Heartland Educational Consortium

📚🚧Laying the Foundation for Literacy with HEC!💙💚 This week was Just Read Florida's Celebrate Literacy Week and we were hard at work building strong literacy foundations with over 500 participants joining New World’s Reading Family Literacy Events at : 📚East Elementary 📚Kingsway Elementary 📚Vineland Elementary 📚Avon Elementary Just like a sturdy home starts with a solid blueprint, a lifelong love for reading begins with access to books!🏡 Families gathered to construct their at-home libraries, enjoying meals together while engaging in interactive literacy activities. Each student left with a brand-new book—another brick in the foundation of their reading journey. We’re thrilled to see so many families strengthening their literacy skills and laying the groundwork for future success. Let’s keep building a brighter future, one book at a time!📚💙💚 #newworldsreading #FLCelebratesLiteracy #inhomelibraries

🎉✨ Underground Spirit Week Winners Announced! ✨🎉 A HUGE thank you to everyone who participated in our first-ever Underground Holiday Spirit Week at HEC! 🌟 The creativity and holiday cheer were truly next level. 🎅🎄🎁 🏆 Drumroll, please... 🥁 The winners for each day are: 🎅Daisha Shannon ⭐Jessie Roberts 🎁 Maggie Santana 🧦Stacy Lee 💡 Dawn Rigsbee ⭐Megan Glass 👏 Congratulations to all the winners and participants for spreading holiday cheer! Keep shining your light, HEC family! 🎄✨ #HECSpirit #HolidayFun #UndergroundSpiritWeek 🎅🎁

📢 Calling All Educators in Our Member Districts! 🎤📚 Do you have innovative ideas, success stories, or best practices to share from your school? 🌟 Now's your chance to shine at the 29th Annual Heartland Educational Consortium Summer Leadership Conference! 📅 June 17-18, 2025 📍 Westin Cape Coral at Marina Village ✨ Presenters will have their $250 registration fee waived for up to 2 people if accepted! Don't miss this opportunity to share the amazing things happening in your schools! 📝 Submit your proposal by Friday, February 28, 2025, at 5:00 PM! 🔗 Click here to apply 👉 tinyurl.com/2025slcproposal Questions? 🤔 Contact Stacey Hinson: 📧 stacey.hinson@heartlanded.org 📱 863-531-0444 💡 Let's Shape & Strengthen Together — Your Expertise. Our Stage! 🎉 #HeartlandEd #SummerLeadershipConference #ShareYourStory

✨ Shine bright like a diamond! ✨ It was a “HEC” of a weekend at the 60th Florida Literacy Association Conference, where literacy leaders from DeSoto, Hardee, Hendry, and Highlands Counties came together to learn, share, and grow. 🌟 Keynote Highlights:    •   Dr. Doug Fisher, Dr. Wiley Blevins, and Dr. Tim Shanahan lit up the stage during the general sessions.    •   A memorable Author’s Luncheon with Lester L. Laminack. 💡 Spotlight Session: HEC's Literacy Specialist, Candis Dean, and Highlands Content Specialist, Jenn Sanchez, delivered a powerful presentation: “Beyond Words: Exploring the Impact of Morphology.” Here’s to celebrating literacy and its impact on our students and communities! 💎 #ShineBright #LiteracyMatters #FLA2025 #ShineBright #FLADiamonds

🎶 Calling all music lovers! 🎶 Join us for the 2025 Heartland Honor Band concert! 🎺🎷🎸 Date: Thursday, February 13, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: South Florida State College - Avon Park This is a fantastic opportunity to experience the talent and dedication of young musicians from across our region. Don't miss it! #HeartlandHonorBand #MusicEducation #LiveMusic

Exciting things happening today! ⚡️ Our second AVID Forum of the year is underway! 🎉 In partnership with AVID, teams from Hardee, Highlands, and Okeechobee counties are diving deep into Tier I Instruction. This workshop is guiding educators in clarifying how the WICOR framework can inform Universal Instruction, empowering them to create impactful 90-day action plans. We are excited to learn alongside our member districts and equip our educators with the tools to improve student success! #HeartlandEducationalConsortium #HEC #AVID

