DID YOU KNOW?
Tacoma’s story spans more than two centuries from the time Captain George Vancouver anchored off Tacoma’s north shore in 1792.
In 1870, Tacoma’s natural deep-water port became an attraction that the Northern Pacific Railroad couldn’t pass up, when it made Tacoma a stop on its transcontinental line.
Old Tacoma and New Tacoma merged in 1884 and incorporated as Tacoma. By 1890, the population reached 36,000 people.
Tacoma is home to the Port of Tacoma, the seventh-largest container port in the United States, and it is within 20 miles of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and 36 miles of the city of Seattle.
Samantha Harris,
Middle School Librarian
Samantha Harris is the Middle School librarian. She works with reading and English teachers to provide weekly book talks to students in the sixth grade, monthly in the seventh grade and quarterly in the eighth grade to introduce them to new book genres, exciting characters, diverse authors and content, as well as interesting themes. She also works together with faculty to develop research projects for students and co-teaches those units for two to four weeks at a time. The projects range from writing opinion essays to researching local history or global climate change.
“I love connecting students to books that they fall in love with,” says Harris. “I am so happy for kids when they finally get hooked and become readers. I also like to see them get excited about a subject and delve deeply into the content. It’s so cool when they go beyond considering it homework and begin to live the research. I love being a detective with them, hunting down the best research and the most interesting facts.”
Harris holds a bachelors degree from Santa Clara University, a masters in education from Loyola University, and a masters in library science from the University of Washington. She joined the Charles Wright faculty in 2004 and has advised the Middle School book club, philosophy club and knitting club. She is a co-chair of the school’s diversity committee.
Harris volunteers at the Proctor Farmer’s Market. Not surprisingly, she also loves to read. Science fiction and fantasy books are her favorites. She’s learning to surf and bodyboard and enjoys knitting, baking, and making jewelry for friends and family.
Visit the Middle School Library
“I love connecting students to books that they fall in love with,” says Harris. “I am so happy for kids when they finally get hooked and become readers. I also like to see them get excited about a subject and delve deeply into the content. It’s so cool when they go beyond considering it homework and begin to live the research. I love being a detective with them, hunting down the best research and the most interesting facts.”
Harris holds a bachelors degree from Santa Clara University, a masters in education from Loyola University, and a masters in library science from the University of Washington. She joined the Charles Wright faculty in 2004 and has advised the Middle School book club, philosophy club and knitting club. She is a co-chair of the school’s diversity committee.
Harris volunteers at the Proctor Farmer’s Market. Not surprisingly, she also loves to read. Science fiction and fantasy books are her favorites. She’s learning to surf and bodyboard and enjoys knitting, baking, and making jewelry for friends and family.
Visit the Middle School Library
