MSLA 2025 Conference: Full Schedule

Students often say, “I like books with photos because then I know it’s real,” but most high-quality nonfiction picture books feature illustrated artwork. Learn how to enhance read alouds by sharing photos. Then discover how giving students access to a range of still and moving images can help them craft more engaging and precise informational writing.

Speakers

Melissa Stewart

Author, Children's book author

Melissa Stewart is the award-winning author of more than 180 nonfiction books for children, including Seashells: More than a Home, Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs, and Can an Aardvark Bark. She is the co-author, with Nancy Chesley, of Perfect Pairs... Read More →

Monday March 3, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EST
Room 108/109 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Books & reading

Audience ES

9:30am EST

Research in the Elementary Library - Skills, Projects, Lessons Learned and more!

Monday March 3, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EST

Room 103

Research with the littles - it can be more than another animal report! Come hear about how I've tackled information literacy with our youngest learners. Come learn from my successes, as well as my failures!

Speakers

Alex Caram

Summer Street School, Lynnfield, Ma

Monday March 3, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EST
Room 103 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Digital & Info literacy

Audience ES

10:30am EST

Getting Active in Your Union

Monday March 3, 2025 10:30am - 11:20am EST

Room 101

TBD

Monday March 3, 2025 10:30am - 11:20am EST
Room 101 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Advocacy & community

Audience MS, ES, HS

10:30am EST

Redesigning Curriculum Units with Inquiry, Breakout Boxes, Narrative Storylines, and Maximum Engagement

Monday March 3, 2025 10:30am - 11:20am EST

Room 104

Join an elementary Library Teacher, a Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator, and a Science Curriculum Coordinator as we share how we completely revamped two traditional units: the first grade National Symbols unit and the second grade Rocks, Landforms, and Mapping units. We incorporated inquiry elements, Breakout Boxes with specifically designed puzzles that align with the unit, and video challenges all tied together with a narrative story that anchors the learning and generates excitement and engagement. Presenters will share both of these units and give participants time to try some of the Breakout Box puzzles.

Speakers

Laura DElia

Library Teacher, Westborough Public Schools

Laura Beals D’Elia is currently the Library Teacher at the Armstrong Elementary School in Westborough, MA. She has been an elementary school librarian since 2002. She has a BA in English and Children’s Literature from Framingham State University and a MLIS from the University... Read More →

Tara Gestrich

Westborough Public Schools

Merideth Ekwall

Westborough Public Schools

Monday March 3, 2025 10:30am - 11:20am EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Collaboration & co-teaching

Audience ES

11:20am EST

Lunch served

Monday March 3, 2025 11:20am - 1:30pm EST

Ballroom (Tiffany)

Eat & enjoy

Monday March 3, 2025 11:20am - 1:30pm EST
Ballroom (Tiffany) Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Meal & Social

Audience MS, ES, HS

11:20am EST

Visit Vendors

Monday March 3, 2025 11:20am - 1:30pm EST

Foyer & Terrace

Check out our vendors

Monday March 3, 2025 11:20am - 1:30pm EST
Foyer & Terrace Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Vendors

Audience ES, HS, MS

1:30pm EST

How a Year-Long Nonfiction PLC Promoted and Celebrated Nonfiction

Monday March 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EST

Room 104

In 2024, two groups of Massachusetts school librarians participated in a nonfiction-focused personal learning community that met monthly via Zoom. In this panel presentation, discover how they supported one another as they curated their collections and implemented new programming to increase student awareness of and access to a broad array of nonfiction books. We will share our ideas, projects, goals, and a few of our favorite nonfiction read-alouds!

Speakers

Laura DElia

Library Teacher, Westborough Public Schools

Melissa Stewart

Author, Children's book author

Rachel Small

Teacher Librarian, Burlington Public Schools

Pine Glen Elementary Teacher Librarian

Zoan Stokes

Teacher librarian, Fayerweather Street School

Liza Halley

Library Teacher, Waltham Public Schools

I am a K-5 library teacher with a particular passion for graphic novels, poetry, and folklore.

Kristin Moses

Boyden Elementary, Walpole

Monday March 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Books & reading

Audience ES

1:30pm EST

Getting Ready to Retire?

Monday March 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EST

Room 101

TBD

Monday March 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EST
Room 101 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Professional learning

Audience MS, ES, HS

2:30pm EST

Creator Connection - How you can bring an author to your school

Monday March 3, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EST

Room 104

There is nothing like the experience of hosting an author or illustrator at your school. Students (and teachers!) are inspired by connections with book creators, and a visit brings a surge of vitality and visibility to your library program. Let's talk about planning, preparing, and funding a visit to your school - even if you think you can't afford the price tag!