📚✨ What an incredible evening at Liberty Elementary School in Charlotte County on Thursday, January 16th! We kicked off the first event in 2025 school and it was nothing short of amazing. Families joined us for an evening filled with: 📖 A great book 🍽️ Shared dinner 🎨 Fun literacy activity Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the joy of reading with us!📘 #FamilyLiteracy #NewWorldsReading #BuildingReaders #LibertyElementary #CharlotteCounty

🌟 Join Us as a Sponsor at the 2025 Summer Leadership Conference! 🌟 Heartland Educational Consortium is excited to host its 29th Annual Summer Leadership Conference, June 17-18, 2025, themed "Shape & Strengthen." This is your opportunity to connect with education leaders, showcase your organization, and make a meaningful impact in our school communities. ✨ Sponsorship Levels Include: Diamond Sponsor: Premier benefits, including conference recognition, early access to leadership teams, and two registrations! Platinum Sponsor: High visibility and exclusive perks. Gold Sponsor: Stand out with recognition and Sponsor Hall access. 📢 Add-On Options: Enhance your presence as a Reception, Meal, or Session Sponsor! 🔗 Learn More and Register: tinyurl.com/2025slcsponsor Don't miss this chance to partner with us and shape the future of education. Together, we can make a difference! 💼📚 #EducationMatters #SummerLeadershipConference #HeartlandEducationalConsortium

🚨 CALL FOR PROPOSALS! 🚨 Join us at the 29th Annual Summer Leadership Conference 🌟✨ 📅 June 17-18, 2025 📍 Westin Cape Coral at Marina Village 💡 Share your expertise and shape the future with us! Presenters will enjoy waived registration fees (for up to 2 people!) if accepted. 🕒 Proposals are due by Friday, February 28, 2025, at 5:00 PM. 📩 Accepted proposals will be announced on March 7, 2025. 🔗 Submit your proposal today: tinyurl.com/2025slcproposal For questions, contact Stacey Hinson at ✉️ stacey.hinson@heartlanded.org or 📞 863-531-0444. Let’s Shape & Strengthen together! 💪🌊 #LeadershipConference #CallForProposals #HEC

This School Superintendent Appreciation Week, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible superintendents for their dedication, vision, and leadership. Your commitment to student success and the well-being of our schools inspires us every day. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many—your impact is immeasurable! ❇️ Dr. Bobby Bennett - DeSoto County Schools ❇️ Dr. Beth Barfield - Glades County Schools ❇️ Mrs. Sonja Bennett - Hardee County Schools ❇️ Mr. Michael Swindle - Hendry County Schools ❇️ Dr. Brenda Longshore - Highlands County Schools ❇️ Mr. Dylan Tedders - Okeechobee County Schools

🚗 Roadmap to Excellence! 🛤️ The journey to student success never stops! On the first day back after Thanksgiving break, DeSoto District Administrators, Principals, Assistant Principals and Literacy Coaches hit the ground running. 📚✨ Together with Literacy Specialist Candis Dean, they spent the day sharpening their ELA expertise, diving into the BEST Standards, and "Roadmap to Better Comprehension."💡🚀 #DeSotoStrong #BESTStandards #LiteracyLeadership #RoadmapToSuccess #EducationMatters

🚗📚 It was a fantastic afternoon of professional learning at Zolfo Springs Elementary on 10/30! The dedicated faculty dove into the “Roadmaps to Better Comprehension,” navigating BEST standards to support students’ reading journeys to construct higher level questioning and rigor. Coupled with learning strategies their road maps will build a stronger foundation for literacy success!🗺️📍💙💚#ZolfoSpringsElementary #BESTStandards #BetterComprehension #ProfessionalLearning #StudentSuccess

