Thank you for coming!
Thursday, October 10 & Friday, October 11, 2024
Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine
IRW Invites You…
Join IRW for a two-day professional development conference celebrating literacy and rural education! Featured speakers and workshops will focus on writing and narrative, the humanities and interdisciplinary learning, and rural, place-based education.
We're delighted to announce that our 2024 Keynote Speaker is author and Emmy award-winning journalist Anna Crowley Redding! The 2024 Dear Teacher Conference draws inspiration from Anna’s picture book Courage Like Kate—a story about hard work, finding your inner strength, and navigating rough waters.
Conference Highlights
• We offer intensive, three-hour workshops on both days of the conference so you can dig deep into popular subjects.
• Participants can earn 1.5 CEUs issued by the University of Maine and 15 contact hours from IRW.
• Our featured speaker lineup includes author and librarian Alexandra S.D. Hinrichs, author/illustrators Chris Van Dusen and Kevin Hawkes, and middle-grade authors Gary D. Schmidt and Lauren Wolk!
• Tickets to Dear Teacher also include meals, a book bag, and a signed copy of Courage Like Kate!
• We’ll offer an extensive Bookshop, author/illustrator signings, book giveaways and door prizes!
OVERVIEW
WHEN
Thursday, October 10 & Friday, October 11, 2024
- Your ticket provides access to two full days of workshops!
- The conference opens at 9am on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
WHERE
Cross Insurance Center
515 Main Street, Bangor, ME 04401
NEW! Flexible Ticketing Options:
- All Access Pass ($350): Join us for both days of the conference! This option can be split between two teachers; contact us for details and to arrange.
- Day Pass ($190): Join on either Thursday, October 10 or Friday, October 11
INVOICE MY SCHOOL OPTION
You may use the Invoice My School option to send to your school's administrator for payment of your ticket. Full payment is due for all tickets not cancelled by September 13, 2024.
CANCELLATION POLICY
All tickets are refundable, minus a $30 cancellation fee, if cancelled by Friday, September 13, 2024. After Friday, September 13, 2024, payment is due in full for all tickets, including for those who used the "Invoice My School" option.
IRW has made every effort to make Dear Teacher affordable and accessible for educators and their schools. If you are experiencing significant financial hardship or have other extenuating circumstances and wish to attend, please contact us.
Contact: Kelsey Buckley
We welcome educators of all kinds: teachers, principals, librarians and support staff, as well as student teachers or students enrolled in teaching programs. This conference is intended for those working with grades Pre-K–8.
Every Dear Teacher workshop is designed to give you tools to use in your classroom—no matter the size or shape—right now!
Dining
Dining is included with registration. IRW will host lunch on both Thursday and Friday, as well as dinner with our keynote speaker on Thursday evening. Check back for details on meals when the full Dear Teacher 2024 schedule is released.
Lodging
Island Readers and Writers has made every effort to source a variety of hotel options for the conference. Room rate will vary based on location and rooms are first come, first served.
2024 Hotel Options
Group rate: $159/night
~5 minute drive from the Cross Insurance Center.
300 Odlin Rd, Bangor, ME 04401
Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway Bangor
Group rate: $129/night; use code READ
Across from the Cross Insurance Center, walking distance
500 Main St, Bangor, ME 04401
$245.00 per room, per night plus 9% state tax for standard Double Queen rooms.
$255.00 per room, per night plus 9% state tax for standard Single King rooms
~10 minute drive from the Cross Insurance Center
250 Haskell Rd, Bangor, ME 04401
Residence Inn by Marriott Bangor
Note from the Residence Inn: The Residence Inn is all Suites. The King Studio Suites do have a King bed and double pullout. Group rate would be $219 or Double Queen Suites would be $229—good for sharing and guests can split their charges. Guests must identify themselves with the Dear Teacher Event.
Next door to the Cross Insurance Center, walking distance.
22 Bass Park Blvd, Bangor, ME 04401
1.5 Continuing Education Units (CEU) will be issued to attendees by the University of Maine.
Contact hours from IRW will be awarded to all participants.
What makes Dear Teacher special?
IRW is a nonprofit with a mission to inspire a passion for reading & learning in children. When designing Dear Teacher, we drew on our 18 years of experience working with educators in small and rural communities. We heard that educators wanted support for teaching writing, integrating arts & humanities in classrooms with limited resources, and workshops that felt relevant to where they live.
Every workshop presenter at Dear Teacher is tasked with designing a workshop that includes actionable takeaways that educators can implement right now, in any classroom, with any budget. Above all, we believe in making educators feel seen and supported, uplifted and inspired.
Island Readers & Writers (IRW) is an educational nonprofit based in Southwest Harbor, ME with a mission to inspire a passion for reading and learning in children living on Maine’s coastal islands and in Washington County, ME. We bring book-based experiences, including author and illustrator visits to our 26 partner schools, host community events and programs, and offer professional development. Explore our site to learn more about who we are, our impact, and our work.