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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Dear Teacher 2023 Conference<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Island Readers & Writers (IRW) has opened registration for the Dear Teacher 2023 professional development conference. The conference will be held October 5 and 6, 2023 at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The conference will kick off with keynote speaker Sophie Blackall, a two-time Caldecott medalist author and illustrator on Thursday, October 5. Conference offerings will continue all day on Friday, October 6, with over 16 workshops to choose
from and two featured speakers: author and educator Lauren Wolk and University of Maine associate professor of educational leadership Dr. Catherine Biddle. IRW will also offer the opportunity for participants to register for one of three intensive workshops
to be held midday on Thursday. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Featured speakers and workshops will focus on writing and narrative, the humanities and interdisciplinary learning, and rural, place-based education. Each workshop is aligned with IRW’s belief in the essential role of reading in fostering
the healthy development of children as confident, curious, and engaged learners, and empathetic and active citizens.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This conference is intended for educators, principals, support staff and school librarians working with grades pre-K–8 in rural Maine schools.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Registration & details can be found at: <a href="https://islandreadersandwriters.org/dear-teacher/">https://islandreadersandwriters.org/dear-teacher/</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact Kelsey Buckley at <a href="mailto:kbuckley@islandreadersandwriters.org">
kbuckley@islandreadersandwriters.org</a> with any questions. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#002060">Best,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#002060">Nicole Madore<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#002060">Early Childhood Specialist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#002060">(</span></i><i><span style="color:#002060">207) 446-3967<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="97" height="97" style="width:1.0083in;height:1.0083in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D99528.34E05D90"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#002060"><a href="https://us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a582edd6473e477ef6307c769&id=21283d239d"><span style="color:#002060">Early Learning Team Newsletter</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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