Dear Teacher Conference 2026

writing & narrative | arts & humanities
rural & place-based education

Friday, November 6, 2026

Husson University, Bangor ME

Island Readers & Writers (IRW) is delighted to welcome educators, librarians, principals, support staff & pre-service teachers back for Dear Teacher 2026! Our fourth annual conference will take place over one day and offer more opportunities to learn as a group, network, and dive deep into popular subjects.

Our 2026 keynote speaker is author and illustrator Elizabeth Zunon, whose vibrant work celebrates culture, connection, and, of course, chocolate! We’ll feature her picture book Grandpa Cacao: A Tale of Chocolate from Farm to Family.

Preview the Full Schedule

APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP

Download the Dear Teacher 2026 Flyer

About Our Keynote Speaker

Elizabeth Zunon

Elizabeth (Liz) Zunon grew up in the Ivory Coast of West Africa, learning English and French. She earned her bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2006, and today lives in New York working as an artist/illustrator, book-maker, and jewelry-maker. Her works are influenced from her childhood in the Ivory Coast and her amalgamation of West African and American cultures.

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FAQ

Q: Why is the conference held over one day this year?

Accessibility is one of the core values of the Dear Teacher conference. By holding the conference over one day, we’re able to offer more scholarships and reduce some barriers for educators, such as overnight stays and need for substitute teachers. It also gives us the opportunity to spend more time together. You’ll notice that all attendees will participate in Mike Duffy’s fan-favorite workshop this year, and we’ve added themed networking sessions.

Q: How do I apply for a Dear Teacher Scholarship?

We’re able to offer 12 scholarships to the conference this year, thanks to the incredible support of our community! Check out the Scholarships section of this page for more information and the link to the application. Two things to note: 1) We ask that a principal or supervisor applies on your behalf and certifies that if you cannot attend, they’ll send someone in your place, or notify us so that we can take someone off of the waitlist. This helps ensure scholarship funding is used as it was intended, and keeps the process fair for all. 2) We’ll give preference to educators who haven’t previously attended a Dear Teacher conference before.

Q: How does the Invoice My School option work?

This option gives you the flexibility to register for the Dear Teacher conference at any time and invoice your school administrator for the ticket cost. Schools must remit payment on or before October 12, 2026. Please note that when you use this option, you are reserving a ticket for the conference and are responsible for ensuring the invoice is paid. For any questions about the Invoice My School option, please contact our Data & Information Manager, Dawn Severns, at dseverns@islandreadersandwriters.org.

Scholarships

This year, IRW raised $1500 through community giving to provide 12 full scholarships for teachers & librarians who have not previously attended a Dear Teacher conference!

Interested teachers and librarians should plan to have their principal or supervisor nominate them** by visiting the form below.

Nominate an Attendee

**We ask that scholarship recipients are nominated by a principal or supervisor to ensure the scholarship is utilized by another suitable professional if the original teacher or librarian cannot attend.**

“Dear Teacher is affirming, inspiring, and totally worth writing sub plans for in order to attend.”

—Susan Raven, Educator