WSRA's Update Newsletter September 2020

Update

WSRA

NEWSLETTER OF THE WISCONSIN STATE READING ASSOCIATION

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A Letter from the President Wanted: Two New Board Members Let’s Connect Equitable Access and Broadband Coverage: What does this mean for Wisconsin students?

Book Recommendations September’s Theme: 5 Back-to-School Picture Books WSRA Honor Council In Memoriam: John Lewis Young Voices Virtual Field Trips The Professional Book Corner Southwest Zone Program of Events Raising Our Vo!ces: Empowering All Learners Today to Change the World Tomorrow Virtual Council Meetings WSRA Membership Application

WHAT’S INSIDE

VOLUME 33 • NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2020

A Letter from the President

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Submitted by La Tasha Fields, WSRA President 2020-2021

ear Literacy Leaders,

As we continue to navigate the challenges that 2020 has delivered, I would like to encourage you to extend a bit of grace to yourself and others. While we are facing many challenges, we, as literacy leaders in Wisconsin, also have an opportunity to continue carrying out the mission of WSRA as outlined below, by engaging in the work of committees and councils and attending leadership meetings.

The Wisconsin State Reading Association provides leadership, advocacy, and professional learning for the implementation of effective literacy practices, recognizing the complex nature of literacy and engaging students to apply their literacies in meaningful ways in a changing world.

The dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racism are encouraging us to tap into our creative and courageous beings, in addition to pushing us to engage in conversations about equity, race, and education, in ways that we may not have engaged before.

La Tasha Fields

I look forward to seeing everyone in November and at the annual WSRA Conference, Raising Our Voices: Empowering All Learners Today to Change the World Tomorrow. As you move forward this year, take time to reflect on the encouraging words of Mary McLeod Bethune, “Believe in yourself, learn, and never stop wanting to build a better world.”

In excellence,

La Tasha Fields

Update

WANTED

The Wisconsin State Reading Association provides leadership, advocacy, and professional learning for the implementation of effective literacy practices, recognizing the complex nature of literacy and engaging students to apply their literacies in meaningful ways in a changing world.

WSRA Update

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Luedeke President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . La Tasha Fields President Elect . . . . . . . . . . Colleen Pennell 1st Vice President . . . . . . . Michelle Mullen 2nd Vice President . . . . . . . . . Gayle Luebke 3rd Vice President . . . . . . Ryanne Deschane Past President . . . . . . . . . . Deborah Cromer Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Bartlein Recording Secretary . . . . . . Jennifer Metzer Coordinating Secretary . . . . . Terri Schneider Committee Coordinator . . . . . . . Sue Boquist State Council Coordinator . . . . . . Gale Gerharz Central Zone Coordinator . . . . Brian Perrodin NE Zone Coordinator . . . . . Amy Roggenbauer NW Zone Coordinator . . . . . . . . . Teri Lassig SE Zone Coordinator . . . . . . . . . Tanya Evans SW Zone Coordinator . . . . . Amanda DeVries Membership Director . . . . . . . . Sabrina Rolli Public Relations Liaison . . . . . Norm Andrews Legislative Committee Chair . Kathy Champeau DPI Liaison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laura Adams DPI Liaison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barb Novak Special Events Coordinator . . Denise Engstrom ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Joyce Uglow 909 Rock Ridge Road Burlington, WI 53105-7230 (262) 514-1450 wsra@wsra.org UPDATE DEADLINES The newsletter will be published in September, November, January, March, May and July. Submission for each issue must be received by the 15th of the month preceding publication. Articles that are not time-sensitive are accepted by the editor at any time.

Kelly Luedeke, Editor WSRA Update luedeke.wsra@gmail.com WSRA WEBSITE wsra.org

TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS

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Submitted by Deborah Cromer, Past President

o you advocate for WSRA’s mission and beliefs? Have you demonstrated leadership qualities while serving on a WSRA committee or local council? Are you a member in good standing of ILA, WSRA, and a local council? If so, you may want to consider one of two open positions on the WSRA Board of Directors:

• Third Vice President • Committee Coordinator Third Vice President is the first year of a six-year commitment (June 1, 2021 - May 31, 2027), including serving as Conference Chair in 2023 - 2024 and President in 2025 - 2026.

Committee Coordinator is the first year of a three-year term.

There is the possibility of a three-year extension.

Please email cromer.reads@gmail.com with questions and to request in-depth descriptions of the responsibilities of each position.

Interested candidates should submit the following on or before October 15, 2020: • Letter of interest • A resume or vita (including references) • A short biography The Nominating Committee will review letters of interest and supporting documentation, select candidates that advocate for WSRA’s mission and beliefs, and prepare a slate of candidates for the two open positions to be presented to the Board of Directors.

Biographical information about the candidates will be submitted electronically to the Assembly (all members in good standing) by early January followed by an electronic vote about two weeks later.

New Board members will be announced in February in the Update.

WSRA Committee Openings

Let’s CONNECT!

The following committees are looking for WSRA members who are interested in becoming a part of the WSRA Leadership Group.

