2020- 2021 Charter Oak Children's Book Award Commttee
Jane is the creator of the COCBA and currently serves as the COCBA Chaiperson. She is gratefully employed as a K-5 School Media Specialist at the International School at Dundee in Greenwich, CT
To share enthusiasm, expertise, and to build connections with colleagues, she serves on the board for CASL.
Since she earned National Board Certification in 2007, Jane is happy to mentor anyone interested in pursing NBTC.
Proud to be John's wife and mother to David and Laura, Jane lives quite contently in Cos Cob,, CT.
In her spare time, Jane loves taking her dog for walks! You will often see her and Maggie walking to and from the Cos Cob Pubic Library (dogs are welcome there too!).
If she could only own one book, it would be: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.
You can find her on twitter: @janemartellino
Christina O'Neill
Christina is a library media specialist in a Pre-K-5 school in Middlebury, CT. This is her second year in this position. Prior to obtaining Library Media certification through the ARCLMS program, Christina was a classroom teacher for nearly 20 years. In addition to her role in the library, Christina serves as the Technology Instructional Team Leader in her school and is a member of the district's Social Studies Curriculum team.
Christina lives in Southbury with her husband of 25 years and she has two sons in college. She is also the proud parent of a rescue dog.
Favorite book: Charlotte's Web is one of my all time favorites. Recent favorites are Waiting for the Magicand Out of My Mind.
Anna O'Brien
Anna O'Brien is currently a school librarian at Cook Hill Elementary School in Wallingford, CT. It is a PreK-2 school with an integrated preschool. The Wallingford School district has a very strong, collaborative Library Media group with four librarians at the PreK-2 level, four at the 3-5 level as well as one at each of the two middle schools and two high schools.
Anna graduated from Stonehill College in Easton, MA and earned her Masters in Reading at WCSU in Danbury, CT. She completed the ARCLMS Program through ACES were she earned her Library Media certification. Anna started her career at Meeting House Hill School in New Fairfield, CT where she taught 4th grade for 10 years. She then taught in Berlin, CT for 3 years teaching 1st and 5th grades. Anna just finished her 5th year as the school librarian at Cook Hill Elementary School.
Anna currently lives in Wallingford, CT with her husband, three sons, and one dog. When she's not juggling the life of a full-time working mom of three boys, she is spending time at the Wallingford Public Library catching up on all the newly published books in the Children's Room. She highly recommends a visit to this library that has a collaboratory as well as a wonder room.
Her most recent favorite book is The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier.
Carolyn Matthews
After completing the ARCLMS program in 2017, Carolyn began working as a Library Media Specialist at Stratfield Elementary School, a Pre-K-5 school in Fairfield, CT. She is fortunate to join a team of ten other dedicated elementary library media specialists with Fairfield Public Schools. Prior to working in Fairfield, she spent 18 years as a classroom teacher with Regional School District 15 in Southbury, CT.
Specializing in language arts, she has written curriculum, served as an instructional teacher leader, and has participated in the Summer Reading and Writing Institute at Columbia Teachers College. She received her Bachelor's of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin and her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from The University of Bridgeport.
Carolyn and her husband Mike live in Southbury, CT. They have two children, Kevin who attends Penn State University, and Ali who attends SUNY Oneonta. Lucy, their Welsh Terrier, also keeps them very busy! Carolyn loves to garden in her spare time and also enjoys swimming, biking, and running.
Her favorite author is Kate DiCamilla and one of her all-time favorite books is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. She is very excited about being a part of the Charter Oak Committee.