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MTS PD October 24 2025
Local Heroes Working Together - LD and Structured Literacy
Dr. Maryanne Wolf (virtual keynote) + Manitoba Teachers (Local Heroes in-person)
Virtual Keynote with In-Person presenters
@ Canadian Museum for Human Rights (with online option)
This event will be held in-person at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and will also be available online. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from the best and connect with fellow educators!
Virtual KEYNOTE - Join us for an exciting MTS PD Day featuring Dr. Maryanne Wolf (virtual), a renowned scholar and advocate for literacy and education.Maryanne Wolf is a scholar, a teacher, and an advocate for children and literacy around the world. She is the Director of the newly created Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Previously she was the John DiBiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service and Director of the Center for Reading and Language Research in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development at Tufts University. She is the author of Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain (2007, HarperCollins), Dyslexia, Fluency, and the Brain (Edited; York, 2001), Tales of Literacy for the 21st Century(2016, Oxford University Press), and Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World.
At the Canadian Human Rights Museum:
We will also be joined by local heroes, Manitoba teachers who have been working tirelessly to improve instruction and outcomes for all students, especially those with LD. They will be sharing their Structured Literacy/Orton-Gilingham journey for several years collaborating and striving for excellence to support all students especially those with dyslexia. @ParkwestSD @EvergreenSD @PembinaTrailsSD
We welcome educators and other interested members of our community (in Manitoba and beyond) who are interested in Specific Learning Disabilities.
Membership Registration and Payment
Please note that you do not need to be a MTS member - you may register as a “non-member of MTS”.
Membership includes:
*Manitoba Teachers Society PD Day (annually in October with a full day of Professional Development)
* up to 3 PD events (after school hours or weekends)
* other events/information from our MTSLD team
Dr. Linda Siegel MTSLD Teacher Scholarship
Annually this scholarship will be presented up to 5 applicants for up to $500 per applicant.
Priority will be placed on those who are MTS union members and those who work with MTSLD to support our goals and initiatives.
PD opportunities will be prioritized for the following topics: learning disabilities, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia. Applicants must be a Manitoba resident and current MTSLD member.
Faculty of Education University students and current teachers are eligible.
Following the PD, please submit a summary (approximately 250 words) to describe the event, what you have learned, and how you will apply this learning to your students with LD.
MTSLD Action PLAN AWARDS - up to $1000
MTSLD is excited to offer resources which will support teachers in the ACTION and RESPONSE for our students with LD. We prioritize MTS Union members as well as varied geographic areas in Manitoba. Each year our team will focus on an instructional area specifically for our LD learners.
To be provided the materials for our Action Resources Project we require:
school teams
details of how your team will use the materials
commitment to documenting learning journey (photos, testimony) to MTSLD
permission for MTSLD to share photos and your comments about your professional journey on social media
Slate of Officers 2025-26
President – Valdine Bjornson
Vice-President – Nicole Kavalench
Secretary- Monica Zurrin, Sherri-Lynn Desjardine
Scholarships – Valdine Bjornson, Nicole Kavalench, Monica Zurrin, Kristen McDowell
Treasurer – Kristen McDowell
Membership – Monica Zurrin, Valdine Bjornson
Communication/Website/Social Media and Public Relations – Nicole Kavalench (Instagram), Valdine Bjornson (FB, X)
MTS PD Day – executive
MTS Liaison - Monica Zurrin
IDA, DC, or DCM or other representative - Valdine Bjornson(IDA)
Members-at-Large - Lindsay Agnew
Honorary Member - Twila Richards
Manitoba Teachers' Society Special Area Group
Purpose of MTSLD
We are a special area group of educators and professionals who are committed to building awareness and capacity for Manitoba teachers who work with students with Specific Learning Disabilities (Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia). We will provide opportunities to network, advocate, and build community to celebrate our SLD learners. We will also strive to showcase impactful local projects and initiatives that are utilizing best practices for SLD learners. We will partner with specialists in the field of SLD to provide targeted professional development promoting instruction that is essential for some, but beneficial for all.
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