Early Childhood Literacy • Elementary Reading • High School Literacy • International Partnership • Legislative Membership • Middle Level • Pre-service Teachers • Publications • Reading Specialists • Research • Title 1

www.wsra.org/committee-interest

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WSRA Update

Equitable Access and Broadband Coverage: What does this mean for Wisconsin students?

Submitted by Kathy Champeau, WSRA Legislative Committee Chair

Upheaval Created

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OVID-19 created upheaval and a great deal of uncertainty for most everyone in Wisconsin. Educators, their students, and parents were, and are, no exception.

When schools closed for in-person learning across the state, online platforms became the tool. For many schools and their families, virtual learning became the norm. The major challenge facing these districts was how to create quality online learning opportunities. This, of course, presumes that you have “it”, meaning internet access and, particularly, broadband service. For some districts, broadband access is a given; for others, it is not.

Wisconsin Education and Broadband Service For some Wisconsin districts, having broadband service is a big and formidable IF. When you don’t have it, a different question looms large: How do districts provide a quality education when online learning isn’t even an option? One WSRA member who lives in a rural part of our state made a sobering disclosure. Out of 300 students in this member’s district, one third do not have access. This may not seem so dire until the number 100 is announced.

One hundred students not having access is an alarming statistic. And this number is just one district in our state.

There are many educator stories among WSRA’s local reading councils that chronicle these same challenges or degrees of internet access issues.

Governor Evers’ Task Force on Broadband Access Recognizing the disparity of internet access through broadband service across Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers, on July 14, 2020, announced Executive Order (EO) 80 Creating a Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Service.

Evers reminds us that “full participation in our society, democracy, and economy requires information technology capacity and without it not only will many children not be able to participate in virtual learning, but many adults cannot do their jobs or seek employment.” One of the goals is providing affordable broadband internet access to all Wisconsin residents by 2025. (Dates for Governor Evers’ Broadband Task Force Meetings can be found at https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/Programs/BroadbandGovernorsT askForce.aspx) Here are some statistics from the Federal Communications Commission 2020 Broadband Development Report:

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• 7.1% of Wisconsin residents lack access to at least one broadband service with a speed of 25/3 Mbps or better, compared to the national average of 5.6%.

• 26.7% of Wisconsin residents in rural areas lack access to at least one broadband service.

• 410,000 Wisconsin residents, including 398,000 Wisconsin residents living in rural areas, lack any access to a fixed, terrestrial broadband service with a speed of at least 25/3 Mbps or better.

• Wisconsin currently ranks 30th in the nation for broadband coverage.

• At least 30% of all households in 9 counties lack any internet access. (Reported in The Chippewa Herald, 12/7/2018.)

• Fewer than half of all households have some sort of wired broadband service in 10 counties. (Reported in The Chippewa Herald, 12/7/2018.)

• More than 85% of homes in Waukesha and Dane Counties have broadband. (Reported in The Chippewa Herald, 12/7/2018.)

Reason for Lack of Access EO 80 provides one reason broadband access is not a reality for all Wisconsin residents: “expanding access to broadband internet is challenging in Wisconsin where many areas of our state do not have the population density to support a return on investment for internet service providers.” In Evers’ July 14, 2020 Press Release, Public Service Commission Chairperson Valcq states, “In many cases, the hardest part of getting access to all is finding ways to connect that last half-mile—sometimes literally down country roads and driveways to homes and businesses.”

Equitable Access and National Statistics We know that rural Wisconsin is disproportionately affected by lack of broadband access. A closer look at national statistics reveals that many marginalized populations are also disproportionately affected. A report entitled Student Access to Digital Learning Resources Outside of the Classroom by The National Center for Educational Statistics, April 2018, finds: • 5-to 17-year-old students living below the poverty threshold have lower rates of home internet access than students living between 100 and 185 percent of the poverty threshold and students living at greater than 185 percent of the poverty threshold.

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• American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, and Hispanic students have lower rates of home internet access than their peers who are White, Asian, and of two or more races, with American Indian students having the greatest disproportionality.

As we study all of these statistics, what does this data tell us about the goal of providing a quality education for all Wisconsin students?

Advocating for Equity Access The current pandemic exacerbates and highlights the long-standing critical digital divide and the implications this divide has for equitable educational opportunities for all Wisconsin students. Dr. Paul Gorski, founder of the Equity Literacy Institute, is an advocate for equitable digital access as part of education equity issues. Dr. Gorski states, “those of us who conceive our work at the intersections of multicultural education and technology—must dedicate ourselves to keeping these and myriad other dimensions of digital inequity at the fore of our discourses. We must challenge ourselves to fight for equitable access to these technologies in the broadest possible sense before or, at the very least, while we rave about their potential contributions to multicultural curricula.”

Governor Evers pronounces that internet access "… is no longer a luxury. It’s important for schooling. It’s important for our businesses and our economy, and, especially, it’s important for rural Wisconsin because that’s where the lack of access is.” Building our level of awareness of the many issues Wisconsin educators face in trying to achieve equitable quality learning experiences for all of our students is critical. Inequitable access to broadband service is one of these critical issues.

