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

12:30pm CDT

Evidence-Based Strategies for Teaching Online Information Evaluation

Sunday March 9, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Students need to be able to determine if information they find online is credible and trustworthy. Research reveals that traditional approaches to teaching evaluation often rely on outdated methods that can mislead students. This presentation will explore current trends and research in digital information evaluation, including popular techniques like lateral reading and SIFT. Attendees will learn about free, evidence-backed lessons and classroom resources designed to develop critical thinking and digital literacy.

Speakers

Jodi Pierre

Research & Instruction Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

I am a Research & Instruction Librarian at UW-Green Bay Libraries. As a member of the technology and digital transformation team, I help manage the library website, LibGuides, and Primo VE discovery service (branded Search@UW).

Sunday March 9, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 6

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

Company Facilitating Professional Learning, Literacy

12:30pm CDT

One District‘s Journey Leveraging Library Media Specialist Expertise in Strengthening Diverse Representation in Classroom ELA Instructional Materials

Sunday March 9, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 2

Many schools are adopting ELA instructional materials recommended for their alignment to standards and/or the science of reading in hopes of improving standardized literacy outcomes. Although these materials include a comprehensive set of text passages touted as complex and diverse, scholars conducting culturally responsive audits for many of these products have found some alarming results about omissions in diverse representation and harmful depictions in numerous text passages. Learn how one Wisconsin district committed to modifying problematic passages in their current ELA materials is leveraging K-12 library media specialists' expertise to assist in selecting affirming, authentic, and accurate replacement and supplementary text passages. Hear from library media specialists and a literacy consultant participating in this district’s ongoing work and consider how you might advocate for school library media specialist involvement in a similar process in your own district.

Speakers

Tanya Arnold

Teacher/Librarian, Sun Prairie ASD - Royal Oaks Elementary

Mindy Grant

Library Media Specialist

I am the Library Media Specialist of Central Heights Middle School in Sun Prairie, WI. I started my career as an English Language Arts teacher for 10 years and now have been living it up in the library for 8. I started my library career at a middle school in Madison Metropolitan School... Read More →

Kim Stieber-White

Curriculum, Coaching & Digital Learning Consultant, CESA 2

Kim facilitates learning relating to literacy, curriculum and instruction, and digital learning, often with a focus on social justice. She also has the privilege of supporting school library media specialists through the CESA 2 LMS Network and in-district coaching for those acquiring... Read More →

Sunday March 9, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 2

Beginner, Elementary, Middle School, High School

Company Culturally Responsive Instruction, Instructional Partnerships, Literacy

3:00pm CDT

Pawsitive Impact: Bringing Therapy Dogs to Our School Library

Sunday March 9, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 4

In this session you will learn how having a therapy dog in your library can improve school engagement and help develop a more inclusive, supportive school environment. Attendees will also learn practical steps that can be taken to implement therapy dog programs in their own school libraries. Facing opposition or district hoops and red tape, this presenter will share how she was able to overcome the obstacles to bring her certified therapy dog into her libraries. Information will include organizations to contact to find volunteer therapy dog teams willing to visit, process to get your own dog certified, where to purchase liability insurance, research to support having a therapy dog in the library, management ideas, and much, much, more!

Speakers

Jennifer Georgia

Library Media Specialist, GBAPS

Hello! I’m Jennifer Georgia. I have been a librarian for the past 15 years in the Green Bay Area Public School district. Prior to that I taught in Green Bay for 14 years. I currently am full time at Martin Elementary School in Green Bay. I am married to my husband of 30 years and... Read More →

Sunday March 9, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 4

Beginner, Elementary, Middle School, High School

Company Community Partnerships, Literacy

3:00pm CDT

Battle of the Books for All Levels

Sunday March 9, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Hilton Garden Room A

Battle of the Books is one of the foundational programs run by WEMTA, and a beloved part of students’ reading lives at schools statewide. Ignite a love for reading, challenge your students, and create a school-wide sense of community over the Battle of the Books reading lists every year! Learn about starting a Battle of the Books program at your school or work with other session participants to level-up your current program.This session is for participants with all levels of knowledge about the Battle of the Books program, and participants will leave with an action plan for the 2025-2026 school year.

