[CASL-L] Sad news from Nonnewaug

[Bilmes, David]

A sad story from today's Waterbury newspaper about the untimely death of the LMS at Nonnewaug High School. In her short time, though, she made a major impact on the students at her school. It shows how we can make an impact in our schools.



Students mourn loss of media specialist


BY RICK HARRISON

REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

WOODBURY - Students and faculty at Nonnewaug High School mourned for library media specialist Carly Bullock on Monday, one day after she died unexpectedly at Waterbury Hospital.

Her mother, Lynn Marshall, wanted to meet the children she had heard so much about.

"Obviously her family loved her very much," Marshall said. "It's always nice to hear other people loved her, too."

There was the student who suffered a bad breakup and credits Bullock, 32, for talking to her every day until late in the afternoon, giving her the strength to stay focused and graduate.

Another student recalled how Bullock helped ease her back into school work after a stay at the hospital. Yet another couldn't think of anything to put on a college application to show service.

"And Carly said 'are you kidding?'" Marshall said. "You are in here every day and you help me. That's service."

Bullock had seen a doctor last week, complaining of pain in her calf, Marshall said. But when x-rays didn't show anything, she was sent home on crutches with instructions to return for more tests if the pain continued.

On Sunday, she went into cardiac arrest in an ambulance, Marshall said, suspecting a blood clot that traveled to her lungs. Marshall said she awaits word from the state medical examiner.

"I just pray that we have the strength to make it through," Marshall said. "And she's where she should be."

Bullock grew up in Watertown, almost entirely in the same house where she lived with her mother and her two siblings. At the age of 15, she began working as a page at Watertown Library, eventually earning a media specialist certification from Southern Connecticut State University.

"She loved libraries," Marshall said.

"She loved reading. Literacy was an important cause for her."

Bullock arrived at Nonnewaug High School in 2011, serving this year as co-advisor to the freshman class. "She was just an amazing young lady," Principal Andrew O'Brien said. "Really a strong connection to our staff and students."

O'Brien praised Bullock for her part in organizing the decoration of a Peter Panthemed room for this year's Halloween, and helping teachers with technology in the media center.

He said students from outside her advisory group would often seek her out as a mentor.

"You could really tell that we had experienced a significant loss today," O'Brien said.

On Monday, teachers came in early, O'Brien sent an email to parents, and students learned of the death over the public address system in a specially scheduled first period advisory class. Grief counselors were made available.

O'Brien offered to bring the family food, but Marshall wanted to come in and meet the students.



David Bilmes
Library Media Specialist
Schaghticoke Middle School
New Milford, CT
860 354-2204  ext. 113
bilmesd at newmilfordps.org

Currently reading "Vortex" by S.J. Kincaid
Currently listening to "The Runaway King" by Jennifer Nielsen
What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels about education.

-Harold Howe
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