References: Broadband Deployment Report. Federal Communications Commission, April 24, 2020.

Broadband.now https://broadbandnow.com/Wisconsin Gorski, P. Insisting on Digital Equity: Reframing the Dominant Discourse on Multicultural Education and Technology. Urban Education.

Gorski, P. Equity Literacy Institute. Equityliteracy.org Governor Tony Evers Executive Order 80 Creating a Governor Task Force on Broadband Service, July 14, 2020. https://evers.wi.gov/Pages/Newsroom/Executive-Orders.aspx Governor Tony Evers Press Release July 14, 2020 Gov. Evers Signs Executive Order Creating Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIGOV/bulletins/295714a Governor Evers’ Broadband Task Force Meeting dates https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/Programs/BroadbandGovernorsTaskForce.aspx Hubbuch, C. (2018, Dec. 7). Census Gives Numbers to Wisconsin’s Digital Divide. The Chippewa Herald.

Institute of Educational Sciences. (April, 2018). Student Access to Digital Learning Resources Outside the Classroom. National Center for Educational Statistics.

Wisconsin Broadband Plan, 2019. https.//psc.wi.gov

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WSRA Update

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

September’s Theme: 5 Back-to-School Picture Books Submitted by Samantha Marquardt, WSRA’s Children’s Literature Committee

• I Will Be Fierce by Bea Birdsong and illustrated by Nidhi Chanani

• Me and My Fear by Francesca Sanna

• The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton Bonus Book

• The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! by Mo Willems

• The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihal Muhammad and illustrated by Hatem Aly

• Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins -Bigelow

WSRA Honor Council

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Submitted by Gale Gerharz WSRA State Council Coordinator

he Wisconsin State Reading Association has 25 local reading councils across the state that work to support the mission of WSRA by bringing professional development opportunities to area educators. WSRA Honor Council is an award that recognizes this work. Local councils have three meetings a year which often includes a speaker focusing on a critical literacy topic. The local councils also have a variety of ways to connect with their local schools and communities. Some examples include providing books and pajamas for local shelters, book swaps, author festivals, Read Ins, etc.

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This year we have several councils who received Honor Council for their work during the 2019-2020 school year.

These councils will be recognized during the WSRA Conference and will be awarded $200. The following local councils received Honor Council this year: Muirland Literacy Council, Hidden Valley Reading Council, South Kettle Moraine Reading Council, Waukesha County Reading Council, Milwaukee Area Reading Council, Southern Lakes Reading Council, and Midwest Reading Council. Congratulations and thank you to all who are engaged and serve in these councils for your hard work and dedication .

WSRA Update

IN MEMORIAM:

John Lewis

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Submitted by Kelly Luedeke, WSRA Update Editor

ur country mourned the passing of congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis this past July. Lewis fought tirelessly for freedom, equality, and basic human rights from the 1960s up to his passing. Congressman Lewis received numerous awards for his March book series, including the 2016 National Book Award for his book March: Book Three. The book is part of the March series of graphic novel memoirs that reflects his experiences with the Civil Rights Movement.

John Lewis understood the power of literacy. In his acceptance speech for the 2016 National Book Award, John reflected on early experiences in his life. He talked about how, growing up in rural Alabama, his family had very few books in their home. He recalled an elementary teacher who knew the power of reading and told him, “read, my child, read,” so he tried to read everything he could as a child. He described how, when he was 16 years old, he and some of his siblings and cousins went to the public library and were denied library cards because they were not white.

While John’s life accomplishments remind us of progress that has been made, that a boy who was denied a library card became an author and a force for change, we must continue the work he fought for tirelessly. Just like John knew that he, and other people like him, were being left out of an unjust system, today

we must examine who is being left out of our systems.

And as literacy professionals, we have the awesome power and opportunity to put the magnifying glass up to our districts, our schools, and even our classrooms.

To get started examining who’s left out, we can try a method shared recently by Cornelius Minor at WSRA’s summer institute. He calls it an Imagination Protocol, and it is based off of the work of Django Paris and H. Samy Alim. Here are the steps in that protocol. Reflect on these four questions: 1. Who is most often left out in my school community?

2. What are they being left out of?

3. How might I reimagine that thing to give people more access?

4. How might I test that idea?

Young Voices Virtual Field Trips

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Submitted by Michelle Mullen, 1st Vice President

s WSRA takes its annual conference virtual with ongoing, in-depth, and impactful professional development opportunities from October through June, so too will it offer young authors the same opportunity through our Young Voices Virtual Field Trips. WSRA has joined forces with six influential authors and changemakers to virtually transport classrooms of students across the country to experience writing from the inside.

