Discover how Discovery Education resources can empower educators to create collaborative classrooms where students thrive in student-centered learning environments. Learn how to harness the power of a wide variety of resources including digital content such as images, videos, and podcasts, along with collaborative boards, interactive videos, and professional learning channels with a collection of research-based instructional strategies that foster collaboration and communication among peers. Maximize the impact of DE’s “ready-to-use” lessons and content to drive various instructional outcomes for all disciplines. Learn how districts utilize DE as their primary digital instructional content provider enabling student-centered learning classrooms. Leave with practical tips and resources to transform your classroom into a collaborative learning environment where students develop essential skills for success in academics and beyond. Join us to unlock the full potential of your students!
Megan Foster has been supporting Intermediate Units with Discovery Education since 2018. She previously taught 3rd and 4th grade in Denver Public Schools. She has a passion for elementary education and project-based learning.
Engage students with technology and transform their assignments into high-quality, impactful work. In this session, you'll explore tools like podcasts, videos, and storyboards to enhance learning experiences. Plus, you'll receive an interactive Choice Board that you can use as a valuable resource for future lessons.
Evaluating the information they encounter online is an increasingly crucial skill for students. In this session, we will give examples of lessons educators can use to foster critical thinking skills and teach students how to be savvy consumers of online information. Participants will learn skills like fact-checking, lateral reading, identifying misinformation, and how to find reliable sources. In this hands-on session, participants will try out fact-checking strategies that they can later implement in class. Participants will come away with concrete strategies for facilitating the analysis of online media and learn about PBS Wisconsin’s free Media Literacy PD opportunities.
Decision-makers need data. Librarians, School and district administrators, and school board members all have opinions on what should be happening in the library and how library funding should be used. Opinions and feelings are not how you build a library program. We'll explore ways that I've collected and analyzed data to tell a data story that has helped decision-makers make positive change in my libraries and district.
Bilingual Library Media Specialist, School District of Waukesha
This is my 13th year in education and my second year as a library media specialist. The old school ladies in cardigans might only say NOW that I can call myself a library media specialist as DPI just sent me my license. This is my first WEMTA conference, and I'm passionate about... Read More →
In today's digital age, students can be overwhelmed with the amount of online resources available to them. How do we get their attention and engage them in digital reading? Join us for a session aimed at helping you increase Sora's visibility and usage in your school. Your Sora expert will provide practical strategies and tips for promoting Sora effectively. You'll also get access to ready-to-use resources and hear case studies about educators who have successfully engaged their communities with Sora. Don't miss this chance to enhance your digital library promotion and make the most of Sora in your school.
We would like to facilitate a conversation on the experiences of people of color in the predominantly white world of library school and libraries. We will share common pitfalls that deter poc from continuing in librarianship. Based on our shared experiences, we will create a list together of ways that non-poc and other poc can support and encourage the growth and diversification of the profession, and those already within it.
Middle School Librarian, University School of Milwaukee
My name is Ivana Renteria. I am the middle school librarian as well as the Department Chair of Libraries at the University School of Milwaukee. I am the 2023 winner of the Charles F. Wright Technology and Innovation Award, which is granted to faculty members who enhance their teaching... Read More →
Join us for a lively and engaging session as we showcase our favorite things in the library world! In this fun and interactive presentation, we'll highlight the best of what our library has to offer—from innovative resources and useful technology to efficient processes and exciting programming that engage our students and staff. We’ll explore the tools and equipment that make our work easier and more effective, share tips on creating memorable library experiences, and reveal the behind-the-scenes strategies that keep everything running smoothly. Whether it's a new gadget, a favorite database, a beloved event, or a breakthrough in library services, you'll leave with fresh ideas and inspiration you can bring back to your own library.
