The world of education is ever-evolving, with new ideas, strategies, and approaches continuously shaping the way we teach. This year, The Big Sky Literacy Summit brought together educators, administrators, researchers, and thought leaders to empower each other with new knowledge, enlightening stories, and much more. 

IMSE was thrilled to attend the summit and be a bronze sponsor of such an impactful event! This conference was like no other in that it was about building a community of thought leaders and mentors by locking arms to create change for all children to have access to effective literacy instruction. 

The IMSE team was energized by the new and familiar faces that visited the booth. We showcased our IMSE Impact courses and our latest classroom product- the IMSE Sound Wall! IMSE empowers educators with the knowledge, tools, and support to transform literacy instruction. This year, attendees had a chance to:

 

We are dedicated to improving literacy education through innovative and evidence-based practices. IMSE has long been a trailblazer in structured literacy, advocating for instructional approaches catering to diverse learning styles and needs. The Big Sky Literacy Summit was an exceptional opportunity for IMSE to showcase its commitment to advancing literacy education, and what better way to do this than to allow educators to win a FREE IMSE Impact training valued at $1,500! 

This year, IMSE’s Strategic Relationships Manager, Robin Zikmund, and IMSE-trained educator, JoLynn Aldinger, hosted a Personal Leadership session on day 3.

Robin, a parent, and JoLynn, a first-grade teacher, both began their journey toward providing students with equitable literacy instruction in similar ways. Robin’s son was struggling with learning to read, and Jolynn’s student had the same issue; they struggled to grasp what could be causing this roadblock their young learners were facing. Both Robin and JoLynn went through countless hours of research before a lightbulb went off in their head, and they realized their learners were struggling with dyslexia. 

While neither Robin nor Jolynn knew each other during their time of discovery, they came to know each other on their literacy journeys. This summer, Robin and JoLynn worked together to have dozens of Idaho educators trained in IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham strategies. You won’t want to miss hearing their stories and their paths toward making an impact on literacy education in Idaho. Their stories and their paths toward making an impact on literacy education in Idaho were transformative. 

The summit was a melting pot of ideas and mentorship, fostering enriching discussions on literacy education today, evidence-based teaching strategies, and effective ways to engage students. Thank you to Dr. Nell and her team for creating such a welcoming environment and allowing educators nationwide to work toward making literacy accessible to all. 

The IMSE team was grateful to be part of such an inspiring event!