Speakers

Kate Olson

AASL Affiliate for Wisconsin, WEMTA

Christine O'Regan is a library media teacher consultant for Kenosha Unified School District. She has worked as a school librarian for 20+ years in elementary, high school and district levels. She is also the AASL state affiliate for WEMTA. The best part of her career are the opportunities... Read More →

Jeff Carpenter

School Library Media Specialist, Appleton Area School District

Jeff celebrates 35 years serving the AASD as a library media specialist and is a longtime WEMTA member. He earned a Master’s in Library Science (UW-Madison), and a Bachelor’s Degree in elementary education (UW-La Crosse). One of his proudest achievements was receiving the special... Read More →

Sunday March 9, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Hilton Garden Room A

Intermediate, Elementary, Middle School, High School

Company Facilitating Professional Learning, Literacy

3:00pm CDT

Nearpod Unleashed: Engage, Assess, and Save Time

Sunday March 9, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

BCC Boardroom

Nearpod continues to evolve, introducing fresh features that redefine classroom dynamics. Whether you're a Nearpod newbie or a seasoned user, there's always something to discover. This session delves into the latest tools and functionalities Nearpod offers, enabling teachers to elevate engagement, streamline assessment, and optimize lessons like never before. Some of the newest topics

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 →

Sunday March 9, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
BCC Boardroom

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

Company Budget & Resources, Culturally Responsive Instruction, Literacy

8:45am CDT

Captivate and Educate: Using Edutainment to Boost Student Involvement and Achievement in ELA

Monday March 10, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am CDT

BCC Boardroom

Today’s students are used to constant entertainment, making it challenging for teachers to capture their attention. But a disengaged classroom is even scarier. Join Amanda Zieba, the Word Nerd from YouTube, as she shares practical, engaging strategies for middle school ELA classrooms and libraries. Learn how to create fun, captivating lessons without the pressure of a song-and-dance act. From reading routines, writing practices and reading recommendations to using technology and kinesthetic learning, discover techniques that make students WANT to be in your classroom and ENJOY learning. Increased engagement leads to increased achievement—and happier teachers!

Speakers

Amanda Zieba

Founder, Content Creator, Word Nerd Collaborative

Amanda Zieba, the founder of the Word Nerd Collaborative, a middle school ELA teacher membership, is an author, educator, content creator, transforming the educational experience for teachers and students. She has worked with educators around the world to increase student engagement... Read More →

Monday March 10, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am CDT
BCC Boardroom

Beginner, Middle School

Company Library Space, Literacy, Student Engagement

8:45am CDT

Leveling up your Sora promotion - Engage students with digital reading

Monday March 10, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 7

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.

Speakers

Lena Rose

Monday March 10, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 7

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

Company Equitable Digital Access, Facilitating Professional Learning, Literacy

8:45am CDT

Supporting Early Literacy from the Library & TeachingBooks

Monday March 10, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 2

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.

Speakers

Kym Davick

Monday March 10, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 2

Beginner, Early childhood, Elementary

Company Literacy

8:45am CDT

Building collections: diving deep into culturally relevant collections and curricular alignment

Monday March 10, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am CDT

Hilton Garden Room B

Using tools available for you

Speakers

Linda Peterson

Libraria (fomerely Children's Plus, Inc)

Monday March 10, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am CDT
Hilton Garden Room B

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

Company Collaborative Leadership, Culturally Responsive Instruction, Literacy

1:00pm CDT

TeachingBooks and Sora: Better Together

Monday March 10, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 7

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.

Speakers

Lena Rose

Kym Davick

Monday March 10, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 7

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

Company Equitable Digital Access, Facilitating Professional Learning, Literacy

3:00pm CDT

Leveraging Professional Organizations: Connecting to Impact Learning through Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 7

We know the value of professional development and how important it is to have connections with our state organizations, but does every teacher in our district? This session will provide ways to connect with the English teachers in your district through the Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English by sharing the highlights of the WCTE 2024 Fall Convention, “Expanding Our UniVERSE: Creating Learner-Centric Experiences.” Poetry and verse novels were at the heart of WCTE’s Convention, and both can be used to ignite passion in students and ignite a love of reading. Attendees will leave with practical ways to utilize poetry and verse novels in the classroom and library, ready to share with teachers in their district.