Digital Learning Specialist, Pulaski Community School District~ Wisconsin
After 18 years in the classroom, Sara now shares her experiences and her passion for technology integration as a Digital Learning Specialist for the Pulaski Community School District. She is passionate about leveraging technology to support all students while increasing student agency... Read More →
Director of Instructional Technology, Pulaski Community School District
In my role as Director of Instructional Technology for Pulaski Community School District, I enjoy the opportunities and challenges my current position brings as well as the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for integrating technology and literacy with students and staff. My past... Read More →
Discover exceptional texts to support and supplement early literacy instruction. While underscoring phonics, phonological awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, you can now use TeachingBooks to identify popular picture books by more than a dozen phonics and phonetical awareness classifications (vowel and consonant sounds, alliteration, rhyming, and more). Additionally, TeachingBooks has developed exclusive activity sheets that can be used with trade books, so that teachers, families, and librarians have worksheets to extend reading instruction. TeachingBooks is provided to all Wisconsin schools, public libraries, universities and residents through BadgerLink, Wisconsin’s Online Library funded by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Hear the latest and greatest from the Department of Public Instruction! We will highlight recent and upcoming projects and initiatives and share important information on a variety of topics, including school and public library information, BadgerLink, games and learning, technology, STEAM, AI, and digital learning topics. You will leave with knowledge and tools to strengthen the work you are doing to address the unique needs of your learning community.
School Library Education Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Monica Treptow started work as the School Library Media Education Consultant at the DPI in July of 2017. Monica's prior experience includes twelve years as a K-12 library media specialist and district leader. These positions included roles in leading development of information and... Read More →
Join us to learn what's new as well as tried and true with BadgerLink resources for 2025! Wisconsin's Online Library is jampacked with licensed, trustworthy online resources and databases chock full of content that can help you as an educator, librarian, and professional as much as it can help your students.
Excited to dive in, but never sure where to begin? Attend this session to learn about specific resources and what they offer.
Had recent success or failure sharing a BadgerLink resource like Points of View Reference Source, the new Explora, or Britannica School - Early Elementary with your students? Come and share with your colleagues, get tips and tricks to take back to your library, and find out more about our freely available, statewide resource collection known as BadgerLink.
BadgerLink Technical Support & Training Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Jen is on the Library Services Team at DPI, where she works primarily on BadgerLink, providing technical support and training. She also writes BadgerLink's Bulletin posts and mails out promotional posters and bookmarks. Reach out to her for all things BadgerLink!
Many of us believe our libraries are “safe” or perhaps “brave” spaces. But how do we make these spaces safe? Who feels safest? Are ground rules at odds with free speech? What happens when someone causes harm with their words or actions? Do safe spaces even exist?
Sarah Beth shares her research on brave spaces along with lessons learned from open mic shows and storytelling workshops. We will plan strategies for creating and holding brave library spaces such as: including participants in creating rules of engagement, setting participant expectations around being brave, articulating consequences of transgression, and following through on consequences. There isn’t one “right” way to create a brave space so workshop participants will use this time to consider which brave space practices will work best with their libraries.
Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Sarah Beth Nelson is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Information Studies. Before becoming a professor, Sarah Beth worked in public and school libraries. In addition to researching oral information, she studies the American reality (true, personal... Read More →
The Common School Fund provides the foundation for Wisconsin school library programs. Planning for effective and meaningful spending is a critical responsibility of library media specialists. Come to this session to learn essential components of utilizing this resource in alignment with your district library plan and hear from a panel of experienced library media specialists. They will share examples of their favorite purchases, lessons learned, and strategies for budgeting and purchasing. Bring your questions and ideas, and leave with a great list of potential purchases for your library!
This is my 15th year as a school librarian and my first year with my current district, Greendale Public Schools near Milwaukee. I work in the middle school and high school libraries, and I love it! Being a school librarian is my dream job.
Emily Dittmar is the Librarian at Muskego High School. She is an active participant in many state library networks including serving on the WEMTA Board and CESA 1 Library Network
School Library Education Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Monica Treptow started work as the School Library Media Education Consultant at the DPI in July of 2017. Monica's prior experience includes twelve years as a K-12 library media specialist and district leader. These positions included roles in leading development of information and... Read More →
Director of Instructional Technology, Pulaski Community School District
In my role as Director of Instructional Technology for Pulaski Community School District, I enjoy the opportunities and challenges my current position brings as well as the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for integrating technology and literacy with students and staff. My past... Read More →
In this age of social media and in a world where technology is literally at every person's finger tips regardless of age, there is an increased need for awareness around what it means to be "safe" online. Parents and educators are the gatekeepers to this world of technology and it's imperative that our communities have these conversations. This session will discuss how to organize a digital safety night in your community, what materials to cover and who should be involved. We certainly don't have all the answers, but we know that asking the questions is important. Come see what we've done to get the conversation started in our district and bring whatever thoughts, comments and questions you have as well.
