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

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8:15am CDT

Powerful Library Instruction: Leveraging Colleagues, Resources, and Standards to Build a Cohesive Library Curriculum

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

Building on frameworks from the American Association of School Librarians, the Wisconsin Information and Technology Literacy Standards, and other inquiry-based instructional strategies, the Madison Metropolitan School District has developed a library scope and sequence that supports students in five key library content areas ranging from reading engagement to digital citizenship. We’ll share MMSD’s Library Content Guide and the collaborative process the presenters took to create it. Learn about the free, high quality instructional resources from PBS for elementary, middle, and high school that MMSD mapped to standards to create recipes for effective lessons. Leave with ideas for connecting your own library instruction and programming to standards and free resources for increased student engagement, academic rigor, and library visibility.

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 →

Jen Kobylecky

Associate Director of Education Engagment, PBS Wisconsin

Jen Kobylecky is the associate director of education engagement for PBS Wisconsin, where she leads the team that connects with PreK-12 educators statewide to share free, standards-aligned, and high-quality educational resources produced locally and nationally by PBS. Jen is proud... Read More →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 8:15am - 9:15am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 2

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

Company Collaborative Leadership, Instructional Partnerships, Literacy

10:45am CDT

Be the GOAT of Your Library

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

BCC Collaborate B

Pull up to this hype session where we’re dropping all the hottest tips to level up your library game. Whether you're running on a skeleton crew, just getting your feet wet in the library world, or juggling multiple buildings, you’ll walk away with fresh ideas that will help you flex your library skills. We’re gonna introduce you to our student-led program, Library Leaders, show you how to make book checkouts lit, and share ways to help classroom teachers without breaking a sweat. Plus, we’ll give you the lowdown on building confidence with your library aides so they can slay in their roles. Don’t miss out – it’s gonna be fire! 🔥📚

Speakers

Jamie Jestadt

Library Media Specialist, Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools

Hi there! I'm Jamie Jestadt from Wisconsin Rapids. This is my 8th year as Library Media Specialist for the nine elementary schools in our district. I have over 2,500 amazing students who teach me something new every day. I love everything about the library and am so excited to be... Read More →

Kat Barthel

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

Beginner, Elementary

Company Collaborative Leadership, Facilitating Professional Learning, Students as Creators

10:45am CDT

Passive Programming in the Secondary Library

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

BCC Connect AB West A3

Getting students to buy in to a secondary library when it has to be their choice to come can be a challenge and trust me, we don't have everything figured out either. But creating a comfortable and welcoming environment, a refuge for the kids who need it, and a reputation for solving problems can make the library a hub of activity in your building. Join us in discussing how we've worked to create this environment within our libraries and brainstorm more ideas on what we can do together. We'll be sharing about spaces, passive programming ideas, events and activities within the library as well as what we've done to create a reputation of solving problems with students and staff.

Speakers

Nicci Verbeten

Library Media/Instructional Technology Specialist, West De Pere School District

Ashley Knapp

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.

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
BCC Connect AB West A3

Beginner, Middle School, High School

Company Collaborative Leadership, Collaborative Spaces, Library Space

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

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

10:45am CDT

Elevate Your Coaching Game: Unleashing the Power of AI in Instructional Coaching

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

Hilton Garden Room B

In today's dynamic educational landscape, the instructional coach and tech coach roles must seamlessly merge. Staying at the forefront of technology integration is imperative in this ever-changing multimedia environment. Now, more than ever, we must invest in our teachers so they can prepare their students for the future, including jobs yet to be created, all coaches must champion technology and innovation, even embracing AI in the classroom. This can be done by executing successful coaching cycles. This session will explore various coaching cycles, focusing on Jim Knight's impactful coaching cycle. Discover various coaching cycle resources, including cutting-edge AI coaching tools that will make your work smarter, not harder.

Speakers

Aggie Salter

ITS

Agnieszka Salter (@AggieSalterITS) is an Instructional Technology, PD Specialist, Instructional Coach Leader, and Innovation teacher at QP School in Madison, WI. Aggie is the Digital Promise Global's Coach Community Manager. She is one of the initial curriculum designers and teachers... Read More →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Hilton Garden Room B

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

Company Collaborative Leadership