Half Day Preconference

Every Child Ready to Read: The Spirit of Collaboration

Wednesday, April 6, 2016, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center, Room 405-407

The ultimate goal of this preconference is to spark curiosity about how we can best serve families through community cooperation, collaboration, and celebration using Every Child Ready to Read. Join your colleagues to discuss how ECRR is helping the library redefine its role to better collaborate with parents and child-serving agencies to serve children birth through age eight. Does your community have small pockets of poverty or large areas of poverty? Do you serve wealthy families or middle income families? Or do you serve a mix of many types of families, individuals, and organizations? No matter your community composition this workshop will offer thoughtful dialogue around using the five early literacy practices as a conduit to celebrate collaboration and support families. NY Times best-selling author and children’s advocate, Regina Calcaterra, will join a panel of librarians and educators as they explore how to develop extraordinary partnerships among early childhood allies – parents, caregivers, agencies, schools, and, public officials – and promote talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing in order to help children get ready to learn to read. Come prepared to share your experiences and learn how other libraries incorporate Every Child Ready to Read into partnership efforts. No matter your starting point, this preconference will offer tips, conversations, and inspiration to reach out and engage families.

At the end of this session, participants will:

1: Have explored at least two ways to use Every Child Ready to Read with community partners and discuss at least two solutions for overcoming barriers or obstacles to building a partnership. 2: Have identified at least two ways that Every Child Ready to Read @ your library toolkit can support making a positive connection with at-risk and homeless families. 3: Have created next steps to strengthening collaboration in their community.

The session organizer(s) identified this session as appropriate for:
Level 1: People with no previous knowledge of the topic.

Tags: Collaboration, Other Planning, Outreach Services, Partnerships, Youth Services


Presenters

Susan Mitchell, Judy Center Coordinator
Carroll County Public Schools, Westminster, MD

Susan Mitchell coordinates the Judy Center Partnership sites for Carroll County Public Schools in MD. Ms. Mitchell has 25+ years of experience building community partnerships across Maryland and in her community. Her program has won numerous awards for innovative collaboration and creative partnering to support services for young children and their families. She is co-author of a book, articles and a training manual. She earned her MSW at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.

Beth Crist,
Colorado State Library, ,

Beth has been the Youth & Family Services Consultant at the Colorado State Library for 4 years. Passionate about promoting the importance of early literacy skills, she's thrilled to be on the board of CLEL (Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy) and working on the IMLS-funded Putting SPELL (Supporting Parents in Early Literacy through Libraries) into Action project.

Maren Ostergard, Early Learning Librarian
King County Library System, ,

Maren Ostergard is the Early Learning Librarian for the King County Library System (WA). With more than 20 years in public libraries, she is a past member of the ALSC/PLA Every Child Ready to Read Oversight Committee. She earned both her BS in Biology and her MLS at the University of Washington.

Dorothy Stoltz,
Carroll County Public Library, ,

Dorothy Stoltz coordinates programming and outreach at Carroll County (MD) Public Library. A co-author of several books, articles, and the ALSC white paper, Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth. She spearheaded a research-tested study on early literacy training. With more than 30 years in public libraries, she is a past member of the ALSC/PLA Every Child Ready to Read Oversight Committee, and its chair in 2014-2015. She earned her MLS at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.

Krista Tokarz,
Cuyohoga County Public Library, ,

Krista Tokarz of the Cuyohoga County Public Library (OH), has been the Chair of the Ohio Ready to Read Task Force for the past 9 years. In that time the task force has created a website, many free resources, and a crosswalk database that is a reference for both versions of Every Child Ready to Read, Head Start Standards and the Ohio Early Learning Standards. Krista is passionate about Early Literacy and families.

Regina Calcaterra,
Author, Etched in Sand, BROOKLYN, NY 11211-3323,

Regina Calcaterra is a New York Times Best Selling author and practicing attorney. Her memoir, Etched in Sand, chronicles Regina's rising above her past, while fighting to keep her siblings together through homelessness, foster homes and parental abandonment. Etched in Sand's messages of optimism, resilience and perseverance resulted in it being selected for One College/One Book Reads and integrated into academic curriculums nationwide. Regina's next book, about her younger sister's journey, will be published soon.

Holly Henley,
Arizona State Library, a division of the Arizona Secretary of State, ,

As a Deputy Director at the Arizona State Library, a division of the Arizona Secretary of State, Holly Henley currently oversees four branches that provide Library Services. Prior to that, Holly was the administrator for Library Development, whose mission is to empower Arizona libraries by providing consulting services, training, resources and grant funding. Holly administered projects related to youth services and literacy, particularly early literacy and using Every Child Ready to Read.


