Howell Road Elementary School celebrates opening of newly renovated library

ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO // LI HERALD

Howell Road Elementary School held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the grand opening of its newly renovated and redesigned library.

The renovation, unveiled on Jan. 30, reflected the school’s stated commitment to creating vibrant, inclusive learning spaces intended to encourage reading and learning. The updated library was redesigned to be brighter and more welcoming and included a newly curated collection of culturally diverse books intended to reflect the identities and experiences of the Howell Road community.

“One of my favorite parts about being a library teacher is maintaining our collection of books,” library media specialist Lauren Wildermuth said. “I’m extremely intentional in selecting books that reflect our students and making sure everyone finds a book they really connect to.”

Student Council President Matthew Reyes joined architect Michael Mark, library media specialist Lauren Wildermuth, Howell Road School Principal Jasmine Shepherd, Superintendent of Schools Judith LaRocca, Board of Education member Anthony Grosso and Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages as they cut the ribbon on the Howell Road Elementary School’s newly renovated library.

Wildermuth greeted students as they explored new books in the redesigned library space.

Shelves of books filled the revamped library, showcasing an updated, expanded collection.

Matthew and Jacob Reyes read to Cagen Montesinos inside the new library space.

The reimagined space featured expanded collaborative work areas, larger instructional spaces designed for whole-class learning and breakout sessions and flexible seating options. These included reading nooks, stools and other comfortable seating meant to support student choice, engagement and collaboration.

“We’ve heard loud and clear from the community that our facilities are very important,” Superintendent of Schools Judith LaRocca said. “The environment that students are learning in is very important to them, and together with the community’s input, with the administrative planning, the architect and the Board of Education, we’ve really been able to do some amazing projects.”

According to the school, the redesigned library was planned to support project-based learning, group work and independent exploration, with the layout designed to accommodate both student learning and instructional needs.

“Reading and media literacy are essential skills for young people, supporting both academic success and holistic development,” Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages said. “This ribbon cutting reflects how Howell Road is centering that growth for its students. The new library space is more than a beautiful addition to the building, it represents a deep commitment to curiosity and lifelong learning. Kudos to the Valley Stream District for creating such an inspiring environment for our scholars.”