Letter from the President
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Kimberly Hoglund
Dear KSWLA Community,
I hope you continue to have a great second semester! With Spring Break approaching, I hope you take time to rest, recharge, and reflect on the incredible impact you make each day in the lives of your students and colleagues. May you also find renewed energy and momentum as you
prepare to finish the school year strong.
Across our state, educators are leading with creativity, innovation, and an unwavering
commitment to student success. Your dedication to high-quality instruction and continuous
growth is what strengthens our profession and our communities. Thank you for the countless
hours you invest to ensure every learner has the opportunity to thrive.
As we look ahead to the final months of the school year, our association remains focused on
supporting you through professional learning opportunities, advocacy, and meaningful
collaboration. We are excited about the upcoming 2026 Annual Conference! The conference will
be held on Saturday, November 7th at Hayden Catholic High School in Top
eka, Kansas. The
conference theme is Enhancing Language Learning through Language Proficiency and Cultural
Competence. We are honored to welcome our featured keynote speaker, Dr. Socorro Herrera,
whose expertise in literacy development and culturally responsive practices will inform and
strengthen educators’ instructional practice across all grade levels. Dr. Herrera serves as
Professor in the College of Education and Director of the Center for Intercultural and Multilingual
Advocacy (CIMA) at Kansas State University, where she leads research in intercultural and
multilingual education. Dr. Herrera brings extensive K–12 teaching experience with a strong
emphasis on literacy development. Her research centers on expanding literacy opportunities for
culturally and linguistically diverse learners, effective reading strategies, and both domestic and
international teacher preparation for diversity in the classroom. She is the author of several
books and numerous articles addressing instructional practices and assessment for effectively
teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students. Dr. Herrera’s dynamic presentations
inspire educators with research-based insights and practical strategies. Conference attendees
will gain valuable tools, research-based strategies, and perspectives to enhance student
achievement. We hope to see you at our annual conference this fall! Bring your fellow educators
in your department, district, and region as we reconnect and collaborate to enhance quality
world language education in Kansas!
In addition to our annual conference, we offer even more opportunities through our website
www.kswla.org and our social media, including our new Facebook Page and Instagram.
Have a restful Spring Break and a strong finish to the semester! I look forward to seeing you at
our annual conference in the fall!
Kimberly Hoglund,
KSWLA President
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