🎃 It was a Ghoul of a good time at North Wauchula’s Family Literacy Night on Tuesday, 10/29! We had a record-breaking crowd enjoying an evening filled with food, fun, and learning! Families got to: 🍽️ Share a meal together 📚 Register for New Worlds Reading 📖 Engage in a literacy activity for Longshot (K-2 families) 📊 Attend a FAST Information Meeting (3-5 grade families) 🎃 Wrap up with Trunker Treating! Thanks to everyone who joined us for an unforgettable night! #NorthWauchula #FamilyLiteracyNight #ReadTogether #HalloweenFun #NewWorldsReading

🎶 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺! 🎶 𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘳𝘴: 𝘈𝘷𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭, 𝘋𝘦𝘚𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭, 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭, 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘥 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭, 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦-𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 & 𝘚𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝖶𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾: 𝖲𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗁 𝖥𝗅𝗈𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖺 𝖲𝗍𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖢𝗈𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗀𝖾 (𝖠𝗏𝗈𝗇 𝖯𝖺𝗋𝗄 𝖢𝖺𝗆𝗉𝗎𝗌) - 𝖠𝗅𝖺𝗇 𝖩𝖺𝗒 𝖢𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖯𝖾𝗋𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖠𝗋𝗍𝗌 𝖶𝗁𝖾𝗇: 𝖬𝗈𝗇𝖽𝖺𝗒, 𝖭𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋 𝟦, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟦 𝖳𝗂𝗆𝖾: 𝟩:𝟢𝟢 𝖯𝖬 𝖠𝗅𝗅 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾!

💙📚Had an incredible evening at Nocatee Elementary’s Books & Bites Community Literacy Event! Huge thanks to the amazing Safety Patrol and Photography Club students for helping everything run smoothly. We enjoyed dinner, a fun literacy activity on favorite books, and learned more about New Worlds Reading. What a night! 📚💙 #Community #Literacy #BooksAndBites #NewWorldsReading

🌧️ It may have been raining cats and dogs in Okeechobee last night, but that didn’t stop the amazing families of North Elementary from showing up big for our New Worlds Reading Community Literacy event! 📚✨ Families came together to enjoy a delicious dinner, had an opportunity to complete an application to receive a new book every month to build their at-home libraries, and dive into a fun literacy activity based on the book “My Very Favorite Book in the Whole World” by Malcolm Mitchell. What a great night celebrating the joy of reading! 🎉📖 #CommunityLiteracy #FamilyNight #BuildingReaders #NewWorldsReading #NorthElementaryMagic

Exciting news from Learning Forward Florida’s Fall Conference! 🎉 Stacey Hinson and Candis Dean presented to a packed house on *Revitalizing Professional Learning: Dynamic, Engaging Protocols for Active Engagement.* Attendees actively worked through six transformative protocols and are excited to bring them back to their districts/schools! 🌟 #ProfessionalLearning #ActiveEngagement #RevitalizeProfessionalLearning #LearningForwardFL #LFFL24

"If the walls could talk, they'd be buzzing about the incredible collaboration at our first Principal Forum of the year! 🎉 From thought-provoking discussions on current events to diving deep into *Unreasonable Hospitality*, we explored impactful ways to foster connection and growth in our schools. Together, we're shaping strategies and implementing collaborative protocols that will make a difference! 💡📚 Stay tuned for our next Principal Forum on Tuesday, November 19th!!! #PrincipalForum #UnreasonableHospitality #Collaboration #EducationalLeadership"

It was an exciting Thursday at Memorial Elementary, where families gathered for the New Worlds Reading Community Literacy Event. The featured book, *The Word Collector*, inspired everyone to explore new vocabulary. Attendees enjoyed a meal and had the chance to apply for free books to grow their home libraries. #LiteracyMatters #CommunityReading #NewWorldsReading #TheWordCollector #FamilyLearning #BuildingHomeLibraries #MemorialElementary #ReadingForAll #VocabularyEnrichment

HEC held our first AVID Forum of the year at LaBelle High in Hendry County last week! Dr. Christie McMullen joined us from AVID Center and we had an uplifting day of learning best practices to increase rigor and were able to walk some amazing classrooms! Special thanks to Owen-Ames-Kimball for providing lunch!