Speakers

Trista Owczarzak

Library Media Specialist, Cambria-Friesland School District

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 7

Beginner, Middle School, High School

Company Facilitating Professional Learning, Instructional Partnerships, Literacy

3:00pm CDT

Library Program Planning: Bringing Life to Your Library

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 2

Looking to revitalize your library programs and engage your middle or high school students? Join us for a collaborative session where together we'll dive into practical strategies and share ideas for planning and implementing exciting library initiatives. In this session, we will discuss programming ideas for events like National Library Week and monthly reading challenges. We will share ideas around how to create eye-catching and themed displays to spark student interest, and we will explore low-effort, high-impact activities for your library and makerspace through passive programming. This interactive session will provide you with fresh inspiration, practical tips, and the opportunity to connect with fellow librarians. Let's work together to transform your library into a vibrant hub of learning and creativity!

Speakers

Mindy Grant

Library Media Specialist

Erin Clark

Library Media Technology Specialist, Madison Metropolitan School District

I am the Library Media and Technology Specialist at La Follette High School in Madison. Prior to my current role, I was a middle school and 4th grade classroom teacher in Illinois and the Verona Area School District as well as a K-5 librarian in Verona. This diverse range of experience... Read More →

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 2

Beginner, Middle School, High School

Company Advocacy, Library Space, Literacy

3:00pm CDT

Partnering for Success: Collaborating with your Title I Reading Specialist to Create Engaging Family Events

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 3

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.

Speakers

Michele Green

Library Media Technology Specialist, School District of Greenwood

Amanda Schlough

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 3

Beginner, Early childhood, Elementary

Company Collaborative Leadership, Community Partnerships, Literacy

3:00pm CDT

Reinvigorate the Library: Leverage Differentiated Texts to Boost Reading Motivation and Literacy Gains

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Hilton Garden Room A

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.

Speakers

Danielle Rivera

Patrick Gaffney

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Hilton Garden Room A

Beginner, Elementary, Middle School, High School

Company Culturally Responsive Instruction, Instructional Partnerships, Literacy

3:00pm CDT

The ABCs of Being an Elementary Librarian

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

BCC Collaborate C

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!

Speakers

Tiffany Coopman

Jodie Kujawa

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
BCC Collaborate C

Beginner, Early childhood, Elementary

Company Budget & Resources, Library Space, Literacy

3:00pm CDT

Inspiring Instruction: Ignite Learning with Britannica Education

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 6

As an educator, your time is extremely valuable and free time is a rare commodity! Why not save the time and money you could spend tracking down high-quality digital resources and let Britannica support you! Meet Teach Britannica, an open-access resource that provides lessons, instructional strategies, and graphic organizers that connect Britannica School's usage (available to all WI educators through BadgerLink) to classroom instruction, positively impacting learning communities.

Attendees will leave with easy-to-implement lessons and strategies, paired with updated Britannica resources to help with lesson planning, serve as sub plans, and deepen engagement with high-quality, non-fiction content in the classroom.

In this session, attendees will: - Actively discuss their classroom practices and how to implement new resources into lesson planning - Partake in the gradual release of a lesson from Teach Britannica, with a worked example, group work, and sharing thoughts and ideas with colleagues - Conduct a gallery walk to showcase worked examples of Instructional Strategies that can easily be implemented in the classroom.

Speakers

Mike Benson

Britannica Education

Chris Heintz

Director, Customer Experience, Britannica Education

Chris began his career in education as a high school Social Studies teacher in Chicago. Since then, he's served in various roles in education management helping teachers navigate the complex world of assessments, data, and curriculum & instruction. Throughout it all, he's been dedicated... Read More →

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 6

Intermediate, Early childhood, Elementary, Middle School

Company Literacy

3:00pm CDT

Strategies and Tools for Library Collection Development: Leveraging Titlewave, the #1 eCommerce Site in K12

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

BCC Boardroom

This session will demonstrate how you can use Titlewave to analyze, weed, and build a library collection.

Titlewave is an online collection development and curriculum support tool for librarians and administrators, and it features professionally curated content and support tools that help you find the best educationally relevant materials.

This session will provide a deep dive into Titlewave and will provide time for questions.

