An evening writing retreat, empowered educators workshop, and more

Dear Writing Project Community,

Thank you all for your continued support. This month, we will experience our first external review organized by the School of Education. This is an important milestone in our growth and development.

We are incredibly grateful to the review committee for their time, care, and leadership:

Tanya Baker (Chair), Executive Director of the National Writing Project
Jen Iriti, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research and Education and Evaluation Strategy, Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research, and Research Scientist at the Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh
Pauline Schmidt, Professor of English Education and Director of the Westchester Writing Project at West Chester University
Kellie Skweres, Teacher Support Liaison for Pittsburgh Public Schools

Their collective expertise will help us reflect thoughtfully on our impact and envision the next chapter of our work. This review represents not only evaluation, but an opportunity to clarify our work, strengthen what we do, and deepen our service to writers and educators across our region.

At the same time, we are actively planning for our summer programs. We look forward to welcoming 75 young writers for this summer’s institute and to gathering 9 educators for our Summer Institute.

We know that each of you is deeply engaged in your own contexts—writing, teaching, mentoring, and leading. Please know how much we value your presence in this network. Your commitment sustains this work.

Below, you’ll find opportunities for connection. As always, please reach out with ideas, suggestions, or possibilities.

With gratitude,

Dr. Khirsten L. Scott 

Director, Western Pennsylvania Writing Project 

As always, thank you for taking the time to receive and review this newsletter. We are grateful to be in community with you. Feel free to share this information with others.

If you have any updates, ideas, and/or concerns, we’d like to hear from you. Email us at wpwp@pitt.edu.

📍 Where: Center for Urban Education, University of Pittsburgh
📅 When: Thursday, May 21, 2026 | 5 - 7 p.m.

Join the WPWP and WPCTE for a special evening writing retreat with Patricia Park! This retreat will be a master class on Patricia Park’s YA novel focusing on craft, analysis, and creative writing exercises. All attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the book. Dinner will be served at 5pm.

Two Act 48 hours will be offered for participation in the workshop. See the registration link for more details.

Please register by May 15.

All are welcome!

📍 Where: Carnegie Museum of Art
📅 When: May 21, 2026 from 5 – 7:30 p.m.

In this ongoing participatory series we will deepen our understanding of the ways in which the construction of race and our racialized experiences impact our teaching and learning communities. Together, we will engage with art, literature, writing, and group conversations with artists and guest speakers.

Carnegie Museum of Art is pleased to partner with the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project to make this program possible. These free workshops will be held at the museum and we’ll provide dinner and waive the parking fee for all participants.

To register for a workshop email teachers@carnegieart.org. Place your name and the date of the workshop in the subject line. Click here for more information on Empowered Educators.

📍 Where: Center for Urban Education
📅 When: June 25-26, 2026 from 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The Center for Urban Education invites you to join Critical Pedagogy for a Changing World — Innovation & Justice in Urban Education, a two-day professional learning institute designed for educators, youth-serving practitioners, and community partners committed to justice-centered teaching and learning.

Participants can expect a highly interactive experience where learning happens through dialogue, reflection, and collaboration. Sessions are facilitated by CUE faculty, staff, and graduate affiliates, highlighting the Center for Urban Education as a regional resource for meaningful and transformative practice.

Across the two days, participants will engage in:

- Workshops focused on innovation and justice in urban education

- Affinity-based lunch conversations facilitated by CUE affiliates

- A youth panel centering students’ perspectives on schooling, learning, and justice

- Structured opportunities for dialogue, reflection, and cross-role collaboration

CUESEF 2026 is designed to move beyond passive professional learning, offering participants to learn from one another, build relationships, and imagine what education must become in a changing world.

CUE is committed to making CUESEF accessible to all participants and offers free and/or discounted rates. Please reach out to cue@pitt.edu for a discount coupon as needed.

Act 48 hours will be offered.

📍 Where: University of Pittsburgh - Oakland Campus
📅 When: June 22 - 30, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

We are excited to announce registration for YWI 2026 is open! YWI will take place on weekdays from June 22 – June 30, with a closing ceremony held on July 1. Registration is open to rising 5th-11th graders. Visit the WPWP website to learn more about this year’s theme.

There are just a few spots left for students entering grades 5-6. Register now!

📅 When: August 3 - 5, 2026
📍Where:Charlotte, North Carolina

Registration is now open for the third annual Joint Conference for Elementary Literacy and Mathematics, hosted by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM).

Are you interested in attending the event on behalf of WPWP? Please let us know at wpwp@pitt.edu

If you have an event or opportunity to share with the WPWP community, let us know! We’d love to feature it in our next newsletter.

We are continually enhancing our communication methods by addressing any gaps in contact information. Please complete the contact form below if you haven’t already. We encourage you to share it with others who might be interested in re/connecting with the WPWP network.