Costs

Registration for this preconference is now closed, but limited space may be available onsite.

For questions about…

Cancellation Policy

Written cancellations, requests for refunds, and/or changes will be accepted until February 26, 2016, and are subject to a $30 handling fee. Refunds will be processed after April 25, 2016. According to PLA policy, all meal events require preregistration. The above cancellation/change information also applies to all preconferences, meal events, and tours.

The PLA 2016 Conference is offered on a cost-recovery basis. PLA reserves the right to cancel all or any part of this event if there is insufficient registration or for other reasons. Neither ALA nor PLA is responsible for cancellation charges assessed by the airlines or travel agencies, or other losses incurred due to the cancellation of the workshops. All information listed on this website is subject to change.


Accessibility

PLA has put in place features to ensure the conference is accessible to all.

Advertising

Special print and electronic advertising opportunities are available to reach PLA members and attendees both before and during the conference.

Appropriate Conduct

All participants are expected to observe the rules and behaviors described in the Statement of Appropriate Conduct in all conference venues, including online venues, and conference social events.

Attire

There is no formal dress code at the PLA Conference. What’s most important is to dress for comfort.

Conference Logo

The custom logos of the PLA 2016 Conference are the property of PLA. Anyone wishing to use the logos in their communications and promotional materials must: 1) Seek permission from PLA; and 2) Submit communication/artwork incorporating the logo to PLA for final approval. The logo may not be modified and must be reproduced in its entirety (i.e., no outlines, cropping). To request the use of the logo, companies should contact Carly DiVito at Corcoran Expositions at 312-541-0567 or carly@corcexpo.com; all others should contact PLA at 800-545-2433 x5PLA (x5752) or pla@ala.org.

Exhibits

Contact Carly DiVito, Corcoran Expositions, 312-541-0567 or carly@corcexpo.com.

Firearms

No carrying of firearms allowed in the Colorado Convention Center unless you’re on-duty law enforcement or off-duty and on payroll of the show or SMG (convention center management).

Hashtag

The official conference hashtag is #PLA2016.

Media

Contact Heather Cho, ALA Media Relations Specialist, 312-280-4020 or hcho@ala.org. Please review our conference media policy.

Membership

ALA and PLA membership is managed by the ALA Membership & Customer Service (MACS) unit. To join, renew, rejoin, or add to your membership, fill out a secure form online; or print and fill out a membership form and fax or mail it in; or call 800-545-2433 and press 5. Direct your membership questions to MACS at customerservice@ala.org or 800-545-2433 and press 5. MACS representatives are available Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM Central.

Mobile App

Attendees can access full event schedule, evaluate sessions, customize their own agenda, and compete in the Extraordinary Exhibits photo challenge game on the PLA 2016 mobile app. To request assistance with the mobile app, please e-mail pla2016app@ala.org.

PLA Office

The PLA Office is located in A Mezzanine in the Colorado Convention Center. You can access the A Mezzanine from any of the lobbies using Elevator A, across from registration, and press the MZ button to get to the Mezzanine. You can also access A Mezzanine from Exhibit Hall A using Stairwell 30. The office phone numbers are 303-228-8450 and 303-228-8451. Onsite office hours are Monday, April 4–Friday, April 8, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; Saturday, April 9, 8:00 AM–1:00 PM.

Registration & Housing

Onsite registration hours are Tuesday, April 5, 7:30 AM–5:00 PM; Wednesday, April 6, 7:30 AM–6:30 PM; Thursday, April 7, 7:30 AM–5:30 PM; Friday, April 8, 7:30 AM–4:00 PM; and Saturday, April 9, 8:00–10:00 AM. Conference registration and housing is managed by Experient. Call or e-mail your questions, 800-424-5249 (U.S. and Canada), 847-996-5829 (all other countries), or pla@experient-inc.com. Experient representatives are available Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Eastern. PLA Conference is a professional event. It is not open to the public.

Sponsorships

Contact Corcoran Expositions, Mary Michalik at 312-265-9650, mary@corcexpo.com; or Matt McLaughlin at 312-265-9655, matt@corcexpo.com.

Thank you PLA Conference Sponsors!

Venues

Most conference events—including all preconferences and concurrent program sessions—will take place in the Colorado Convention Center (CCC), 700 14th Street, Denver, CO 80202. Additional events will be held at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, 650 15th Street, Denver, CO 80202, and other venues as indicated.

Other Questions

Contact PLA, 800-545-2433 x5PLA (x5752) or pla@ala.org; or find someone to help in the PLA Staff directory.