Speakers

Joe Folliard

Content Consultant, Follett Content Solutions

Scott Spanier

Bob Whitbeck

Monday March 10, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
BCC Boardroom

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

Company Budget & Resources, Library Space, Literacy

8:15am CDT

10 Creative Ways to Engage Students

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

Sheraton Wisconsin 7

Discover practical and impactful strategies to engage students in the school library. We will focus on creative ways to foster a love of reading, enhance learning experiences, and find time-effective and realistic ways to engage students at all levels. Hands-on learning, digital strategies, and more will be explored!

Speakers

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 →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 8:15am - 9:15am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 7

Beginner, Elementary, Middle School

Company Culturally Responsive Instruction, Library Space, Literacy

8:15am CDT

Critically Analyzing Media: Empowering Students Through Media Literacy

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

Hilton Garden Room B

Young people’s lives are increasingly filled with digital media and teaching students how to be savvy, critical consumers is more important than ever. Let’s practice our media literacy skills by analyzing how media is made. We’ll discuss ways to analyze the messages media creators send, from bias and representation to design, tone, and more. Discover how these creative choices shape our students’ perceptions and actions. We’ll share tips, tricks and resources for analyzing media and discuss how to inspire students to become critical consumers.

Speakers

Nick Ostrem

Education Engagement Specialist, PBS Wisconsin

Tuesday March 11, 2025 8:15am - 9:15am CDT
Hilton Garden Room B

Beginner, Elementary, Middle School, High School

Company Literacy, Students as Creators

8:15am CDT

Dewey Still Exists....Sort of. Genrefy Your Non-Fiction.

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

Sheraton Wisconsin 3

I genrefied my non-fiction section, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made for my libraries. Session attendants will learn about my process throughout, how I display it, and maintain it. We will also talk about reactions pre and post genrefication.

Speakers

Jessica Graham

Library Media Technology Integrator, Menomonie School District

Embrace weirdness! I love animals! Well, not bugs and insects, or reptiles, but pretty much any mammal. So I guess I should have said, "I love mammals!"My time is divided between reading for myself and reading for students. I'm one of those weird people who read multiple books... Read More →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 8:15am - 9:15am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 3

Intermediate, Elementary

Company Collaborative Spaces, Library Space, Literacy

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

Sheraton Wisconsin 2

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

8:15am CDT

Spotting the Tricks: Helping Students Understand Social Engineering, Fake News, and Digital Folklore

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

Sheraton Wisconsin 1

Today’s students face a digital world full of clever tricks designed to influence what they think, believe, and share. This paper explores how bad actors use social engineering—like impersonating trusted sources—and disinformation—such as fake news headlines—to manipulate their audience. We’ll also examine disinformation folklore: the viral memes, rumors, and stories that feel like modern myths and are especially convincing to young people. Through real-world examples and practical tools, school librarians will learn how to help students identify these tactics, think critically about what they encounter online, and respond thoughtfully. By equipping students with these skills, librarians play a vital role in creating informed, resilient digital citizens

Speakers

Maria Haigh

Tuesday March 11, 2025 8:15am - 9:15am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 1

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

Company Facilitating Professional Learning, Instructional Partnerships, Literacy

9:30am CDT

Getting Started with AI Literacy: Preparing Students for an AI-Driven World

Tuesday March 11, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 2

Generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) programs like ChatGPT and Google Gemini are transforming how we access and evaluate information. This presentation will include an introduction to popular Gen AI tools, their real-world uses and limitations, and the ethical challenges they present. We will explore the concept of AI literacy and the importance of moving beyond the hype to critically evaluate AI products.

Attendees will learn how to effectively discuss Gen AI with students and colleagues, fostering critical thinking about its use and implications. Attendees will learn about practical resources for teaching about AI and staying up to date in this fast-moving field.

