Vermont Fest 2024: Full Schedule

11:30am EST

Kami's Latest and Greatest Features

Thursday November 7, 2024 11:30am - 12:25pm EST

Join us for an in-depth look at the latest and greatest tools and features in Kami, the leading online document collaboration platform. In this presentation, we will showcase the newest additions to Kami's powerful suite of features, including real-time collaboration, advanced annotation tools, improved PDF editing capabilities Questions AI, and much more. Whether you're a seasoned Kami user or just getting started, you won't want to miss this opportunity to learn about the cutting-edge tools and features that can help take your productivity to the next level. Join us and discover how Kami is revolutionizing the way we work and collaborate online.

Speakers

Oliver Tingling

Teacher Success Champion, Kami

Kami is an online document annotation and markup tool. You can highlight, underline, and strikethrough text in PDF and other document formats. You can also add text boxes, shapes, and images. Kami works with Google Drive and Google Classroom. With Kami, you can easily collaborate... Read More →

Thursday November 7, 2024 11:30am - 12:25pm EST
Escapade II

Thu Block B

Grade Span Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Tags Digital Resources & OER, Assessment, Pedagogy, UDL-Assistive Technology-DI-MTSS
Level All Levels
Theme Improving Classroom Practices with Technology

1:45pm EST

Law for Librarians

Thursday November 7, 2024 1:45pm - 2:40pm EST

Escapade II

Is your library prepared for a book challenge? Is your district reviewing library or school board policies? How do you handle student privacy and the freedom to read? Where are the boundaries of the First Amendment in a school library?

This session can help you prepare against censorship and implement vital intellectual freedom best practices within your library.

Meg is was trained through Law for Librarians, a program of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF). It is designed to provide librarians with information about the legal fundamentals of the First Amendment, intellectual freedom, and privacy in order to help ensure legal, consistent library policies and practices.

Speakers

Meg Allison

Librarian, U-32 Middle & High School

Thursday November 7, 2024 1:45pm - 2:40pm EST
Escapade II

Thu Block C

Grade Span Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Early Elementary School, Post Secondary
Tags Library Management, Advocacy & Leadership
Level All Levels
Theme Library Leadership & Management

2:45pm EST

AI Policy Starter Kit: Concrete Tools for District Leaders

Thursday November 7, 2024 2:45pm - 3:40pm EST

Escapade II

While policy and guidelines are only one part of a district's response to the advent of genAI, they are a critical foundation for your district’s approach. A well-crafted policy and resources to guide classroom practice help teachers and students navigate the shifting landscape of technology that surrounds us. In this hands-on session, we will explore the free AI Policy Starter Kit as a starting point for districts and schools to craft thoughtful and proactive generative AI guidance and policy aligned with their district needs and priorities. We will explore resources in the kit that spark conversations about the range of factors and conditions that go into creating genAI policy, and concrete steps that lead to draft policy and guidance language. Using case studies to guide our thinking, we will create a thoughtful and custom approach to district policy and resources that help our teachers and students feel confident in their ability to navigate complexity with a critical lens.

Speakers

Suzanne Judson-Whitehouse

Online Learning Manager, Collaborative for Educational Services

Suzanne Judson-Whitehouse is the Online Learning Manager and ISTE Certification Trainer for the Collaborative for Educational Services (CES), where she has worked for the past 15 years supporting educators to innovate and explore new ideas around technology, curriculum and design... Read More →

Thursday November 7, 2024 2:45pm - 3:40pm EST
Escapade II

Thu Block D

Grade Span Early Elementary School, Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Tags Advocacy & Leadership, Digital Literacy & Citizenship
Level All Levels
Theme IT Leadership & Management, Improving Classroom Practices with Technology

10:00am EST

Empowering Educators: An AI Toolkit & Resource Guide for the Modern Classroom

Friday November 8, 2024 10:00am - 10:55am EST

Escapade II

In this session, we will explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the educational landscape. Educators will gain access to a practical toolkit filled with AI-driven tools and resources that can enhance and streamline instruction to foster student engagement. As we navigate these new technologies, we'll also discuss the magnitude of change required—rethinking traditional teaching practices, integrating AI into everyday learning, and ensuring equity and access for all students. This session is designed to empower teachers to confidently adopt AI, transforming their classrooms for the future.