Library Media Instructional Technology Specialist, West De Pere High School
I am a high school Library Media/Instructional Specialist, and I also serve as the building's Talent Development Coordinator. Prior to this position, I was a high school and middle school English/Language Arts Teacher.
Jen is a Library Media/Instructional Technology Specialist for the School District of West De Pere. She has presented at local, state, and national conferences on a variety of topics including Google Apps for Education, YouTube in the Classroom, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence... Read More →
MARC data accumulates over time, arriving from various sources, touched over the years by many hands. Many libraries find that records have errors, inconsistencies and outdated content, or are brief or incomplete. Often times, duplicate records are a big issue. And most librarians are too busy to be able to work on the records themselves. Taken together, MARC data issues can impair effective library circulation and leave more of your collection sitting unread on the shelves. As we say, "A student can't read what a student can't find."
This session will discuss Mitinet's approach to MARC record clean-up, improving content and connecting your readers to more of your materials. We will compare both S-A-A-S options and customizable data services to quickly and effectively solve complex MARC data messes.
Visit our virtual booth at any time! WEMTA Conference - Mitinet Library ServicesWelcome to WEMTA -Mitinet is thrilled to be here and share our MARC expertise with you!For more than 30 years, Mitinet Library Services has been an innovator in the field of MARC data management. Working with libraries across the United States and around the world, our mission is... Read More →
In this session, we will explore the intersection of neuroscience and technology to uncover the key levers that influence how students learn. By delving into the latest research on brain function and cognitive processes, we will uncover practical strategies for leveraging technology to enhance learning outcomes. From personalized learning algorithms to spaced learning methodology, we will discuss how cutting-edge technologies can be harnessed to optimize the learning experience. Join us to discover how insights from neuroscience can inform the design of educational technologies and revolutionize the way we support student learning.
Director of Digital Leadership and Learning, CESA 2
Beth is an innovative educator who is an advocate to ignite the learning experience. Her passion lies in learner-centered pedagogy while partnering with educators to leverage digital tools and resources. Currently, Beth’s role is the Senior Director of the Digital Leadership and... Read More →
Learn how to effectively manage and leverage standards-aligned digital curricular resources while creating engaging, interactive and accessible learning opportunities for your students. This session will explore how school districts are utilizing the SAFARI Montage Curriculum Learning Object Repository (C-LOR) to save teachers time searching, accessing and sharing vetted, high-quality digital resources to more efficiently support teaching and learning in various classroom environments. Attendees will explore how interoperability enables the SAFARI Montage platform to make this easier than ever by integrating with LMS’s, SIS’s, third-party content providers and even hardware manufacturers. Discover how the C-LOR’s best-in-class content management tools can help district administration teams manage, control and curate all digital resources from third-party book publishers, curriculum content creators and video streaming libraries at their district.
Betsy Masters is the Instructional Technology Implementation Specialist at SAFARI Montage. She is a lifetime educator with 25+ years of experience working with the School District of Pickens County, South Carolina. Throughout her career she has served as a classroom teacher, a technology... Read More →
Discover how ebooks and audiobooks can help support your school’s unique curriculum needs. From ELA favorites to digital class sets and more, let OverDrive Account Manager, Lena Rose and TeachingBooks Implementation Specialist, Kym Davick, fill you in on how the Sora reading app combined with TeachingBooks resources can help set your students up for required reading success. Attendees will learn the benefits of creating school-specific digital collections and how powerful Sora tools like notes, highlights, definitions reading data are making a positive impact on reading engagement, as well as how to find the resources for your Sora Books on TeachingBooks as you hook readers, prepare lessons, or plan for books groups.
TeachingBooks is provided to all Wisconsin schools, public libraries, universities and residents through BadgerLink, Wisconsin’s Online Library funded by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Build a teacher technology team by tapping into the talent already present in your school. There's immense potential for growth in developing and leveraging the skills of your current staff. This session will guide you through a step-by-step process to help you unlock that potential and create a strong, collaborative team.