Teachers will be encouraged to sign up classes in their buildings by grade band. For only $150 all K-2 or 3-6 classes in a building can attend one virtual field trip session. Students will be led on writing adventures around the country by our author tour guides including this year’s Global Read Aloud author and illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal, Mitali Perkins, Phil Bildner, Janet Wong, Ralph Fletcher and Wisconsin’s own Zephaniah and Zion Singh Ponder. The authors will come into classrooms via live video, and registered grade bands will receive a 10-day link for extended viewing of that session to allow for flexibility in attendance. Field trips

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will take place in October, January, February, and March, and topics will include: The Power of the Writer’s Notebook; Building Your Poetry Suitcase; Small Hands, Big Change; Your Middle Grade Book Shelf; It’s Just Fiction, Right?; and more!

Complete session descriptions, related author books, and registration information is available at the WSRA website. So, as a new school year gets underway, pack your bags, begin the countdown to writing success with WSRA’s Young Voices Virtual Field Trips, and help your students “Change the World One Voice at a Time.”

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The Professional Book Corner Submitted by WSRA Elementary Reading Committee

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he WSRA Elementary Reading Committee would like to recommend some good reads for Regular and Special Education Teachers Grades 2-5 working striving writers

Topic: Striving Writers

Synopsis: This book offers teachers tips on building a

Title: Every Child Can Write, Grades 2-5: Entry Points, Bridges, and Pathways for Striving Writers by Melanie Meehan

Grade Level and Target Audience: Regular and Special Education Teachers Grades 2-5

Focus: This text offers teachers authentic, transferable

strategies to support a wide range of writers as they move towards a stronger sense of independence and agency.

Questions this book can answer: • How can I support my striving writers who struggle to get started, maintain stamina, or generate ideas?

• How can I support writers who flourish in one genre or mode but go blank in another?

• How can I gradually decrease my levels of support so students can build independence?

supportive classroom environment and effective routines and procedures to set the stage for writers to enjoy a successful workshop. Meehan discusses practical entry points that teachers can provide for students so that they can engage in the writing process and learn how to self-assess, goal set, and get themselves unstuck. In addition, Meehan outlines ways to purposefully consider paper choice as a means of providing a pathway and increasing a writer’s volume and organization.

Purposefully providing relevant and responsive charts, note-taking, the use of technology, and problems and pitfalls with spelling and conventions are also addressed. This book is a must have for any teacher who supports writers in grades 2 and above.

• How can I help students transfer their learning from one project to another?

Southwest Zone Program of Events

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Submitted by Amanda DeVries, Southwest Zone Coordinator

OVID-19 and the resulting safety protocols made it hard to plan the traditional in person meetings at restaurants or schools for the 2020-21 councils years. The leaders of all the councils in the SW Zone teamed up with WSRA to devise a solution to this issue that also creates a unique experience for Wisconsin Educators.

The leaders of South Kettle Moraine, Hidden Valley, MadisonARC, and Muiland have been working to create an excellent program of FREE webinars for Wisconsin Educators. Each council has taken on the job of planning and presenting two meetings. However, all councils are working together as a group so that there will be one free webinar a month from September to April.

The Southwest Zone leaders are proud to present their 2020-21 line up. See the infographic for all of the dates, speakers and topics. The first will be “The Importance of Stories” with Brian Wilhorn on September 21st. To register

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for this free webinar, go to the calendar WSRA’s Website or use this link: http://wsra.memberclicks.net/sept-skmrc-2020 The first six meetings will also include one giveaway of a one month registration for the WSRA Conference. Each meeting will include a giveaway of a gift certificate for an independent bookstore.

This series is sponsored by WSRA, Hidden Valley Reading Council, South Kettle Moraine Reading Council, Madison Area Reading Council, Muirland Literacy Council, and Rock River Reading Council. Right now, Rock River Reading Council is searching for a leadership team. If you live or work in Rock River’s council area (see map), and are interested in learning more about leading this fabulous council, please contact wsra@wsra.org.

WSRA Update

Raising Our Vo!ces: Empowering All Learners Today to Change the World Tomorrow Submitted by Joyce Uglow, WSRA Administrative Assistant https://wsra.memberclicks.net/conferences for details on the full conference program https://wsra.memberclicks.net/conference-registration to register for the complete series or by the month

November Joyful October Voices Voices for Justice

March January Liberating December Collaborative Voices February Voices April Voices for Connecting Innovative Change Our Voices Voices

May Powerful Voices

June Emerging Voices

Mark Your Calendar Schedule Titles October 14 & 28 9:00 Bettina Love* keynote Oct. 14 We Gon’ Be Alright, But That Ain’t Voices for Justice Alright: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom 10:45 Janet Wong Oct. 14 Building a Poetry Suitcase 10:45 Janet Wong Oct. 28 Hop to It! 12:45 Ralph Fletcher Oct. 14 The Power of the Writer’s Notebook Young Voices Field Trip for students in grades 3-6 2:45 Bettina Love* Oct. 14 Info coming soon 4:15 Liz Kleinrock Oct. 14 Putting Anti-Bias and Anti-Racism Theory into Practice 4:15 Liz Kleinrock Oct. 28 Info coming soon 7:00 Aeriale Johnson Oct. 28 After Diverse Books: Empowering All Learners With Inclusive Libraries and Instructional Practices 7:00 Aeriale Johnson Oct. 28 Still We Rise Up: Using Poetry in the Early Childhood Classroom to Heal and to Hope

