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September 28

Oxford - Oxford Conference Center

September 29

Canton - Canton Multipurpose
and Equine Center

September 30

Hattiesburg - Ed Morgan Intermodal Facility

FAQs

Conference Speakers

Elementary Session A | Part 1:

Topic: Spark Curiosity, Not Wildfires: MS Forestry Commission Debuts Book for Elementary Schools and Libraries

Description:

Discover how one children's book can help teach an important life lesson. Created by the Mississippi Forestry Commission in celebration of its 100th anniversary, Pip and the Misissippi Wildfire introduces elementary students to wildfire prevention through an engaging story that encourages personal responsibility and environmental stewardship. Since nine out of ten wildfires in Mississippi are caused by people, educating children is one of the most effective ways to help prevent future wildfires.

Join us for a look inside the book, learn how your library can use it to promote wildfire prevention, and explore the free teacher resource guide and companion educational materials available to support classroom instruction and library programming.

Mike Crabb (Oxford) Mississippi Forestry Commission, Outreach Officer Region 1

Meacham Harlow (Canton) Mississippi Forestry Commission, Outreach Officer Region 3

Kevin Craft (Hattiesburg) Mississippi Forestry Commission, Outreach Officer Region 4

Al Wheat

Educator

Elementary Session A | Part 2:

Topic: Primary Sources

Description:

TBD

Seraiah Lodge

Cultural Resources Specialist

Middle & High School Session B | Part 1:

Topic: Bridging ELA and Social Studies

Description:

This session connects English and history by focusing on key close-reading and primary-source analysis skills and exploring resources from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History that you can use with your students.

Al Wheat

Educator

Middle & High School Session B | art 2:

Topic: Teaching Through Inquiry: Project-Based Learning with MS History Day Across Disciplines

Description:

This session introduces Mississippi History Day and shows how it can be used across classrooms, including non-history classes, to promote research, critical thinking, and engaging project-based learning.

Bently Cochran

Outreach Program Coordinator

Wendy Daughdrill

Librarian

ALL Librarians Session:

Topic: MAGNOLIA Book Awards

Description:

The Magnolia Book Awards provide the children and youth of Mississippi the opportunity to nominate, read, and vote for their favorite books. Please join us to learn more about the Magnolia Award and participate in discussion to explore integrating the Magnolia Award into school or public library settings. Learn about the process and help us advocate for the Magnolia Awards as we continue to offer children and youth in Mississippi opportunities to develop a lifelong love of reading.

Elizabeth Simmons

Director of Instructional Materials and Library Services

ALL School Librarians Session:

Topic: Report Ready: Mastering Mississippi's Annual School Library Report

Description:

This training prepares school librarians to complete and submit the Annual School Library Report through the Mississippi Department of Education's Accreditation Portal. Participants will learn how to collect required data, complete each section of the report, attach supporting documentation, and navigate the online submission process. The training also reviews reporting requirements, library staffing expectations, and how school libraries support the Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards (MS CCRS), the Mississippi Library Learning Standards, and the Science of Reading. By the end of the session, participants will be prepared to submit a complete and compliant Annual School Library Report.