WEMTA 2025 - Ignite and Inspire: Impacting Learning Together: Full Schedule

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8:15am CDT

Canva 101

Tuesday March 11, 2025 8:15am - 9:15am CDT

What can't Canva do?! Over the past 5 years, Canva has become my go-to resource. In this session, you'll learn how to sign up for a free premium educator account, the ins and outs of creating resources with Canva, and how to use this tool with students. You'll leave creating one or more of the following: social media graphics, infographics (like for library reports), posters, flyers, presentations and videos.

Speakers

Danielle Brannan

Secondary Librarian, Greendale School District

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.

Tuesday March 11, 2025 8:15am - 9:15am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 4

Beginner, Early childhood, Elementary, Middle School, High School, Higher Education

Company Advocacy, Facilitating Professional Learning, Students as Creators

10:45am CDT

Beyond the Bookshelf: Exploring Author Encounters

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 2

This session will lead educators through the process of selecting, preparing for, affording, and maximizing the impact of author visits in your school. Learn strategies for choosing authors that resonate with your students and curriculum, discover effective preparations to ensure a seamless visit, explore budget-friendly options, and uncover creative ways to engage both students and authors during their time at your school.

Speakers

Joe Diefenthaler

Library Media Specialist, Pulaski School District

I have taught in the Pulaski School District since 2000 before taking the role of the Library Media Specialist at Pulaski Community Middle School (PCMS) and Pulaski High School for the past 14 years. While keeping students in the forefront, I have helped to bring programs to PCMS... Read More →

Jackie Markowski

Digital Learning Specialist, Pulaski Community School District

Jackie is in her 18 year of teaching, and 8th year in her role as a Digital Learning Specialist in the Pulaski Community School District, She loves sharing her learning with others. Working in an elementary school setting, she is passionate about engaging students in critical thinking... Read More →

Jen Wathke

LMS, West De Pere School District

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 →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 2

Beginner, Early childhood, Elementary, Middle School, High School

Company Advocacy, Community Partnerships, Literacy

10:45am CDT

Telling Your Library's Story

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 1

What was your journey to library work? How has the library helped you during a hard time? In this session we will learn how to collect and use library stories to tell The Library’s Story. We will spend time interviewing each other to generate stories right away and leave with prompts and strategies for gathering stories from patrons. We will also discuss how stories complement data and enhance presentations on the library’s offerings and accomplishments.

Speakers

Sarah Beth Nelson

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 →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 1

Beginner, Early childhood, Elementary, Middle School, High School, Higher Education

Company Advocacy

10:45am CDT

Challenge Ready: PD, Policy, and Legal Preparation

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

BCC Collaborate C

With censorship attempts cresting at record levels, library teams maintain cohesion and communication through careful navigation and in depth understanding of relevant policy and law. In this session, participants will learn about strategies for preparing themselves and their school communities to address challenges. From updating and communicating policies to using case studies to discuss the legal aspects of parent requests and School Board involvement in collection development, attendees will have the opportunity to think deeply about the necessary steps to tailor a team-centered challenge preparedness action plan to meet the needs of their library and community.

Speakers

Maegan Heindel

Library Services Coordinator, Madison Metropolitan School District

Maegan Heindel is a school librarian, teacher, author, and Library Services Coordinator in Madison Metropolitan School District in Madison, WI. In her 19 years as an educator, she has been an ALA Emerging Leader, Wisconsin Learning4Life Coordinator, AASL Affiliate Assembly member... Read More →

Val Edwards

Dr. Tomas Lipinski

Dean and Professor, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

I have worn many hats: lawyer, librarian, library school educator, now Dean of an iSchool where I still teach and write on legal issue affecting libraries and technology across society including copyright, licensing, Free Speech and privacy. Forthcoming e-books from ALA Editions... Read More →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
BCC Collaborate C

Intermediate, Early childhood, Elementary, Middle School, High School, Higher Education

Company Advocacy, Collaborative Leadership, Intellectual Freedom