elementary School.
At Kenroy Elementary School, the library is anything but one-dimensional. What may look like a little bit of everything is, in reality, a thoughtfully designed space where students engage in reading, creativity, and skill-building every time they walk through the doors.
Led by Library ParaEducator Rebecca Cattin, now in her second year in this role, the library serves every student in the building, ranging from kindergarten through sixth grade, including Life Skills classrooms. Students visit one to two times each week, with lessons that expand beyond traditional book checkout. While students still explore literature and learn about Children’s Choice books, they also build keyboarding skills in grades 3–6, participate in art projects, and engage in rotating monthly themes that bring new energy to the space.
One month, the library may be filled with LEGO creations built in class or brought from home, while another might highlight poetry. As Cattin shares, these opportunities “get their creative juices flowing and get them off of screens,” giving students multiple ways to connect with learning.
The space itself reflects the evolving needs of the school. Once a gymnasium and computer lab, the library now also houses a speech office and a behavior support area. At any given time, multiple groups and supports are working side by side. For younger students, there is still a dedicated carpet space where kindergarteners gather to hear stories, while every available corner is maximized with purpose. As Cattin puts it, “Every nook and cranny is used up.”
That intentional use of space extends to some of the library’s most personalized supports. Students in the Life Skills program each have individual tubs filled with books and activities aligned to their interests and needs, along with clear guidance for supporting adults. “No matter their capability, we can meet them where they’re at,” Cattin explains.
At its core, the library remains a place of connection. “Library is so important. It may look different for each kid, but while they are here I want them to have connections to books, reading, and art,” Cattin says. For many students, that connection begins simply by being read to, because as she reminds them, “being read to makes your world bigger.”
Through this layered and intentional approach, the Kenroy library continues to serve as a central hub, where students feel a sense of belonging, explore their interests, and grow in ways that reflect who they are as learners.
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