LSHS principal selected for award

Landry
Landry

Lakeside High School Principal Darin Landry will be honored at a conference later this month as the Arkansas Association of Instructional Media 2015 Administrator of the Year.

Landry was one of the three nominees for this year's award. He was nominated by Lakeside library media specialists Stony Evans and Misti Bell. Assistant Superintendent Bruce Orr and counselor Peggy Stratton submitted letters of recommendation.

The selection committee was composed of school media specialists from across the state.

The AAIM 2015 Conference will be held March 29-31 at the Hot Springs Convention Center. Evans was honored as the Media Specialist of the Year two years ago at the 2013 conference held in Rogers.

Membership for the organization totals more than 600 public school library media specialists, technology specialists, teachers and administrators. More than 90 professional development sessions focusing on instructional technology, media usage and current innovations in library media will be presented at this year's conference.

AAIM will recognize Landry and five other award-winning educators on March 30.

"I think it is a great honor," Landry said. "There is no way possible that I would have been able to receive this award if I did not have two great media specialists in Stony Evans and Misti Bell that bring new ideas to me every day and ideas to get kids into the library."

Landry credits Evans and Bell for their work in providing programs and resources enjoyed by students and teachers.

"I just love seeing our kids going in and out of the library, our teachers jumping in there and it is just a great place to be," Landry said.

"Mr. Landry was nominated for the AAIM School Administrator of the Year Award because of his consistent support to the library media program at Lakeside High School," Evans said. "During this school year, Mr. Landry has made it possible for the library to have extended hours for students. He has also provided resources for numerous collaborative library learning events over the past two years."

Evans and Bell also informed the committee that Landry uses social media to promote library activities and encourages students and teachers to utilize resources in the library. Evans said Landry has been instrumental in the planning of a library renovation for grades 8-12 to be completed in the future.

Landry, a native of Orange, Texas, graduated from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia in 1999 and immediately began as an algebra teacher at Lakeside. He coached multiple sports including football, basketball, track, softball and soccer. Landry was named the Outstanding Coach of the Year for girls' soccer in 2001 by the Arkansas Activities Association.

Landry was later nominated for an assistant principal award, but the AAIM award will be his first as an administrator. He said he is looking forward to an "awesome experience" at the conference.

"There's going to be a lot of people," Landry said. "It's just a great honor. I get to get up there and tell how great of a school we have here. Our library media program is top notch and I am 100 percent behind it."

Local on 03/13/2015

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