Come learn some templates and activity ideas that are ready to go with minimal set up that can be used in the library and shared with all staff. See what I love to use and leave with inspiration galore!
Amber Houslet has been the Library Technology Specialist for the Pardeeville Area School District since 2010. She spent the first 6 years of her teaching life in the classroom before transitioning to her current role.She is a Google Certified teacher and has participated in many Technology... Read More →
Merge Edu is a platform that has been around for quite a while and many educators have a Merge Cube (or many) sitting on a shelf, unused. If you don't have one, don't fret, as all attendees of this session (up to 30) will receive a free cube.
Merge has grown to be a well-known augmented reality tool with science-aligned lessons. We love watching educators get excited about Merge--if the educators can get this excited, imagine what your students will think!
We will explore the Merge EDU platform and you'll get a free trial. Some features will be free forever, some are subscription based. No matter your subscription type, you'll leave this session energized and full of ideas.
Please bring an ipad, chromebook, or phone (some sort of technology that will allow you to downlad apps)
Mackin is a long-term education distributor for print, ebooks, and makerspace products and other library and classroom materials for grades PK-12.Known throughout the world over for exemplary service and a stringent attention to detail, we have access to over 18,000 publishers and... Read More →
Last summer I became a Law for Librarians Trainer for the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom. This opportunity allowed me to broaden my knowledge base in a wide variety of legal issues surrounding libraries. This session will allow participants to gain a foundational understanding of how the First Amendment, copyright, and privacy laws impact school libraries, as well as how the impact may differ for public libraries. We will explore how to identify the intersection of law and school board policies and create talking points to use with others in your district. Bring your questions and curiosity and leave with more confidence about how your work is supported by law.
School Library Education Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Monica Treptow started work as the School Library Media Education Consultant at the DPI in July of 2017. Monica's prior experience includes twelve years as a K-12 library media specialist and district leader. These positions included roles in leading development of information and... Read More →
lighting the Path to Engagement: Transforming Learning Experiences empowers teachers and librarians to captivate students through interactive, multimedia-rich learning. Lightbox Learning provides a dynamic platform that merges traditional content with digital features, creating immersive experiences that appeal to diverse learning styles. With its blend of videos, audio, maps, quizzes, and more, Lightbox transforms passive reading into active exploration, sparking curiosity and deeper understanding.
For teachers, Lightbox serves as a tool to differentiate instruction, offering multiple entry points for learners of all abilities. Its interactive elements foster critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity, making learning more relevant and engaging. Librarians can use Lightbox to expand access to high-quality, diverse resources, ensuring students are not just consuming information but interacting with it meaningfully.
Whether used in classrooms, libraries, or at home, Lightbox makes learning an active, engaging process. It helps educators create vibrant, student-centered environments where curiosity thrives and students are inspired to explore topics more deeply
In this session, discover how a collaborative partnership between the Title I Reading Specialist and the Library Media Specialist can create impactful family engagement events that support literacy development and strengthen school-community connections. We’ll explore strategies for designing and hosting events that involve families in their children's learning, foster a love of reading, and provide valuable resources for parents. Attendees will leave with practical ideas to implement family-focused literacy events in their own schools. Whether you’re looking to enhance your existing programs or start from scratch, this session will provide the tools and inspiration you need to create memorable, effective family outreach events.
In today’s libraries, providing students with engaging, vetted, and accessible content is more important than ever. Newsela Library empowers librarians with over 17,000 leveled texts across 20+ genres, including videos, multimedia, infographics, and more. These resources are designed to foster student motivation and understanding, support collaboration with classroom teachers, and promote digital citizenship.
This session will highlight: How Newsela can increase student engagement and motivation How to curate and customize content for teachers to support background knowledge in novel and book studies. Ways students can actively engage with Newsela Content and Tools How to locate and save relevant content on Newsela including resources for digital citizenship, curriculum complements, and more.
Are you an elementary librarian on a fixed schedule? Are you wondering how to understand the layers of your position? We have got you covered! Join us for the ABCs of being an elementary librarian. We will discuss all the things from A to Z, like budget, lesson plans, STEM, engaging readers, ordering, inventory, displays, collaboration ideas, book processing, utilizing volunteers, and so much more. You will be given an A to Z organizer to customize during the presentation for useful ideas you can take back to your own library!