Speakers

Sheila Magovern

Library Media Specialist, Westford Public Schools

Librarian for 2 public elementaries, K-2 and 3-5. I teach library classes, but also something called Innovation Lab, which is partly a STEAM makerspace and partly research skills. Trying to learn more about guided inquiry and project based learning. Also trying to be more organized... Read More →

Monday March 3, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Books & reading

Audience MS, ES, HS

2:30pm EST

AI: Current Landscape and Future Direction

Monday March 3, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EST

Room 101

This session will take a big picture look at the current landscape of AI in education 2 years since the launch of ChatGPT. We will look at what integration strategies are being trialed, attempts to curb cheating and plagiarism, and future implications for education. The session will also share strategies on improving AI literacy, recommendations on thought leaders to follow, and how to be a leading voice from the library.

Speakers

Mark McNeil

Sarah W. Gibbons Middle School, Westborough

Monday March 3, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EST
Room 101 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Digital & Info literacy

Audience MS, ES, HS

2:30pm EST

Integrating Media Literacy into Your Curriculum

Monday March 3, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EST

Room 103

Learn about media decoding and how to use it with students at the elementary level. Our youngest students are engaged with media every day. We can help them to start developing the critical thinking skills they need to understand the media messages to which they are exposed.

Speakers

Mary Kate Leidal

School Librarian, Forest Avenue Elementary School/Hudson

Monday March 3, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EST
Room 103 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Digital & Info literacy

Audience ES

3:30pm EST

Jobalike: Elementary

Monday March 3, 2025 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST

Ballroom (Tiffany)

Description TBD

Moderators

TBD

Monday March 3, 2025 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Ballroom (Tiffany) Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Job Alike

Audience ES

3:30pm EST

Jobalike: Independent

Monday March 3, 2025 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST

Room 115

Description TBD

Moderators

Jenna Wolf

The Cambridge School of Weston

Monday March 3, 2025 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Room 115 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Job Alike

Audience MS, HS, ES

3:30pm EST

Jobalike: Multi Grade Spans

Monday March 3, 2025 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST

Room 104

Description TBD

Moderators

Lani Blechman

Springfield Conservatory of the Arts

Monday March 3, 2025 3:30pm - 4:15pm EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Job Alike

Audience MS, HS, ES

4:25pm EST

Regional Meeting: Boston

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST

Room 101

Description TBD

Moderators

Trent Bordok

Chelsea High School

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST
Room 101 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Regional Meeting

Audience MS, ES, HS

4:25pm EST

Regional Meeting: Central

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST

Room 104

Description TBD

Moderators

Michael Caligiuri

Florence Sawyer, Bolton

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Regional Meeting

Audience MS, ES, HS

4:25pm EST

Regional Meeting: Metrowest

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST

Ballroom (Tiffany)

Description TBD

Moderators

Reba Tierney

Waltham High School

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST
Ballroom (Tiffany) Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Regional Meeting

Audience MS, HS, ES

4:25pm EST

Regional Meeting: Northeast

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST

Room 103

Description TBD

Moderators

PJ Feynman

Shrewsbury Public Schools

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST
Room 103 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Regional Meeting

Audience MS, HS, ES

4:25pm EST

Regional Meeting: Southeast

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST

Room 108/109

Description TBD

Moderators

Sue Larson

Seekonk High School

Colleen Simpson

Gates Middle, Scituate

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST
Room 108/109 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Regional Meeting

Audience MS, ES, HS

4:25pm EST

Regional Meeting: West

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST

Room 106

Description TBD

Moderators

Emily Willis

Mohawk Trail Regional School District

Monday March 3, 2025 4:25pm - 5:10pm EST
Room 106 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Regional Meeting

Audience MS, HS, ES

5:30pm EST

Skip the Traffic Dinner

Monday March 3, 2025 5:30pm - 7:30pm EST

TBA

Want to keep things going with your MSLA friends and skip the heavy rush hour traffic home?
We'll be arranging someplace near to the hotel where you can go for an early dinner or just some apps before hitting the road. Details TBD!

Tentative: Beacons Restaurant - approx. 5 min. away on Rt 1 (located on same side as hotel, so easy access). They are reasonably priced, have a good menu, along with GF and vegan options (3.7 stars on Yelp, 78 reviews)

Monday March 3, 2025 5:30pm - 7:30pm EST
TBA

Audience ES, HS, MS