Meet Our Conference Presenters

We are just thrilled with the team we've put together for this year's conference, and we know that the presentations will offer great things for all levels. We feel so fortunate to offer such quality information to our region's teachers. What sessions will you choose?

Our Conference Sessions

Heather Waild, Reading Specialist with Chesapeake City Schools

Vocabulary Strategies for All Learners

Word knowledge leads to deeper understanding of text, but just how do we work it all in? Heather will share with us her favorite vocabulary building instructional strategies. Whether you are a primary teacher, upper elementary teacher, or middle school teacher, you will learn ways to work vocabulary into your instruction all day long.

Getting Started with Project Based Learning

In this session, you will learn the benefits of PBL and how to utilize PBLassignments to build research skills, read for meaning, improve writing skills, and even tap into student creativity and choice. This session is best for grades 2 and up

Charles Richards, VSRA President, Reading Specialist, and Librarian from Roanoke, Virginia 

Dollar Store Make and Take Reading Resources

Doesn't this sound fun? If you're a teacher who frequently visits the Dollar Tree looking for ways to repurpose those cookie sheets, plastic flyswatters, or storage containers, then this session will make your day. 

Dr. Autumn Dodge, Professor in Reading Education, Lynchburg College

Reading Strategies for Content Area Studies

Do you have struggling readers who need more reading time and practice? With careful planning, your content area instruction can provide the "double dip" needed for improved comprehension. These strategies can also help improve your language arts comprehension instruction too.

Dr. Becky McKenzie, Reading Specialist, Buena Vista City Schools

Growing Words, Growing Vocabulary

Vocabulary knowledge greatly impacts a student's reading comprehension. In this session, you will learn how studying Greek and Latin roots can help students deepen their word knowledge. This session would be best for grades three and up.

Angie Kraje, Co-President of the PARC and Bedford County First Grade Teacher

The Magic of Motivation 

We know the importance of motivation. What strategies have worked for you? What haven't you tried before? Come and learn what's worked well for Angie as well as exchange ideas with other attendees. 

Making those Sightwords Stick

In this session, Angie will share a wide variety of sight word building ideas and activities. This session was a great success at the VSRA conference, and you will leave with great Monday morning activities to use with your students. 

Tara Breeden, 6th-grade teacher and past presenter for VSRA, Augusta County Schools

Making the Most of your Literature Circles

Literature circles have proven to be very beneficial to students as they work as a team and discuss their reading which leads to deeper comprehension and improved leadership skills. Literature circles work well in conjunction with guided reading groups. Come and learn how to make the most of your small group instruction using literature circles. 

Carla Fedeler, Co-President of PARC, former Literacy Coach, and 
Author of Comprehension Connection Blog

The Power of Poetry: Using Poems for more than fun

Poetry can be used to build fluency, work on developing a concept of word, build sight vocabulary, teach figurative language, work on comprehension and questioning, and to even work on phonics skills. This session will give teachers go-to lessons for skill modeling and practice for grades K-5.

10 Mentor Texts and How I Use Them

Have you heard about using mentor texts for teaching skills? Are you unsure which titles work best for the skills you need to teach? This session for grades K-5 will highlight ten titles (for primary and for upper elementary) and include teaching ideas for each one. 

Wow, so many options, so hard to choose! As you can see, we're getting busy planning a great conference right here in Lynchburg, Virginia at a very reasonable price. Space is limited, so do not wait to register. We will only be able to include a maximum of 200 people. 

But wait! There is more!

Oh yes, there is! We will have breakfast waiting for you, and we'll close with great door prizes for all attendees including:

gift certificates

books

teacher t-shirts

and reading resources

We promise that you will have a fantastic time and leave with new information, teaching ideas, and materials you can take to your classroom. To register, please click the button below. 

To submit your registration fee, you can send it via Pay Pal to vsrapiedmont@gmail.com 

or 

by mail to:

Piedmont Area Reading Council

c/o Carla Fedeler

3015 Ravenwood Drive

Lynchburg, VA 24503

(Members: $15.00, Nonmembers: $30.00)

We look forward to meeting our region's education students, teachers, reading specialists, coaches, paraprofessionals, homeschooling parents, and school administrators. We hope our council's initiatives in literacy provides a little support to improve reading and writing instruction in our area, and we strive to work together to plan valuable opportunities this year and beyond. 

Sincerely,

The PARC Board