National Writing Project

This workshop explores writing activities to do with beginning writers in K-2. Early successes with writing will help Òkeep the writer writingÓ so come join us from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on November 3, 427A Waterman, UVM. There is a $45 fee that includes coffee, pastries, and lunch. Visit http://www.nwpvt.org for more information about this Saturday Special and upcoming Specials (ÒReading/Writing ConnectionsÓ on Feb. 2 and ÒWriting in Math and Science ClassesÓ on March 15).

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NWP Annual Meeting in New York City, November 15-16, 2007

An impressive array of resources and workshops is waiting for NWP teachers and their colleagues at the National Writing ProjectÕs Annual Meeting, held this year in the heart of New York City, at the Marriott Marquis on Times Square and the huge Javits Center a few blocks north.

New and veteran NWP fellows and Teacher Consultants always find this a remarkable sampling of new and proven ideas for writing, teaching writing, and enriching the models NWP has been refining over the last 33 years: the Invitational Institute, inservice programs, and continuity events designed to sustain the capacity of our site to do its work.

We would love to have lots of our TCs experience the power of this gathering. If youÕre already making plans to attend NWP (or the concurrent NCTE convention), see below for an events schedule. If you can find the funding to attend (many schools provide their teachers with travel support for enriching experiences like these), please join us!

http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/doc/07am/getting_oriented.csp

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NWP-VT Sponsors Montpelier Poetry Slam on Tuesday, Nov. 20

At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20, NWP-VT will sponsor an all-ages-welcome poetry slam at MontpelierÕs Langdon Street CafŽ. Students, teachers, and all members of the public are invited, whether to present their original poems or to join the audience to observe this phenomenal form of word-slinging. Those who will actually slam should bring two original poems, each of which they can perform in three minutes or less. Fabulous prizes! Please tell your students, and please be there yourself!

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Study Groups in Action

This academic year five schools across the state will run study groups as part of a three-year collaboration with NWP-VT. The groups will begin their leadership meetings in November and are being coordinated by Joyce Sheehey. This project is funded by a grant from NWP Rural Sites Network. Stay tuned for updates on this new, exciting initiative!

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Vermont NEA EducatorÕs Conference

NWP-VT was out in full force at the Vermont NEA EducatorÕs Conference on October 18-19. Thom McAllister, the Saturday Specials Coordinator, presented a workshop entitled ÒWriting with Reluctant WritersÓ that was attended by approximately 35 teachers, administrators and support staff. The always enthusiastic Newton Baker manned the NWP-VT table on the floor of the conference, converting teachers to our cause!

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Ongoing Workshop Series

We currently have workshop series going on at Mallets Bay School in Colchester and for Windsor Northwest Supervisory Union. Contact us for information about bringing NWP-VT workshops to your school.

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ItÕs Recruiting Time for the 13^th Annual Invitational Summer Institute!

Plans are underway for NWP-VTÕs Thirteenth Invitational Summer Institute. Geof Hewitt, Julia Hewitt and Ed Darling are excited to welcome Richard Parent, UVM Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition, to the instructional leadership team. Nelson Jaquay Õ05 and Sydney Copp Õ07 will provide coaching assistance and the wisdom that comes from their status as returning fellows.

The summer institute will begin with a two-day orientation retreat on May 16 & 17, and the summer session runs for four 4-day weeks, from July 7 - July 31. In addition, all fellows attend two follow-up sessions on September 26 - 27. Fellows receive six graduate credits in Education or English and a stipend of $600. Applications are now being accepted, with a preferred deadline of March 1.

Successful recruitment of summer fellows depends largely upon the efforts of previous participants, and nothing substitutes for a personal connection, a hand-delivered application, and your own testimony as to the power of the summer institute experience.

What talented teachers can you recruit to the National Writing Project in Vermont? Please reach out to them today! You can also help by forwarding nomineesÕ names and addresses (both U.S. mail and email) to summerinstitute@nwpvt.org. For more information, visit our website at http://www.nwpvt.org.

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Other Summer Programs Take Shape

Now that we all have our wool sweaters out, letÕs look toward next summer, and NWP summer programs you might want to help with.

What else does our site offer in the summer?

Last summer Cindy Faughnan and Rick Schluntz once again led an engaging summer writing program for students in the area surrounding their school, Hartford Memorial Middle School in White River Junction. And at the UVM Extension facility in Barre, Jennifer Lindert and Katie LeFrancois taught a 3- credit course offering great ideas on the linking of reading and writing instruction for teachers of early grades.

If you would like information about these programs, or other summer opportunities you might like to help with, please be in touch with our office by emailing inservice@nwpvt.org.

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Vermont Adolescent Literacy and Learning Initiative (VALLI)

The Vermont Adolescent Literacy and Learning Initiative (VALLI) is a program of the Vermont Reads Institute at UVM. Participating schools send an interdisciplinary leadership team to a short summer institute, receive twice-monthly consultant visits throughout the school year, and have access to numerous professional development workshops throughout the year. For more information, contact geof.hewitt@state.vt.us or check out VALLI at the Vermont Reads website: http://www.vriuvm.org/valli.php.

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Congratulations to Diane Bahrenburg, NWP-VT Ô01 and VermontÕs 2008 Teacher of the Year!

Way to go, Diane! WeÕre proud to announce that one of our own has been chosen VermontÕs 2008 Teacher of the Year. Diane is an English teacher at Colchester High School. Read more about her and what she will do as VermontÕs 2008 Teacher of the Year in the news release from the State of Vermont: http://www.vermont.gov/portal/government/article.php?news=36

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Meet our SiteÕs New Leaders!

NWP-VT is growing and expanding, and we are proud to welcome several new people into leadership roles:

Newsletter Editor: Kara Rosenberg, NWP-VT Ô04, is our new Newsletter Editor. Kara is currently on leave from teaching to care for her brand new baby, Asa. Send any newsletter updates to newsletter@nwpvt.org.

Technology Liaison: Eli Rosenberg, KaraÕs husband and father to Asa, is overseeing our technology resources, notably the upkeep of our website so we all stay informed and learning from the great ideas and programs we find there. Eli teaches science at Main Street Middle School and was a NWP-VT fellow in 2004. Contact him at webmaster@nwpvt.org.

Study Groups Czarina: Joyce Sheehey is coordinating our school year study group partnerships, bringing together TC leaders of study groups in several schools across the state. Joyce is a 2001 NWP-VT alumna, an English teacher at South Burlington High School, and Co-Coordinator of the NWP Rural Sites Network.

Saturday Specials Coordinator: Thom McAllister, one of our pioneer fellows from our first Invitational Institute in 1996, has taken over coordination of this yearÕs Saturday Specials, one-day programs for teachers. In addition, Thom is now our office Administrative Assistant, working to keep (okay, to get) our records and resources organized. This year, Thom celebrated his retirement after many years of teaching at Moretown Central School.

Invitational Institute Professor: As mentioned elsewhere, we welcome Richard Parent, UVM Assistant Professor of English, to our dynamic Invitational Institute team, joining Geof Hewitt, Julia Hewitt, and Ed Darling. Richard is a professor of Composition and Rhetoric in UVMÕs English Department.

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Contact UsÉ

Visit our website at http://www.nwpvt.org.

Address: 201 Mann Hall, 208 Colchester Ave., UVM, Burlington, VT 05405

Telephone: (802)656-3935

Email: sitedirector@nwpvt.org

Director: Patricia McGonegal

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