Embracing Literacy 2025 Events: Full Schedule

We’re excited you’ll be joining us for these upcoming professional learning opportunities! June 9th sessions are available exclusively to registered participants of the Language and Literacy Symposium. From June 10th –12th, all registrants of the Embracing Literacy: Soaring with Language and Literacy Conference are welcome to attend a wide range of engaging sessions designed to elevate language and literacy practices across our communities.

We look forward to learning and growing together!

Add sessions to your personal schedule to register your attendance (Check-In).

10:00am MDT

Systems Leader Symposium. Scaling Up Educational Interventions: Lessons Learned from Statewide Initiatives on Expanding Successful Educational Practices

Monday June 9, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MDT

Salon 1

Introduction
Scaling an effective intervention requires more than enthusiasm—it requires intentional design, strong leadership, and system-wide alignment. This session draws on insights from statewide initiatives to explore what it takes to expand successful educational practices across schools and districts. Participants will examine common barriers and enablers to scale, explore models of statewide implementation, and discuss strategies for adapting interventions while maintaining fidelity. Whether you're expanding a literacy initiative, instructional framework, or professional learning model, this session offers practical guidance for scaling with integrity and impact.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Analyze key factors that influence the successful scale-up of educational interventions across school and district contexts.
Examine lessons learned from statewide initiatives to identify common challenges and solutions in expanding effective practices.
Design actionable strategies to adapt, scale, and sustain high-impact interventions while preserving core components and fidelity of implementation.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Speakers

Dr. Kim St. Martin

Director, Director MiMTSS Technical Assistance Center

Dr. Kim St. Martin is currently the director of the MiMTSS TA Center. She was a panel member for the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Practice Guide, Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4–9. Dr. St. Martin was previously the co-director of a federally funded... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MDT
Salon 1

10:00am MDT

Systems Leader Symposium. Scaling Up Educational Interventions: Lessons Learned from Statewide Initiatives on Expanding Successful Educational Practices

Monday June 9, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MDT

Salon 1

Analyze key factors that influence the successful scale-up of educational interventions across school and district contexts.
Examine lessons learned from statewide initiatives to identify common challenges and solutions in expanding effective practices.
Design actionable strategies to adapt, scale, and sustain high-impact interventions while preserving core components and fidelity of implementation.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Speakers

Dr. Kim St. Martin

Director, Director MiMTSS Technical Assistance Center

Monday June 9, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MDT
Salon 1

11:15am MDT

Systems Leader Symposium: The Courage to Lead: Transforming Literacy Outcomes Through Bold Leadership

Monday June 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MDT

Salon 1

Introduction:

In the world of education, bold leaders can be found at all levels, from district and building administrators to instructional coaches to classroom teachers and paraprofessionals. They are leaders who understand deeply what children need to thrive in our complex, interconnected world. They understand that literacy is the gateway, not only to students’ academic success, but to their ability to thrive and flourish in school and beyond. They understand that literacy is a human right that can—and should-- be guaranteed to ALL our students. They lead with a relentless focus on literacy for all, and know that if we don’t get literacy right, we don’t get anything right.

These are transformational literacy leaders who are courageously blazing the path to help others understand how to bring the research into action, and to share a bold and common vision for the future: to ensure that all children have the opportunities to reach their full potential.

Objectives:
• What it means to be a transformational literacy leader by cultivating a vision and setting a culture for collective problem-solving;
• What the Implementation Science teaches us about key factors in an effective implementation;
• The phases of implementation from exploration through sustainability and the bold leader moves throughout those phases;
• The courageous conversations that leaders must have in order to lead through a literacy transformation.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Speakers

Laura Stewart

Chief Academic Officer, 95 Percent Group

I am an educator and organizational leader. I have proudly served as a classroom teacher, building and district administrator, adjunct professor, and director of numerous professional development initiatives around the country. Before joining 95% Group, I was the Chief Innovation... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MDT
Salon 1