Speakers

Jodi Pierre

Research & Instruction Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Tuesday March 11, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 2

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

Company Data & Privacy, Facilitating Professional Learning, Literacy

9:30am CDT

Prioritizing Choice Reading in the High School

Tuesday March 11, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 3

Have you seen a decline in reading among secondary school students? Are you wondering how to increase opportunities for choice reading and library utilization at your high school? Brookfield Central High School Principal, Brett Grueztmacher, and High School Librarian, Colleen Fenno Ladwig, will discuss our experience over the past three years of hosting quarterly “check out weeks,” which bring students into the library to checkout choice books for regularly scheduled, cross-discipline, independent reading. We will also consider other efforts we’ve made to ignite and inspire reading, including building a school-wide reading culture, offering passive programming, and factoring in larger trends in reading that make emphasizing choice reading at the secondary level more important now than ever. Finally, we will welcome suggestions from other secondary school librarians who have successful strategies for the high school library: how are you igniting and inspiring reading in your schools?

Speakers

Colleen Fenno Ladwig

Brett Gruetzmacher

Tuesday March 11, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 3

Beginner, Middle School, High School, Higher Education

Company Instructional Partnerships, Library Space, Literacy

9:30am CDT

Wisconsin Adventures - Roll for Initiative!

Tuesday March 11, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Hilton Garden Room A

Proven education foundations and dragon-slaying go hand in hand! Wisconsin Adventures combines the myths and legends of Wisconsin’s past with the deep learning opportunities of fantasy roleplaying games (RPGs). Engage your students with this unique place-based learning opportunity.
Wisconsin Adventures presents a Wisconsin filled with the legends of our past. A werewolf on the prowl; a lizard-like creature that feasts on livestock; a knight errant on a quest; and more.
This dynamic, play-based learning resource opens new strategies for educational engagement. Interactive storytelling lets anyone become the hero of their own narrative. Empowerment builds self-confidence, and the cooperative nature of RPGs develops the interpersonal skills that students need to succeed.
In our session you'll learn how Wisconsin Adventures came to be, why this model can work for your school, go through the history behind the game, and get started creating your very own Wisconsin Adventures.

Speakers

Kurt Griesemer

Manager of PK12 Education Initiatives, Wisconsin Historical Society

Kurt Griesemer has been involved in education for over 20 years, teaching in public and private schools, creating classroom media for television and the web, and currently as the Coordinator of Primary Education at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Kurt has produced several video... Read More →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Hilton Garden Room A

Beginner, Elementary, Middle School, High School

Company Collaborative Spaces, Literacy, Students as Creators

9:30am CDT

¡A Leer y Competir! Organizando una Batalla de Libros!

Tuesday March 11, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 7

Investing in students' home languages is a powerful tool for equity. Librarians can create rigorous opportunities for an often neglected reading population. Learn how MMSD hosts an annual Batalla de Libros in grades 4-8. Advanced Learning Coach Katie Hayden and LMTS Hollis Rudiger will guide you through the process: creating teams, selecting books, writing questions, and running the tournament. They'll share book lists and selection processes. Spanish knowledge isn't necessary, and can help monolingual librarians support biliteracy goals, even in smaller settings. This model can be adapted for other languages and grades. Join us for a lively, multilingual discussion!

Speakers

Hollis Rudiger

Hollis became an old school librarian in 1997, but recently drove back to the future, and is settling nicely into 2024. She is also, reluctantly, a Media and Technology Specialist. She has been an ed tech trainer, an ESL teacher, a librarian at the CCBC, a tutor and coach for neurodivergent... Read More →

Katie Hayden

Tuesday March 11, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 7

Beginner, Elementary, Middle School

Company Culturally Responsive Instruction, Instructional Partnerships, Literacy

9:30am CDT

CCBC: Great New Books for Middle and High School Libraries

Tuesday March 11, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

BCC Connect AB West A1 & A2

This session will highlight recently published trade books recommended in "CCBC Choices 2025," the most recent best-of-the-year list created by librarians at the Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The books recommended in the annual "Choices" list offer myriad opportunities for supporting middle and high school students as they seek books for their reading pleasure and to support literacy and learning. All of the books in CCBC Choices 2025, and the 2025 American Library Association (ALA) youth literature award books, will be available for hands-on book examination.

Speakers

Merri Lindgren

Librarian, Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Director, Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt is the Director of the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Tessa previously served as the Assistant State Superintendent of the Division for Libraries and Technology at the Wisconsin... Read More →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
BCC Connect AB West A1 & A2

Intermediate, Middle School, High School

Company Literacy

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

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

Engaging Teens: Inspiring a Love for the Library in the High School

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

Sheraton Wisconsin 3

Getting teenagers excited can be a challenge. Now getting them excited about reading and using the library- even a bigger challenge. So how do we spark their interest in the library? This session will explore innovative ideas for both passive and active programming, strategies to engage students and inspire a love for reading, and effective ways to promote the library.

