Kelly Pryde

Kelly Pryde earned her Bachelor of Music Education at UCM, her MA in Ethnomusicology from the University of Wisconsin, and her EdS in Educational Technology from UCM with additional coursework in Library Science. She joined the UCM faculty as an adjunct in 2021 and transitioned to full-time in 2024. She has been the Library Media Specialist at both Warrensburg Middle School and Horace Mann Elementary, for a combined total of 18 years. Before discovering her passion for libraries, she was the Director of Bands in the Morgan County R-II School District. She has served as a board member of the Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) as well as held leadership positions in the Central Region Association of School Librarians (CRASL). She teaches courses in library and research skills and also supervises library students completing their practica and student teaching. Her research interests include teaching strategies that develop self-directed learners and methods for embedding social-emotional learning within instruction to improve mental health, foster resilience, and instill career skills in students of all ages. Mrs. Pryde enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, and playing French horn in local bands and orchestras.