LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Stacey Biery

Position: Library Aide
School: Bascom Elementary School
School District: LaBrae Local Schools
City, State: Leavittsburg, OH

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Music that Describes Stacey

Stacey Biery was nominated by Courtney Cowhick, a parent of a student.

Mrs. Biery is a constant in her students' lives. On a daily basis, she shows how much she cares, not only about her students' education, but about their well-being as children. She is a natural fixture at Bascom Elementary School, and she's one of the people the students can turn to for help, love, support, and life lessons. She is always available for a hug, a pep talk, or a listening ear whenever her students need her. Mrs. Biery is constantly seeking ways to help students learn to love reading and books, whether that's through STEM activities, crafts, or her ability to make any book come alive.

Mrs. Biery's favorite project is the Scholastic Book Fair. Every fall, with help from the community and parents, she puts on a book fair that is talked about for months. This book fair is huge for the students; they not only get to help decorate the library for the fair, but they also receive books at the end that she pulls from her budget every year. Through this fair, her goal's to get children interested in different topics and books, as well as teach character lessons through books.

She is always willing to help other teachers, parents, and staff, no matter the occasion. She exudes professionalism with her colleagues, as well as parents of her students. Everyone, from the school principal to any other teacher, holds Mrs. Biery in such high regard. She is a well-known fixture in the LaBrae community, as she is involved in other events and services throughout the district.

"Two of Mrs. Biery's favorite phrases that she tells me quite often are, 'I love my job. I am extremely lucky and blessed,' and 'My job is to help children love books and reading.' I think LaBrae is truly the lucky party. We have an elementary library aide who not only loves her students and community, but is a prime example of what a teacher and educator should be today, tomorrow, and yesterday. We are so blessed to have someone so dedicated to the moral, physical, mental, and emotional well-being of her students," said Cowhick.

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Comments (14)

Ashley Hineman Posted over a year ago

How do you sum up an absolute ray of sunshine? Or a walking hug? Mrs. Biery is one of the sweetest, most loving, caring people and i've watched her not only make a difference in many of the children's lives through education but also through how they FEEL. She is always ready to listen, lend a hand and inspire. We are so blessed as a district to have her on the Labrae team.

Jessica Glatz Posted over a year ago

Stacey is an amazing asset to our school community! She always goes above and beyond the call of duty. As a newcomer, she made me feel a part of the school immediately. She is the perfect example of dedication, teamwork, and creating a positive school climate. The staff and students are lucky to have her in their lives!

Cathy Dean Posted over a year ago

I met Stacey Biery as most people do, during Book Fair. I was in my second year of PTO and had just become the treasurer. I had to take a check to her from the PTO to help offset the cost of decorating for Book Fair. I had gone the year before and it was AMAZING. If you could attach pictures to these comments I think they would show you just as much as our words that Stacey loves her job and loves our kids. The experiences she arranges for them is done with so much thought. I also had a freshly walking baby at the time who tagged along with me to most everything I did. From the second I took that check into the library to today that room feels like home and the people who gravitate towards her feel like family. From something as simple as returning a sippy cup (clean!) my daughter managed to leave behind in the library to sitting outside alone in the cold helping with a PTO fundraiser Stacey is there. Always. Anything for the kids she says. And she means it. I've gotten excited messages mid-summer about book fair theme and ideas. I've walked into the library to her jumping up and down so excited because she snagged a cool activity for the kids or because a goal was reached and now every kid gets a free book from the Book Fair. She loves what she does and she is excited about it. And that is SO CONTAGIOUS! I've never met a more approachable person in my life. Volunteers want to return to help her long after their kids leave the building. To know her is to love her and we are all so lucky and our kids are so lucky to get to experience her and her big beautiful personality! I cannot think of anyone more deserving.

Charli Posted over a year ago

Stacey is one heck of faculty always putting those children first .come see how she does the library during book fair absolutely adorable .keep up the awesome job that you do

John Armeni Posted over a year ago

Mrs. Biery is an absolute treasure. My children love their time with her in the library. She has made reading fun and exciting for the children of LaBrae. Having children get excited about reading is one of the most important blocking blocks of learning.