Speakers

Deidre Olson

Library Media Teacher, Mary D. Bradford High School

Hello, I am Deidre Olson and I am a dedicated library media teacher with over 23 years of experience in education and libraries. I am passionate about literacy and technology, As a mother of two teenagers, I understand the challenges and joys of teenagers and wouldn't want to spend... Read More →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 3

Beginner, High School

Company Library Space, Literacy, Students as Creators

10:45am CDT

Let's Get Students Hooked on Books!

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

Sheraton Wisconsin 4

In this session, we'll explore programming options for your library to help students explore books and hopefully even fall in love with a few. I'll present activities I've hosted in the past, including READ Dating, Virtual READ Dating, Book Buffets, etc. I'll provide information on multiple ways to set these activities up and share a template for Virtual READ Dating. We will also talk about data collection so you can prove these activities work to help get students excited about reading! Have you hosted this type of activity in your library? If so, please join us to share other ideas. New to the idea? We'll cover everything you need to know to host one of these activities when you get back to school! Bring a device and start to build a Virtual READ dating experience during this session! Let's get students hooked on books!

Speakers

Mande Shecterle

Library Technology Specialist, Stoughton Area School District

I have been a library media specialist at River Bluff Middle School for the past twenty years. I love getting students excited about books and reading! Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, travelling, reading, attending Badger sporting events, and... Read More →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 4

Beginner, Elementary, Middle School, High School

Company Literacy, Library Programming

10:45am CDT

My Genrfying Journey: Genrefying an entire elementary library

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

Sheraton Wisconsin 7

This session will focus on the organization of the elementary library. The idea behind genrefying a school library will be discussed as well as how I have genrefied our fiction and nonfiction books and have started out the picture book reorganization. I will discuss the physical changes that were made to the books, the space, the supplies I purchased to reorganize (labels, covers, and face out bins), the changes made in Follett Destiny as well as the impact these changes had to our circulation numbers. I believe strongly in this type of organization and am excited to share the benefits of this with other librarians.

Speakers

Keri Johnson

K-5 Learning Center Director, Copeland Manor

My road to the library began in a classroom in 2000. I taught fourth grade for thirteen years before I made the transition to the library. This is my seventh year in that position. I earned my bachelors degree in human development and family studies from the University of Illinois... Read More →

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 7

Beginner, Elementary

Company Budget & Resources, Library Space, Literacy

10:45am CDT

Story Stuffy Kits: Introducing 4K to new friends

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

Hilton Garden Room A

For the past 3 years, the 300 4K students in Kimberly School District have been borrowing an unconventional item from their school library: stuffed animals. While the thought of this might strike fear in some, these unconventional library items are cleaned after every single use, affordably acquired, well-maintained in backpack kits, and the most popular library item among students and parents alike. If you're working with younger library students, especially those in preschool, and looking for a unique collaboration option within your district, check out this session!

Speakers

Erin Wedemeier

Library Media Specialist, Kimberly Area School District

Erin Wedemeier is currently the 4K-8 Library Media Specialist at Kimberly Area School District. After teaching middle school language arts for 6 years, she earned her Masters degree in library science and her role switched to middle school library and reading intervention. Her role... Read More →

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

Beginner, Early childhood, Elementary

Company Instructional Partnerships, Literacy

10:45am CDT

CCBC: Great New Books for K-5 Libraries

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

BCC Connect AB West A1 & A2

This session will highlight recently published trade books recommended in "CCBC Choices 2025," the most recent best-of-the-year list created by librarians at the Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The books recommended in the annual "Choices" list offer myriad opportunities for supporting K-Grade 5 students as they seek books for their reading pleasure and to support literacy and learning. All of the books in CCBC Choices 2025, and the 2025 American Library Association (ALA) youth literature award books, will be available for hands-on book examination.

Speakers

Merri Lindgren

Librarian, Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Director, Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
BCC Connect AB West A1 & A2

Intermediate, Early childhood, Elementary

Company Literacy