Attend One or Join Us for Both!
Presented by NHTLLA in partnership with Imagine Learning
Featuring - Jennifer Dianna
Jennifer Dianna is a highly accomplished equity-focused educational leader with over two decades of experience in teaching, administration, and executive leadership. Her career is defined by a passionate, evidence-based commitment to Structured Literacy and the Science of Reading in all educational settings.
Most recently, as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for ELA Grades K-12 in the School District of Philadelphia, Jen spearheaded the implementation of evidence-based Science of Reading practices and the multimillion dollar adoption and implementation of HQIM for ELA across 200+ school buildings. This work resulted in a profound achievement: the district's students saw the second fastest recovery for reading proficiency (grades 3-8) among all large, urban peer districts—a success highlighted by the Education Recovery Scorecard released by Harvard and Stanford Universities in 2024.
Jen has held diverse roles, including teacher, Director, Principal, Assistant Principal, and Early Literacy Specialist throughout her career, giving her a deep, nuanced understanding of both urban and suburban school dynamics. She holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and a Principal's Certificate from Alvernia University, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from West Chester University, and specialized certification badges from the AIM Institute in Structured Literacy, Pathways to Literacy Leadership, and Science of Writing.
Driven by a passion for continuous improvement and professional development that truly sticks, Jen consistently strives for excellence in leadership, dedicated to fostering equitable and transformative learning outcomes for all students.
A Unique Learning Experience
Did you attend the NHTLLA K-12 Literacy Summit? Extend Your Literacy Summit Learning
The learning doesn’t end at the Summit! What You Need Wednesdays builds on the K–12 Literacy Summit with two follow-up sessions designed to take key literacy topics deeper. Explore evidence-based practices, practical strategies, and next steps you can bring back to your classroom, school, or district.
Attend one—or continue the learning with both!
November 4, 2026, 4:00-5:30PM (ET)
Untangling The Writing Rope: A Front-Row Seat to Evidence-Based Writing Instruction
Writing places significant demands on students’ working memory and executive function. Grounded in the Science of Writing, this interactive virtual leadership lab connects research with classroom practice. Leaders will analyze authentic Tier 1 instruction across grade levels and use a diagnostic walkthrough tool to examine how teachers scaffold transcription—spelling and handwriting—alongside composition, including planning, sentence generation, and revising.
Anchored in Joan Sedita’s Writing Rope and the Simple View of Writing, the session equips leaders to recognize, support, and scale evidence-based writing instruction.
Walkthroughs can also serve as powerful tools for instructional improvement by:
- Creating formative feedback loops that help teachers and leaders identify what is working and where adjustments are needed.
- Strengthening Tier 1 instruction by supporting consistent implementation of evidence-based literacy practices.
- Guiding professional learning and coaching through real-time evidence of instructional strengths and areas for growth.
December 9, 2026, 4:00-5:30PM (ET)
The Master Chef's Recipe for Implementing ELA HQIM with Integrity
Description: Why do some ELA adoptions result in a world-class educational feast while others leave school communities starved for results?
Many school districts fall victim to the "Adoption Illusion"—the belief that adopting an HQIM aligned to district or state rubrics is enough to guarantee student literacy achievement. In reality, simply handing teachers a box of books is like placing premium ingredients on the counter in a new restaurant, without training the kitchen staff or introducing them to the menu! To bridge the "implementation gap" and align instruction with the Science of Reading, leaders must become Instructional Executive Chefs. Leaders of ELA instruction in all roles should attend this session hungry for systemic change and thought-provoking collaboration in order to leave with the strategic ingredients needed to cook up sustainable ELA success in every classroom!
NHTLLA Members - Free
Non-Members - $50