Pre-recorded Sessions Crystal Ballard and Mary Ellen Graf Authors’ Stories and Diverse Perspectives Karen Biggs-Tucker Inside an Integrated Literacy Workshop: Where Interest Drives Learners‚ Reading, Writing, and Research Baptiste Paul and Liza Wiemer Upstanders: Helping Students Speak Up Against Injustice And Hate

Mark Your Calendar Schedule Titles November 11 &18 10:45 Juana Martinez- Neal* Nov. 11 We Start with Joy Joyful Voices keynote 12:45 Kathy Collins Nov. 11 Improve Comprehension and Engagement with the Dynamic Pairing of Shared Reading and Close Reading 4:15 Lester Laminack* and Nov. 11 Reading to Make a Difference Katie Kelly 0:45 Kathy Collins Nov. 18 Improve Comprehension and Engagement with the Dynamic Pairing of Shared Reading and Close Reading 12:45 Megan Schliesman Nov. 18 African American Affirmation and and Merri Lindgren (CCBC) Resilience: Books for K-5 4:15 Megan Schliesman Nov. 18 African American Affirmation and Merri Lindgren (CCBC) and Resilience: Books for Grades 6-12

Pre-recorded Sessions Laurie Barbieri, Sarah Rowse-Borreill, and Samantha Jayne Steps to Empowerment for Secondary Students: Implementing Literacy Interventions that Work Nancy Steineke Classroom Management That Creates Student Achievement, Engagement, and Collaboration Mona Zignego and Lisa Hedrick Lifting the Level of Writing Conferences Virtually and In-Person Pernille Ripp But They Still Hate Reading: Establishing and Cultivating a Personal Reading Identity Pernille Ripp How Do We Learn Best: Embedding Authentic Choice and Voice

WSRA’s October Voices for Justice Academy will be presented in both live and pre-recorded sessions. This month’s professional learning will focus on our role as educators and community members to demand and fight for an educational system where all students thrive. We’ll explore using literature to honor our humanity and that of others and to empower students to embrace their destiny and raise their voices against hate and injustice as literate citizens. Leading our Voices for Justice Academy will be Bettina Love, Liz Kleinrock, and Aeriale Johnson. Joining them will be educators Crystal Ballard, Karen Biggs-Tucker, and authors Baptiste Paul and Liza Wiemer. The live sessions will be recorded and accessible for ten days following the live presentation unless marked as *live only. The pre-recorded sessions will be available to the October Academy registrants throughout the school year.

WSRA’s November Joyful Voices Academy will be presented in both live and pre-recorded sessions. This month’s professional learning will focus on creating thriving reading communities in your traditional and virtual classrooms where choice, voice, and student agency take center stage. Connecting with students in meaningful ways and focusing on equity in instruction are cornerstones during this month of professional learning. Leading our Joyful Voices Academy will be Juana Martinez-Neal, Pernille Ripp, and Kathy Collins. Joining them will be educators Mona Zignego, Lisa Hedrick, Laura Barbieri, Sarah Rowse-Borrelli, Samantha Jayne, and Heinemann author Nancy Steineke. The live sessions will be recorded and accessible for ten days following the live presentation unless marked as *live only. The pre-recorded sessions will be available to the November Academy registrants throughout the school year.

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Mark Your Calendar Schedule December 9 & 16 9:00 Yong Zhao keynote Voices for Justice with Sherrill Knezel sketchnoting 10:45 Katie Kelly 2:45 Gravity Goldberg 4:15 Lester Laminack* 7:00 Kristi Mraz 10:45 Kristi Mraz

Titles Dec. 9 Reach for Greatness: Personalizable Education for All

Pre-recorded Sessions Kate Van Haren, Kristin Halverson, and Victoria Rydberg Place, Passion, and Purpose: Using Our Communities and Fueling Literacy Learning in Our Classrooms Dec. 9 Engaging Literacy Practices for Digital Learning Katrena Leininger Boss Writer: How Writing for a Dec. 9 Developing Readers Who Choose to Read Reader Leads to Conventional Writing Mary Lou Harris-Manske What’s New in Dec. 16 Literacy as a Whole-Body Experience Children’s Literature Dec. 9 Building a House of Fiction on a Foundation of Nonfiction: Unpacking the Nonfiction Read Aloud Dec. 9 Play as a Means for Change Dec. 16 Playful Explorations and Inquiry

WSRA’s December Voices for Change Academy will be presented in both live and pre-recorded sessions. This month’s professional learning will focus on our pedagogical practices and how we can advance education in both digital and traditional learning environments. Our speakers will explore classroom spaces that are co-constructed, where inquiry and play lead learning, and where literacy practices are not only driven by student choice and voice, but also become a whole-body experience. Leading our Voices for Change Academy will be Yong Zhao, Katie, Kelly, Kristi Mraz, Gravity Goldberg, and Lester Laminack. Joining them will be Mary Lou Harris-Manske, Kate Van Haren, Kristin Halverson, Victoria Rydberg, and Katrena Leininger. The live sessions will be recorded and accessible for ten days following the live presentation unless marked as *live only. The pre-recorded sessions will be available to the December Academy registrants throughout the school year.

