Literacy

Joanna Newton, PhD, is a professor of education at Notre Dame of Maryland University, where she specializes in literacy instruction. She has been an elementary classroom teacher, literacy coach, reading intervention specialist, and curriculum developer.

Norene A. Bunt, EdD, is an author and former teacher, administrator, and college instructor. She is an expert on integrating the science of reading into sound high-impact literacy instruction.

Kimberly Almanza serves as a reading specialist in North Texas. With more than 15 years of experience, she has worked as an instructional literacy coach as well as a classroom dual language teacher.

Analexis Kennedy, EdD, is a lecturer of reading at the University of Central Florida. She spent 15 years working with K–12 students, teachers, and administrators as a classroom teacher, literacy coach, district reading specialist, and professional development coordinator.

With more than 30 years of experience in education, Tracy Nelson specializes in supporting districts, buildings, and teams in developing and implementing practices that bring clarity and focus to professional learning communities

Angela Williams has more than 15 years of experience in Broward County Schools, Florida. She has designed curriculum, served as a professional learning facilitator, and implemented professional learning community (PLC) plans that guide teachers in using data effectively to plan instruction.

Explore how teacher teams can ensure equitable literacy learning so that every student masters essential reading standards. Jacqueline Heller and Paula Maeker, authors of Literacy in a PLC at Work®: Guiding Teams to Get Going and Get Better in K–6 Reading, will help literacy educators navigate the teaching, learning, assessment, and feedback cycle of reading through the lens of Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work.

Mario Miner, a native of Hamtramck, Michigan, has been in education for nearly 20 years. As a former working-class student, Mario strives to help his scholars see themselves and their lives in his classroom by building their capacity for literacy.

Lorraine Radice, PhD, is an educator, author, and presenter. She is currently an assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in New York and teaches courses in childhood education and literacy at Hofstra University.

Jennifer McCarty Plucker, EdD, is the director of learning and development and a literacy consultant at Mackin Educational Resources in Burnsville, Minnesota. Her current work with educators is grounded in an inquiry approach that puts students in the driver’s seat for learning.