Free! Vermont Literacy Leadership Live Webinar Series

Course description

Advances in reading research have shown that 95% percent of students can learn to read with highly-effective, evidence-based instruction, bringing educational equity within reach in every school. Understanding how to successfully lead reading success in your district is essential for achieving this goal. In this free virtual series, longtime Vermont educational leaders Katherine Barwin, Michaela Martin, and Sheila Soule share their perspectives in leading and managing evidence-based literacy practices in their school districts. They offer a wealth of knowledge and experience to fellow educational leaders as we move forward implementing our new reading legislation, S.204: An Act Relating to Supporting Vermont’s Young Readers through Evidence-based Literacy Instruction.

Join us live for any or all of these free webinars to ask questions and get the practical guidance needed to set schools up for a successful year. Register to receive recordings of each speaker’s presentation and their slide deck for future reference.

Session 1:
It’s All About the Data: Using Reading Data to Lead Instructional Improvement
Tuesday, August 6th, 10:00 – 11:00 am EDT
Guest Speaker: Katherine Barwin

District and building leaders have specific roles and responsibilities for regularly examining literacy data and ensure that all struggling readers receive the services needed and make critical gains. This includes communicating clear expectations around instructional best practices, monitoring student achievement using a range of assessments, facilitating conversations about student growth, and deploying immediate and targeted professional learning and support where needed.

Session 2:
Building the Roadmap to ensure Reading Success for ALL
Wednesday, August 7th, 10:00 – 11:00 am EDT
Guest Speaker: Michaela Martin

In order to build a comprehensive MTSS academic system that supports the reading needs for all learners, leaders and other decision-makers must understand the conceptual underpinnings of these systems so they can design plans that are realistic, sustainable, and transferable to their organization. Using a school and supervisory union as a model, Michaela shares the necessary components of an effective reading system focused on high-quality instruction and intervention; effective collaboration; and professional learning. Michaela will also share specific decisions and plans, as well as strategies and actions, that bring each system component to life.

Session 3:
Making it Work: A Superintendent’s Perspective
Wednesday, August 14th, 10:00 – 11:00 am EDT
Guest Speaker: Sheila Soule

As superintendent of a district with a strong literacy improvement plan well underway, Sheila will speak to the opportunities leaders have to foster and sustain each component of system-wide reading improvement. Describing initiatives in place in the Addison Northwest School District and how her team worked together to focus on student reading amid leadership transitions and other changes, the presentation will provide a real-world view of what it takes to keep reading equity and student success in our sights.