Mark Your Calendar Schedule January 13 & 27 9:00 Janet Wong Collborative Voices Young Voices Field Trip 10:45 Janet Wong Young Voices Field Trip 12:45 Ralph Fletcher Young Voices Field Trip 2:45 Dana Mitra 2:45 Dana Mitra 4:15 Kara Pranikoff 4:15 Kara Pranikoff 7:00 Gwendolyn McMillon 7:00 Gwendolyn McMillon

Titles Jan. 13 Building Your Poetry Suitcase for students in grades K-3 Jan. 13 HOP TO IT! Harnessing the Power of Poetry to Get Your Students Moving Jan. 27 How to Write a Memorable Memoir for students in grades 3-6 Jan. 13 Student Voice as a Pathway Equity Jan. 27 Civic and Inquiry Learning gains through Student Voice Efforts Jan. 13 Breathing New Life into the Talk in Your Classroom Jan. 27 Coaching Powerful Classroom Talk Jan. 13 My Community is My Classroom: Transformative Teaching in Turbulent Times Jan. 27 My Community is My Classroom: Transformative Teaching in Turbulent Times

Pre-recorded Sessions Jen Breezee and Sandra Taylor-Marshall Constructive Coaching Conversations Kathy Champeau, Merry Komar, and Laurie McCarthy Create Dynamic Literacy Learning Environments by Maximizing Peer Relationships Terra Tarango Make It Real: Bring Literacy to Life with Project-Based Learning

Titles Feb. 10 Your Middle Grade Bookshelf for students in grades 3-6 Feb. 10 Purposeful Hustle Feb. 10 Sketchnoting: Using Visuals to Empower Students, Amplify Voice, and Create Change Feb. 10 Join us for WSRA’s 65th Anniversary!

Feb. 11 Small Hands, Big Change for students in grades 3-6

Pre-recorded Sessions Gayle Luebke NOW Elementary: Implementing the Wisconsin ELA standards with Fidelity Sarah Rowse-Borrelli, Linda Maas, and Kathy Van Himbergen Leading to Literacy Children’s Literature Committee WSRA’s Children’s Literature Committee Recommends Barb Novak and Laura Adams Wisconsin’s Revised Standards for English Language Arts Barb Novak and Laura Adams Advancing Educational Equity Through Wisconsin Standards for English Language Arts

WSRA’s November Joyful Voices Academy will be presented in both live and pre-recorded sessions. This month’s professional learning will focus on creating thriving reading communities in your traditional and virtual classrooms where choice, voice, and student agency take center stage. Connecting with students in meaningful ways and focusing on equity in instruction are cornerstones during this month of professional learning. Leading our Joyful Voices Academy will be Juana Martinez-Neal, Pernille Ripp, and Kathy Collins. Joining them will be educators Mona Zignego, Lisa Hedrick, Laura Barbieri, Sarah Rowse-Borrelli, Samantha Jayne, and Heinemann author Nancy Steineke. The live sessions will be recorded and accessible for ten days following the live presentation unless marked as *live only. The pre-recorded sessions will be available to the November Academy registrants throughout the school year.

Mark Your Calendar Schedule February 10 & 11 12:45 Phil Bildner* Connecting Our Young Voices Field Trip Voices 2:45 Deanna Singh 4:15 Sherrill Knezel 7:00 Awards and Honors 10:45 Zephaniah and Zion Singh Ponder Young Voices Field Trip 12:45 Phil Bildner* Young Voices Field Trip

Feb. 10 Your Middle Grade Bookshelf for students in grades 3-6

WSRA’s February Connecting Our Voices Academy will be presented in both live and pre-recorded sessions. This month’s professional learning will focus on infusing the work of both educators and their students with meaning and purpose, leading us all to making a positive impact in the world. The Wisconsin DPI will dive deep into our Revised Standards for ELA, and WSRA’s own Children’s Literature Committee will share their much-anticipated text sets of the best books of 2019-2020! Leading our Connecting Our Voices Academy will be Deanna Singh and Sherrill Knezel. Joining them will be Barb Novak, Laura Adams, Gayle Luebke, Sarah Rowse-Borrelli, Linda Maas, Kathy VanHimbergen, and members of WSRA’s Children’s Literature Committee. The live sessions will be recorded and accessible for ten days following the live presentation unless marked as *live only. The pre-recorded sessions will be available to the February Academy registrants.