Willa Charvat Posted over a year ago

Stacey, loves her kids she has taught my son's to love a good book.they now enjoy reading. They are now teaching there nieces to love books. Just like they were tough. She goes above and beyond for her kids. She is amazing and a blessing to all of her kids. If you could see her and the kids you would understand just how much she loves every one of her kids. And how they all love her. She is there best friend. All the kids know that they can go to her for anything.

Stephanie Dietelbach Posted over a year ago

Stacey absolutely deserves this accolade. I have known her since before she came to Bascom, and she has always been a loving and devoted person. When she was hired at Bascom, she hit the ground running. He big spirit and even bigger heart were ready to embrace the kids and give them everything she had. She has made the library a real fixture in the school and has made our Book Fair the envy of the county! My kids are now in Middle and High School, but we go back just to see the magic she has created each year with her theme! But the real magic is that she is making kids fall in love with reading, and that lasts for life. She gives her time and attention to every child that needs it, and as a 43-year-old who had a great librarian, that is something they will never forget. She is creating a generation of kids who are lovers of books, and that deserves a standing ovation!

Joe Bustard Posted over a year ago

A few years ago when both of my kids attended Bascom they would tell me how much they loved library. I asked myself "who loves library "? When I asked my kids why they couldn't explain it which meant I needed to find out for myself. I showed up at a book fair planning meeting. When the meeting started I raised my hand and asked the question. Why do my kids love library? I can't explain the look on Mrs. Biery's face . Glowing, pure joy, excited, maybe even a little tearful. She makes reading fun for children. They look forward to library and reading. I can't thank her enough for everything she does for all the children and their families in our community.

Hadelyn Reid Posted over a year ago

Although it is our daughters first year with Mrs. Biery, she has impacted her life so much already. She knows exactly what day of the week she gets to have Library with her, and she tells us everyday when she got to see her friend “Freddy”, aka Mrs. Biery. She has made our daughter feel so special and excited to go to school already. It is evident that Mrs. Biery puts her heart and soul into her students and gives them an experience that will stay with them forever from her book fairs to the everyday lessons of life.

Peg Kyer Posted over a year ago

Stacey, loves her kids she has taught my son to love a good book he now enjoys reading. She goes above and beyond for her kids. WAY TO GO STACEY

Kasey Rininger Posted over a year ago

In the short time that I have known Mrs. Biery, she has done nothing but make me feel welcomed and loved in my new school community. I can say, from my experiences, that she has done the same to each and every student that walks through these doors of Bascom Elementary. Mrs. Biery is a beacon of light in these students life, no matter their background she always has open arms for hugs and open ears for stories! She doesn’t just use her role as librarian to just teach students about reading but to allow them explore all types of avenues, through STEM. Mrs. Biery is deserving of this award in many ways. Since I met her she has always been humble and kind. If you have students in LaBrae I am sure you’ve heard about her awesome book fairs and just how awesome she is in general. Mrs. Biery, thank you for all you do not just for the students but your colleagues!

Sherry Huffman Posted over a year ago

I didn’t know Stacey was being nominated for this. She is the perfect person for this award. I am a PTO volunteer at Bascom. Just 2 weeks ago I saw her in the hallway and told her I loved her. She is the sweetest, kindest person you would ever want to meet. She is absolutely awesome with our students, they’ll tell you themselves what a fun caring person she is. Even our support dog loves her. No one is more deserving of this award then her. Best of luck Stacey??

Maggie Kowach Posted over a year ago

Mrs. Biery is truly deserving of this honor. She is always willing to help everyone and is often heard saying, "Teamwork makes the dream work!" She is dedicated, passionate, hardworking and positive. She truly loves her job and her students.

Teresa Frederick Posted over a year ago

I could not agree more. Mrs.Biery is so deserving of this award. She cares about each and every student at Bascom Elementary. She cares about their happiness, well-being and life beyond the classroom. When Mrs. Biery sees a student in need of shoes, she finds them shoes. When she sees a student come into the building wearing a light jacket in the dead of winter, she supplies warmth and love with kind words, a winter coat, hat, gloves, and boots. She does these things privately, with compassion, so the children don’t feel embarrassed, they feel cared for and loved. Mrs. Biery is an energetic, engaging librarian who creates an exciting reading environment. Student’s imaginations are released as she reads and the books come alive. Creating a love for books in a wonderful thing, but the most wonderful thing that Mrs. Biery is able to do is to create a feeling of being absolutely loved.