Speakers

Patricia Aigner

Director of Technology, Rutland City Public Schools

Patricia Aigner serves as the Director of Technology for the Rutland City Public Schools in Rutland, Vermont. She is licensed as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. In 2020, Patricia received the Frank Watson Lifetime Achievement Award from Vita-Learn. Recently, she was featured... Read More →

Friday November 8, 2024 10:00am - 10:55am EST
Escapade II

Fri Block A

Grade Span Early Elementary School, Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Post Secondary
Tags Advocacy & Leadership, Digital Literacy & Citizenship, Digital Resources & OER, Pedagogy, Flexible Pathways, Research & Information Literacy, Standards & Curricula, STEM/STEAM & MakerSpaces, Digital Storytelling, Student Voice
Level All Levels
Theme Improving Classroom Practices with Technology

11:30am EST

Red Clover Committee to the Rescue!

Friday November 8, 2024 11:30am - 12:25pm EST

Escapade II

Unfamiliar with the new 24-25 Red Clover list? Looking for ways to spice up your teaching with the Red Clover list in your school? Come to this session to share ideas and hear ideas about innovative ways to use this year's Red Clover list in your setting. From high tech to no tech to everything in between, this session will give you practical ideas to apply to your teaching.

Speakers

Kate Lucia

Librarian, Shelburne Community School

Liv Perry

Friday November 8, 2024 11:30am - 12:25pm EST
Escapade II

Fri Block B

Grade Span Elementary School, Early Elementary School
Tags Books & Collections, CS & Computational Thinking, DEI, STEM/STEAM & MakerSpaces, Research & Information Literacy
Level All Levels
Theme Improving Classroom Practices with Technology

1:45pm EST

Golden Dome Book Award

Friday November 8, 2024 1:45pm - 2:40pm EST

Escapade II

Members of the Golden Dome Book Award Committee will present ideas for promoting the 2024-2025 list. There will also be time for participants to share promotions and activities that they are doing at their home libraries.

Speakers

Courtney Bowen

Sarah Adelman

Friday November 8, 2024 1:45pm - 2:40pm EST
Escapade II

Fri Block C

Grade Span Middle School
Tags Books & Collections
Level All Levels
Theme Library Leadership & Management

2:45pm EST

Library Advocacy and Act 150

Friday November 8, 2024 2:45pm - 3:40pm EST

Escapade II

The VSLA Leadership and Advocacy Committee will explore the critical role of advocacy in school libraries, with a focus on building strong relationships with stakeholders and decision-makers.

They will also examine Act 150, which requires Vermont school districts to establish library material selection policies and procedures that protect students' intellectual freedom. The session will cover the efforts that led to the passage of the law and its anticipated impact on libraries. Attendees will learn how to prepare for the law's implementation in 2025.

Speakers

Stephanie Sherman

Librarian, Middlebury Union High School

intellectual freedom, library advocacy, critical information literacy, technology and media literacy

Rebecca Sofferman

Librarian, Colchester Middle School

Rebecca Sofferman is the school librarian at Colchester Middle School in Colchester, VT. A graduate of Syracuse University’s iSchool (MLIS), Rebecca was previously district librarian and technology coordinator for the Tupper Lake Central School District in Tupper Lake, NY, an elementary... Read More →

Charles Dabritz

Susie Snow

Teacher Librarian, Hiawatha Elementary School

Susie Snow is a teacher librarian at Hiawatha Elementary School in Essex Junction, VT. She received her Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Vermont and is licensed as a K-6 Educator, K-12 Librarian, and K-12 Educational Technologist.

Friday November 8, 2024 2:45pm - 3:40pm EST
Escapade II

Fri Block D

Grade Span Early Elementary School, Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Tags Advocacy & Leadership, Library Management
Level All Levels
Theme Library Leadership & Management