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WSRA Update

Mark Your Calendar Schedule March 10 & 24 10:45 Juana Martinez-Neal* Liberating Voices Young Voices Field Trip 12:45 Mitali Perkins Young Voices Field Trip 12:45 Mitali Perkins Young Voices Field Trip 2:45 Ernest Morrell 2:45 Ernest Morrell 4:15 Sonja Cherry Paul* 4:15 Sonja Cherry Paul* 7:00 Pam Allyn 7:00 Pam Allyn

Titles March 24 Exploring Zonia’s Rain Forest

Pre-recorded Sessions Peg Grafwallner Not Yet: Supporting Achievement in the Secondary Classroom March 10 It’s Just Fiction, Right? for students Lauren Zepp and Radeen Yang Confronting Ableism Through Children’s and Young Adult in grades K-3 March 24 Code-Switchers Rule the World for Literature Sandra Taylor-Marshall and Jen Breezee Talking, students in grades K-3 Drawing, Writing: Strategies for Every Writer March 10 Digital Media Literacies in the ELA Classroom: Empowering Student Voices through Production and Critique March 24 SEL, Cultural Responsiveness, and Literacy in PK-6 Classrooms - The Seven Strengths March 10 Reimagining Book Clubs as Liberating, Identity-Inspiring Reading Praxis March 24 Reimagining Book Clubs as Liberating, Identity-Inspiring Reading Praxis March 10 Every Child a Super Reader: 10 Steps to Make it Happen March 24 Literacy 365 at Home and at School: How to Ensure Children Have Access to Powerful Reading and Writing Experiences All Year Long

WSRA’s March Liberating Voices Academy will be presented in both live and pre-recorded sessions. This month’s professional learning will focus on the practices necessary for equitable and liberatory outcomes for ALL of our students. We’ll look at literature as an advocacy tool and be inspired to encourage all of our students to embrace who they are. Leading our Liberating Voices Academy will be Pam Allyn, Ernest Morrell, and Sonja Cherry-Paul. Joining them will be Peg Grafwallner, Radeen Yang, Lauren Zepp, Sandra Taylor-Marshall, and Jen Breezee. The live sessions will be recorded and accessible for ten days following the live presentation unless marked as *live only. The pre-recorded sessions will be available to the March Academy registrants throughout the school year.

Mark Your Calendar Schedule April 14 & 28 9:00 Tonya Gilchrist Innovative Voices 9:00 Tonya Gilchrist 2:45 Ellin Keene 2:45 Ellin Keene 7:00 Elisabeth Bostwick 7:00 Elisabeth Bostwick

Titles April 14 Amplify Inquiry and Honor Agency through Readers’ and Writers’ Workshop April 28 There’s a Better Way: Translanguaging as a Path to Empowerment April 14 Engaging Children: Helping Students Find and Hold onto Engagement April 28 The Literacy Studio: Integrating Reading and Writing April 14 Empower a Culture of Innovation, Where Every Learner Thrives April 28 Inspiring Innovation, Creativity, and Joy Within Literacy

Pre-recorded Sessions Diane Salazar, Lisa Kohler, and Shoundra Washington Intervention for Intermediate Grades with a Digital Component Anne Kissinger A Case For Literacy: Value the Activity of Reading Jen Breezee and Christina Stefonek Supporting All Students in Language Learning Across Disciplines

WSRA’s April Innovative Voices Academy will be presented in both live and pre-recorded sessions. This month’s professional learning will focus on engaging and inspiring learners in a culture of innovation that amplifies inquiry and honors student agency. Session attendees will leave with practical ideas for classroom practice, intervention, and communication in both traditional and digital learning environments. Leading our Innovative Voices Academy will be Elizabeth Bostwick, Tonya Gilchrist, and Ellin Keene. Joining them will be Diane Salazar, Shoundra Washington, Lisa Kohler, Anne Kissinger, Jen Breezee, and Christina Stefonek. The live sessions will be recorded and accessible for ten days following the live presentation unless marked as *live only. The pre-recorded sessions will be available to the April Academy registrants throughout the school year.

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Mark Your Calendar Schedule May12 & 26 9:00 Tricia Ebarvia Powerful Voices 10:45 Tricia Ebarvia 10:45 Marcelle Haddix 10:45 Marcelle Haddix 12:45 Katherine Bomer* 12:45 Katherine Bomer*

Titles May 12 Get Free: Anti-Bias Literacy Instruction for Stronger Readers, Writers, and Thinkers May 26 Constructing Thematic Literacy Instructional Units Through an Anti-Bias Lens May 12 Writing Our Lives Toward Healing in Troubling Times May 26 Writing Our Lives Toward Healing in Troubling Times May 12 Raising ALL Children’s Voices: Finding Beauty and Brilliance in Every Student’s Speaking and Writing May 26 Three Essentials in the Teaching of Writing: Time, Choice, Response

Pre-recorded Sessions David O’Connor American Indian Studies in Wisconsin Nancy Roncke, Clair Mitchell, and Mara Morita The Power of Student-Led Discourse on Students’ Advocacy and Comprehension Liza Wiemer and Aliza Werner Learning from History: Empowering Students with Holocaust Literature to Improve Our World

Titles June 9 Word Study That Sticks: Jumpstarting Engagement, Joy, and Success in Word Learning June 23 Teaching for Transfer: Power Practices That Make Word & Language Learning Stick June 9 Letter Lessons and First Words: New Ideas and Extensions June 23 Letter Lessons and First Words: New Ideas and Extensions June 9 Changing Up Read Aloud to Foster Agency, Identity, and Interpretation June 23 Using Mentor Texts to Scaffold Writers

