At the first meeting of the Rouse Reads Book Club for the school year, librarian Holly Hensley shared some news: she had officially retired after 33 years in education.
Hensley worked at Rouse for the last five years, starting in the 2020-21 school year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Mrs. Hensley is probably one of the best people I’ve ever met,” senior Alexandra Ramos said. “She is so encouraging and so sweet. I cried when she told us she was leaving. I know she’ll be really missed on campus.”
In her time at Rouse, Hensley has made a reputation for herself as a cordial faculty member and a dependable coworker.
“She inspires students with a love of reading and creates a warm and welcoming environment in the library,” AP English Language and Composition and AP English Literature and Composition teacher Jennifer Hughes said. “I’m happy for her to start her next chapter.”
Hensley sponsored Book Club every year, while also organizing Makerspace events at the library and helping out with the Poetry Club.
“I tried to serve all teachers and students through the library,” Hensley said. “I actually wrote up a LEEF grant through the district to get the equipment for the Makerspace. That worked out well. Everyone seems to enjoy it.”
For students like Ramos, the Raider Library offers a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of high school life. Every day during A- and B-lunch, around 100 students sign up to eat in the library with their friends.
“I think it’s comfortable and it’s a quiet place to eat,” Ramos. “I love that I don’t have to talk to anyone, I can just chill out from how overwhelming the day can be.”
Now that she is officially going into retirement, Hensley is becoming the children’s librarian in her hometown of Salado. With a population of 2,403 per the 2022 census, the entire village has roughly the same population as the number of students who attend Rouse. Working close to home will help with Hensley’s commute each morning – the drive to Rouse in the morning and back home in the afternoon entailed traveling 80 miles a day.
“I hope she enjoys her retirement, working closer to where she lives,” Ramos said. “I hope she is fulfilled in what she is doing.”
The future of the Raider Library is unclear, but Hensley has high hopes.
“This is the most amazing campus I’ve ever worked [at], with beautiful kids,” Hensley said “I know y’all are going to be okay. They’re going to find a great librarian. They’ll be sure to hire somebody that still wants to do this with love.”