WJUSD employee Brandi Bolden supports district
As a classified employee of Woodland Joint Unified School District, Brandi Bolden is doing her part to ensure that all students graduate prepared for college or a career.
Bolden currently serves as a Library Tech at Plainfield Elementary School, promoting literacy and occasionally assisting students with their Chromebooks.
“I am responsible for sparking a joy for literature in young minds, while magically fixing the random Chromebook issues that arise day to day,” she stated.
Bolden said that reading to students and introducing a love of literature is the best part of her job.
“My favorite part about my job is when classes visit the library and we do storytime,” she said. “There is nothing more satisfying than hearing giggles while reading a silly story or the `awe's' when it is time to stop reading a chapter book right when it's getting good. It is the best way of introducing a love for new stories and even exploring the meanings of new words.”
Classified staff are district employees, other than credentialed teachers, who provide high-quality services that students benefit from. Their roles are essential to the district's mission of preparing and empowering all students for a future of endless possibilities.
“My job helps our district's mission by laying down a foundation of a love for literature, reading, and even researching,” Bolden said. “A student who can read and knows how to use context clues to learn a new word will be much more successful as they progress in their educational career.”
Working at an elementary school was not Bolden's first idea for a career. She graduated from Golden Sierra High School in Garden Valley and earned an associate's degree from Heald College and from Eastern Gateway Community College before getting a job in the tech industry.
“It took me a long time to decide on a career in education,” she said. “I worked for a major tech corporation for about six or seven years shortly after obtaining my degree. While I was successful, it was not a job I enjoyed or found any kind of satisfaction in. I decided to get out of technology and found myself interviewing for a library tech position at Plainfield.
“I distinctly remember sitting in the hall waiting for my interview thinking about how much I wanted to work here. Shortly after, I found out I had the job back in 2019. I threw myself into my job wholeheartedly. I have taken so much pride and joy in introducing new books to students, running book clubs for students no matter the reading level, and creating that safe space for the students who would rather read or have some quiet time during recess than be on the playground. It has definitely been one of the greatest joys of my life.”
For those interested in pursuing a career in library sciences, Bolden recommends being ready and willing to be flexible to meet students' needs.
“My advice would be to come into the profession with an open mind,” she said. “Being a Library Tech is so much more than just reading to young children. You are responsible for creating a safe place for children to have when they may not get along on the playground. You are occasionally a confidant to students having a bad day. You, too, must have a love for books, because children can tell if you are not interested. Be flexible to make changes on the fly. You may have planned on reading one book, but students may see another book that they just have to have read to them. It can be a stressful job, but it is also one of the most rewarding jobs out there.”
In her spare time, Bolden enjoys reading and spending time with her family.
“I of course love to read,” she said. “One of my absolute favorite books is `The BFG' by Roald Dahl and anything by Rick Riordan. These are some of my favorite books to read to some of my older students as they listen in suspense to every word. I also enjoy crocheting and playing board games with my family.”