Moderators

Featured Speaker Moderators

Sunday, October 11, 2015  5:15 - 6:15 pm
Craig Steenstra, Educational Technology Consultant, Kent ISD
Moderator for Aram Kabodian, Teacher Consultant, Red Cedar Writing Project

Craig Steenstra works as an Educational Technology Consultant for Kent ISD where he does training, coaching, and development for local and private school districts in Kent County. Some of his project work includes a K-5 Tech Integration site, a student tech use and expectations guide, and development for Kent ISD’s collaborative venture, Edify. Prior to that, he taught high school English for seven years. He lives in Holland with a wife, two kids, and a stinky dog.

Sunday, October 11, 2015  7:00 - 8:00 pm  
Erica Beaton, Teacher Consultant, Lake Michigan Writing Project
Moderator for Beth Rogers, Fifth Grade Teacher, Clarkston Community Schools

Erica Beaton is a never-finished, research-reading, English and history teacher who is in the thick of it herself. Since 2006, Erica has taught in a high-poverty, rural high school north of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Over these years, she’s worked with both advanced and At-Risk adolescents. In 2013, she began teaching preservice teachers—across the content areas—in Grand Valley State University’s Literacy Studies Department. Delving into her own research throughout this time, she has found that, regardless of ability level or content area, all students want to grow as readers, writers, and thinkers. This exciting space for growth is why Erica, a certified K-12 reading specialist, loves talking to teachers about how to engage students in best practice literacy instruction and character development. To learn more about Erica, visit her website.

Monday, October 12, 2015  4:00 - 5:00 pm
Janet Neyer, Teacher Consultant, Chippewa River Writing Project
Moderator for Eric Hammerstrom, Teacher Consultant, Northern Shores Writing Project

Janet Neyer teaches English and psychology at Cadillac High School in Cadillac, Michigan. She is also a teacher consultant with the Chippewa River Writing Project at CMU and an authorized Google Education Trainer. She blogs about teaching and technology at upnorthlearning.org and is active on twitter @janetneyer.

Monday, October, 12, 2015  5:15 - 6:15 pm 
Paula Diedrich, Co-Director, Northern Shores Writing Project
Moderator for Jeremy Hyler, Co-Director of The Chippewa River Writing Project

Paula Diedrich is the K-12 Co-Director of the Northern Shores Writing Project and an 8th grade teacher at Bothwell Middle School in Marquette, Michigan. This fall, Paula will begin her 21st year teaching middle school students and enjoys piloting new programs and technology in her school. Paula also enjoys working with other teachers  to improve both their practice and her own. She is a member of numerous literacy organizations, conference committees and joins teacher-research groups whenever the opportunity arises. A born-and-raised Yooper, Paula, along with her husband and two teenage daughters, love the UP of Michigan and all it has to offer.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015  5:15 - 6:15 pm 
Cindy Lewis, Math Educator, Ruth Fox Elementary
Moderator for Amber White, Teacher Consultant, Saginaw Bay Writing Project

Cindy Lewis is a math educator with a voracious appetite for reading.  She is a 5th/6th grade looping teacher at Ruth Fox Elementary in North Branch, Michigan.  For the past five years, she has been involved in an extensive technology collaboration with Michigan State University under the guidance of Dr. Doug Hartman, Dr. Paul Morsink and Dr. Michelle Schira Hagerman.  Cindy has spent time exploring the affordances of 1:1 iPads in the classroom this past year and has had the opportunity to share her learnings at such venues at the Chippewa River Writing project, the Michigan Association of School Boards Conference and the North Branch Technology Institute.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015  7:00 - 8:00 pm 
Sarah Ross-Koves, HS English Teacher, Carson-City Crystal Schools 
Moderator for Jianna Taylor, Teacher Consultant, Oakland Writing Project

Sarah Ross-Koves is currently a high school English and social studies teacher at Carson-City Crystal Schools where she also assists with school improvement and technology; she also founded Carson City-Crystal’s growing Advanced Placement Program. She began teaching in 2003 in Northern Michigan; she taught at both Northwest Academy (Charlevoix) and at Onaway Area Schools before moving to Carson City-Crystal in 2009.  She completed her National Writing Project Summer Institute in 2007 at Tip of the Mit in Petoskey.  She is also a teacher blogger at can be found at Kovescence of the Mind.  Sarah currently resides in Carson City with her husband, three daughters, and two cats but returns to Northern Michigan in the summers to stay with her parents.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015  4:00 - 5:00 pm 
Amber Lovett, Masters Student, University of Michigan
Moderator for Andrea Zellner, Teacher Consultant, Red Cedar Writing Project

Amber Lovett is a Masters student entering her second year at the University of Michigan School of Information, specializing in Library and Information Science and School Library Media. She will begin student teaching in the fall. Amber is interested in how the maker movement can impact student learning, and recently attended the Capitol Hill Maker Faire as a representative of the Michigan Makers program which brings making to schools in the Ann Arbor area. Amber is also an intern in the children’s department at the Canton Public Library. Her career aspiration is to become a library media specialist, in order to equip students to become lifelong learners and thriving digital citizens.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015  5:15 - 6:15 pm
Jill Runstrom, Media Specialist, Cadillac High School 
Moderator for Rachelle Wynkoop, Supervisor Secondary Instruction & Professional Development, Port Huron Schools

Jill Runstrom is a media specialist, as well as a digital writing and social media teacher at Cadillac High School. She has been teaching for 22 years. Jill is a proud graduate of Alma College with a double major in English and psychology. She went on to earn her master's degree in educational technology with a library endorsement from Grand Valley State University. When asked to describe herself, Jill says she is a curious learner. A self-taught tech enthusiast, Jill masters digital tools by using her social media PLN and YouTube as resources. She believes that students must have this same curiosity to learn things for themselves in order to be successful members of society. Her mantra is, "the learning is in the struggle" and believes if students embrace this idea, they will do well in school and life. When not at work, Jill enjoys reading, her pets, her iPhone, quiet mornings with a cup of coffee, and time with her busy family.

Keynote, Special Invited Guest, and Panel Discussion Moderator

Delia DeCourcy, Literacy Consultant, Oakland Schools ISD

Delia DeCourcy is the 4T Virtual Conference on Digital Writing Conference Chair and has been part of the 4T Virtual Conference Planning Team for the past three years. She joined Oakland Schools ISD as a literacy consultant and Associate Director of the Oakland Writing Project in 2013. Prior to that, she was a writing instructor at the University of Michigan where she taught first-year, new media, and creative writing and was awarded the Moscow Prize for Excellence in Teaching Composition. She has also taught middle and high school ELA classes and has always integrated technology into her instruction. At Oakland Schools, she is currently spearheading the development of literacy-focused online professional learning modules as well as the building of a virtual portal where Michigan educators can learn and collaborate.