Pre-recorded Sessions Dana Hagerman and Mona Zignego Journey to Literacy Mona Zignego Make, Play, and Connect the Dots

WSRA’s May Powerful Voices Academy will be presented in both live and pre-recorded sessions. This month’s professional learning will focus on honoring and raising up all voices in our literacy communities through speaking, reading, and writing practices that foster compassion, understanding, respect, motivation, and comprehension. Our speakers will guide us toward teaching for a better world. Leading our Powerful Voices Academy will be Katherine Bomer, Tricia Ebarvia, and Marcelle Haddix. Joining them will be Clair Mitchell, Mora Moritz, David O’Connor, Nancy Roncke, Aliza Werner, and Liza Wiemer. The live sessions will be recorded and accessible for ten days following the live presentation unless marked as *live only. The pre-recorded sessions will be available to the May Academy registrants throughout the school year.

Mark Your Calendar Schedule June 9 & 23 9:00 Pamela Koutrakos Emerging Voices 9:00 Pamela Koutrakos 10:45 Heidi Mesmer* 10:45 Heidi Mesmer* 12:45 Clare Landrigan 12:45 Clare Landrigan

WSRA’s June Emerging Voices Academy will be presented in both live and pre-recorded sessions. This month’s professional learning will focus on key literacy skills in the development of our readers and writers. Through inquiry-based, student centered, and joyful instruction, we’ll give voice to student ideas, and empower them to be active participants in their learning as readers and writers. Leading our Emerging Voices Academy will be Pamela Koutrakos, Clare Landrigan and Heidi Mesmer. Joining them will be Mona Zignego and Dana Hagerman. The live sessions will be recorded and accessible for ten days following the presentation. The pre-recorded sessions will be available to the June Academy registrants and to WSRA members as a member benefit.

Virtual Council Meetings

ld r o w e h t e l i Wh , t r a p a s y a st r u o s i r e h t toge e. b o t e c a l p e favorit www.wsra.org/councils Contact WSRA at wsra@wsra.org 11

WSRA Update

Northeast Zone 24. Door County 23. Greater Bayland 22. Interlake 25. Northeast

Northwest Zone 16. Ashland Bayfield 12. Eau Claire Area 11. Midwest 14. Northwest 13. St. Croix Valley 15. Lake Superior

Central Zone 18. Central Wisconsin 21. Fox Valley 17. Headwaters 20. Mid-East 19. Wolf River

Southeast Zone Southwest Zone 1. Milwaukee Area 10. Hidden Valley 2. Racine Kenosha 9. Madison Area 3. Southern Lakes 8. Muirland 5. Washington Ozaukee 7. Rock River 4. Waukesha 6. South Kettle Moraine

Northwest Zone 16

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Northeast Zone 24

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Central Zone 18

21

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Southeast Zone 1

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Southwest Zone wsra.org

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Update

WSRA’s Mission Statement

909 Rock Ridge Road Burlington, WI 53105-7230 262-514-1450

WSRA's Mission Statement

The State WisconsinReading State ReadingAssociation Association The Wisconsin provides provides leadership, advocacy, and professional leadership,learning advocacy, and professional for the implementation of effective learning literacy practices, recognizing the naturepractices, for the implementation of effectivecomplex literacy of literacy and engaging students to apply their in meaningful ways in a changing world. and recognizingliteracies the complex nature of literacy engaging students to apply their literacies in meaningful ways in a changing world.

WSRA Beliefs Expertise Matters!

Research Grounds Us! Literacy is a complex process requiring a comprehensive approach and a mindset shift.

WSRA’s Belief Statement WWW

Expertise Matters!

wsra.org

Research Grounds Us!

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wsra@wsra.org

t^Z ͘​͘​͘ ƉƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐ ůĞĂĚĞƌƐŚŝƉ͕ ĂĚǀŽĐĂĐLJ͕ ĂŶĚ ĞdžƉĞƌƟƐĞ

Literacy is a complex process requiring a comprehensive approach and a mindset shift.

facebook.com/WSRAread @WSRAliteracy

www.wsra.org

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Membership is for one year from the date of joining. Dues may be tax deductible. Some of the information provided will be in the WSRA Membership Directory.

Visit www.wsra.org/membership-application to join or renew and pay by credit card to expedite your membership benefits or mail your $39 check with this form payable to WSRA at 909 Rock Ridge Road, Burlington, WI 53105

Ashland Bayfield Counties Central Wisconsin Door County Eau Claire Fox Valley Greater Bayland Headwaters Hidden Valley Interlake Lake Superior Madison Area Mid-East Area Midwest Wisconsin Milwaukee Area Muirland Northeast Wisconsin Northwest Wisconsin Racine-Kenosha Rock River St. Croix Valley South Kettle Moraine Southern Lakes Washington Ozaukee Waukesha County Wis. Professors of Reading Wolf River

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