2:30pm MDT

Title Coming. Systems Leader Symposium

Monday June 9, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm MDT

Salon 1

Introduction

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Speakers

Dr. Terrie Noland

The Transformative Reading Teacher Group

For 25 years, Dr. Terrie Noland has put her energy into education and literacy; first as a teacher and administrator, and now as V.P. of Educator Initiatives for Learning Ally, a nonprofit dedicated to "Literacy for All." Terrie's mission is to spark a flame of enthusiasm in others... Read More →

Dr. Danielle ‘Nell’ Thompson

President and Founder, The Transformative Reading Teacher Group

Danielle ‘Nell’ Thompson, PhD CCC-SLP, is a coach, influencer, literacy leader, teacher of teachers and, insatiably curious about all things that make people’s lives better. She is an agent of positive change working to help leaders and educators re-think, unlearn, and up-level... Read More →

Monday June 9, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Salon 1

10:00am MDT

Title Coming

Tuesday June 10, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MDT

Salon 1

Analyze key factors that influence the successful scale-up of educational interventions across school and district contexts.
Examine lessons learned from statewide initiatives to identify common challenges and solutions in expanding effective practices.
Design actionable strategies to adapt, scale, and sustain high-impact interventions while preserving core components and fidelity of implementation.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Speakers

Dr. Kim St. Martin

Director, Director MiMTSS Technical Assistance Center

Tuesday June 10, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MDT
Salon 1

1:15pm MDT

Title Coming

Tuesday June 10, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT

Salon 1

Analyze key factors that influence the successful scale-up of educational interventions across school and district contexts.
Examine lessons learned from statewide initiatives to identify common challenges and solutions in expanding effective practices.
Design actionable strategies to adapt, scale, and sustain high-impact interventions while preserving core components and fidelity of implementation.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Speakers

Dr. Kim St. Martin

Director, Director MiMTSS Technical Assistance Center

Tuesday June 10, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT
Salon 1

10:00am MDT

Bridging the Gap: The Science of Reading for Secondary

Wednesday June 11, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MDT

Salon 1

Introduction:
Secondary educators often face the challenge of supporting students who struggle with decoding and fluency, yet professional development in the Science of Reading is largely focused on elementary instruction. This session bridges that gap by providing research-based strategies tailored for middle and high school students.

Participants will clearly understand how the Science of Reading applies beyond the early grades and explore practical, age-appropriate methods for teaching decoding, fluency, and comprehension. The session will cover effective instructional approaches, adaptable interventions, and high-quality resources designed for secondary learners.

1. Understand how the Science of Reading applies to middle and high school students.
2. Recognize the challenges faced by adolescent struggling readers and their impact on learning.
3. Apply evidence-based decoding and fluency strategies in secondary classrooms.
4. Utilize practical tools and resources to support older students in mastering foundational literacy skills.
5. Support a schoolwide literacy approach by integrating structured literacy strategies across disciplines.

Objectives:
By the end of the workshop, attendees will leave with actionable strategies to implement in their classrooms, tools to assess and address literacy gaps, and a deeper understanding of how structured literacy can support struggling readers in content-area learning. Whether you are a classroom teacher, literacy coach, or administrator, this session will equip you with the knowledge and resources to enhance instruction and improve student outcomes. Conference attendees will find this session particularly valuable as it addresses a critical but often overlooked need—helping older students develop the foundational literacy skills they require for academic success.
Understand how the Science of Reading applies to middle and high school students. Recognize the challenges faced by adolescent struggling readers and their impact on learning. Apply evidence-based decoding and fluency strategies in secondary classrooms. Utilize practical tools and resources to support older students in mastering foundational literacy skills. Support a schoolwide literacy approach by integrating structured literacy strategies across disciplines.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Speakers

Dr. Jenny French

Wednesday June 11, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MDT
Salon 1

10:45am MDT

Building Language Networks: Integrating AI into Explicit Vocabulary Instruction

Wednesday June 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MDT

Salon 1

Building Language Networks: Integrating AI into Explicit Vocabulary Instruction -Explicit vocabulary instruction is essential for secondary students to engage with complex texts and communicate effectively. This session explores how AI tools can enhance vocabulary teaching by supporting word selection, offering adaptive learning experiences, and strengthening language networks. Participants will learn research-based strategies for direct vocabulary instruction, including selecting high-utility words and fostering word consciousness. Through practical examples and discussions, attendees will discover how to integrate AI to improve vocabulary instruction, enhance comprehension, and build academic language networks, leaving with actionable insights to create a language-rich environment that accelerates literacy development.

