Penny Kittle and Brenda at the Indiana University Southeast Writing Project conference.

I just fininshed listening to Penny Kittle speak at the IUSE Writing Project conference. She is so inspiring! If you are looking for a speaker for writing for any grade level, she is your gal! I also heard J. Patrick Lewis this week. He is a children's author and writes poetry. He is a very interesting man. He originally taught economics at a university and later in life turned to writing poetry. You may recognize him as the author of Bury Me in the Library. Earlier in the week we were in Shipshewana and saw the authors Lester Laminack, Katie Wood Ray, Sharon Taberski, Franki Sibberson, and Smokey Daniels. We are so fortunate to be able to attend professional conferences and meet these people that do so much for the educators in our state.

New Representation for Science Companion

We are so pleased to announce that First Team Education has been hired to represent Science Companion. As you may be aware, the state of Indiana is running some pilots next year for inquiry based science curriculum and Science Companion is on the list of programs to be piloted. So, if you are involved in those pilots, we will be your contact for Science Companion and will be working closely with you to make sure all goes well. You can find out more about the company by going to sciencecompanion.com.

It's May so we are in the last inning of the school year. We can't believe how fast it has gone. We will be at several summer workshops this summer so look for us at Mishawaka, Shipshawana, New Albany, and Purdue Calumet. If you find yourself with last minute orders to place, give us a call and we will do our best to push them through for you or if you need an invoice we can do that right away. We appreciate all you do for us and are ready and willing to return the favors.

Vacation Time

Well, the Indiana State Reading conference is over. It was really a disappointment this year. Very few attendees and very little time for the ones that were there to visit the exhibit area. Hopefully next year the economy will be better and more people will attend and the committee will build in some time for attendees to visit the exhibits.
Joe and I are leaving on vacation next Friday and will have limited access to email or voicemail. We are going to Italy for a week and then on a Mediterranian Cruise for a week. Hopefully anything any of you have going on, can wait until we get back! While you are all on spring break have a great time and come back recharged and ready to finish the school year!

Discount and free book!

If you are attending ISRA and attend the Sunday session titled "Choosing and Using Mentor Texts", you will receive a coupon for an additional 10% off your purchase at the First Team Education booth! In adddition, during that session you will receive a free children's book! So check your schedule and see what you had planned for 12:45 on Sunday of ISRA. See you there!

ISRA and IRA conferences

It is time for Indiana State Reading Association's yearly conference! It starts on Sunday, March 21 and runs through Tuesday, March 23. We will be there with all of our curriculum lines, our professional books, and children's books. Come by and see us in booths 46-51. You can purchase books from most of the presenters that will be speaking; Cris Tovani, Lester Laminack, Jan Brett, Will Hobbs and of course, we will be offering discounts!

In April, IRA is in Chicago!! We will be there working in the ETA Cuisenaire booth. If you are attending IRA, please let us know. There are several companies that are looking for educators to be on panels and of course there is always some free food and drinks being offered by the various companies.