C32 was bare of its usual warmth, which was a room filled with student projects, lights, and empty wrappers. Gone were the old fairy lights hanging around the windows and walls. Gone were the photos of her children behind her desk. Gone were the models of the Globe Theater. Still here, at least for the next week, was English Teacher Meaghan Tully, who is preparing for a major career change. She’s not leaving DHS, but is moving down a floor to become the new DHS Librarian.

You may be wondering why an English teacher as popular and successful as Ms. Tully would leave for a new position.

She is going for a doctorate in curriculum and structure design, Ms. Tully said. The opportunities in the library align more with what her future goals are.

There will be big changes for Ms. Tully. For example, her classroom will expand to a room the size of six classrooms, and her roster will be the entire DHS student population. She’ll have to manage students coming in at lunch time, students coming in before school, as well as students coming in for PASE.

However, Ms. Tully said her new role and responsibility will be more like a small group one on one dynamic, and she will also be able to interact with more kids across the school.

No longer will Ms. Tully be up until midnight grading research papers or preparing to teach students Macbeth. The duties and responsibilities of a librarian are significantly different.

 Ms. Tully defined her responsibilities as needing to work on digital literacy with both teachers and students to define a new curriculum. And to assist anyone with research projects, essays, or writing work. 

Anybody who has been to a public library recently knows that the modern library is not just a quiet place to read, study, and conduct research. 

It is now a place to communicate, use the WiFi, and meet in groups. How will Ms. Tully changed the DHS library?

Ms. Tully said that she plans to make it more of a learning media center that is open and inviting to allow all students to come and work. 

She sees that she must update the library by making it more modern with certain centers for technology or presenting by using other schools who have started to do so as reference.

What will Ms. Tully miss about her old position?

The natural relationship that builds with students, she said, by being a full time classroom teacher.

Ms. Tully’s classroom persona is heavily influenced by her mother, who is a retired principal, and her drive and progression to make things better have pushed Ms. Tully to seek out the positions that she feels are best suited for her.

Making a transition from one position to another does come with certain challenges and difficulties. 

Ms. Tully admitted that the most difficult part of the transition will be getting acclimated and jumping right into it without having any time to get ready.