Speakers

Jeanne Schopf

Independent Consultant

For over three decades, Jeanne Schopf, M.Ed, NBCT, C-SLDI has devoted herself to enriching the lives of children as an educator and a prominent figure in state and national literacy. With a wealth of experience as a K-9 teacher, Literacy Coach, Reading Specialist, and Certified Dyslexia... Read More →

Wednesday June 11, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
Salon 1

1:15pm MDT

Title Coming

Wednesday June 11, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT

Salon 1

Wednesday June 11, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm MDT
Salon 1

2:30pm MDT

Intentional Planning of Language Comprehension to Develop Proficient Readers and Writers

Wednesday June 11, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm MDT

Salon 1

Introduction:
During this session, participants will dive into the understanding that comprehension is not a skill but rather an outcome. We will explore evidence-based strategies to use before, during, and after reading that support students in reading words accurately and fluently, understanding word meanings, building background knowledge, and focusing their attention on critical content. Through hands-on activities, we will practice three key strategies: Clicks and Clunks, Paragraph Shrinking, and a before-reading vocabulary strategy, while discussing how to adapt these techniques for diverse learners, including struggling readers and English learners. Attendees will leave with practical resources, templates, and actionable steps to implement these strategies and foster proficient readers and writers. Whether you're a teacher, coach, or administrator, this session will equip you with tools to drive meaningful student outcomes and bridge the gap between reading comprehension and writing proficiency.

Objectives:
1. Understand the process of reading comprehension. 2. Identify effective instructional practices to support reading comprehension before, during, and after passage reading. 3. Practice text protocols to support comprehension (paragraph shrinking).

Speakers

Kim Penn

Consultant, Side-by-Side Consulting

Kim Penn has over 18 years of educational leadership and coaching experience working at the district and state level to support classroom teachers, instructional coaches and leaders to navigate the implementation of evidence-based literacy practices into the classroom. She works virtually... Read More →

Wednesday June 11, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Salon 1

9:30am MDT

Accelerating Progress with a Speech to Print Intervention

Thursday June 12, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am MDT

Salon 1

Introduction:
In this session, we will explore the rationale of a speech to print (S2P) approach to teaching reading while noting some important differences to many phonics programs. We will examine the S2P advantage and provide practical examples of instructional strategies that will accelerate student progress in closing reading gaps.

Objectives:
Explain and apply several speech to print instructional strategies to accelerate progress in the small group intervention setting.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Speakers

Crystal Lenhart

Literacy Consultant, LenPo Learning

Thursday June 12, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Salon 1

10:45am MDT

Stirring the pot: A recipe for content-embedded, evidence-based secondary reading interventions

Thursday June 12, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MDT

Salon 1

This 1-hour, interactive session aims to equip educators working with secondary striving readers with the knowledge and skills needed to design evidence-based, content-embedded reading intervention instruction. The National Reading Panel report (2000) highlighted five instructional priorities for early reading instruction. While this guidance has been invaluable in guiding the teaching of reading in the primary grades, it has been less applicable to reading instruction and intervention for secondary readers. Researchers studying effective reading intervention practices for older readers have adjusted the five instructional priorities for older readers to include word study, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and motivation and engagement (Roberts et al., 2008; Scammacca et al., 2007). Further, cross-cutting features such as multicomponent instruction and intervention embedded within content area instruction have been associated with improved outcomes for older readers (Biancarosa & Snow, 2007; Boardman et al., 2008).

Objectives:
• describe the most common reading profiles of nonproficient secondary readers,
• name and define the recommended instructional priorities for secondary readers with reading disabilities,
• embed evidence-based instructional practices related to each of the priority areas within content-area instruction,
• engage with an instructional planning protocol for designing secondary reading instruction that attends to rigor, relationships, and evidence-based practices.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Speakers

Genevieve Thomas

Thursday June 12, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
Salon 1