The Jean and Ken Simpson Professional Development Series for Educators

Thursday, 8 August 2024
8:30-12:15 EST
University of Michigan at Dearborn
Meet the Authors: Strategies to Use Diverse Children’s Literature
in Grades 4-12
In this half-day literacy celebration, Dr. Katherine Higgs-Coulthard will share a keynote address on writing instruction for grades 4–12. Next, participants will engage in a one-hour panel discussion with authors Kelly J. Baptist, Patrick Flores-Scott, and Katherine Higgs-Coulthard, moderated by Dr. Danielle DeFauw. Then, each author will provide small-group, forty-five minute workshops with participants to highlight literacy strategies to implement with their middle-grade and young-adult readers.
** Participants who attend the entire program will receive 3 State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECH). For completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate that will be emailed directly for verification.**
RSVP Here
  • A waitlist will be available.
  • Participants who successfully complete this workshop will be eligible to earn 3 SCECHs through the Michigan Department of Education.
Eb & Flow book cover by Kelly J. Baptist No Going Back book cover by Patrick Flores-Scott Junckyard Dogs book cover by Katherine Higgs-Coulthard
Kelly J. Baptist headshot

Kelly J. Baptist, Author of Eb & Flow

Kelly J. Baptist was born and raised in the great state of Michigan. She’s lived in Alabama, Florida, and Minnesota, but somehow found herself right back in her home state. Kelly won the 2015 We Need Diverse Books short story contest, and her winning entry is included in the middle grade anthology, Flying Lessons and Other Stories. A follow-up to that story, Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero, released in August 2020 by Crown Books for Young Readers. Kelly also won the 2017 Lee and Low New Voices Honor Award for her picture book manuscript, The Electric Slide and Kai, which released September 2020. Kelly is a huge Kobe Bryant fan, and incorporates Mamba Mentality in all aspects of her life, especially writing!

Patrick Flores-Scott, Author of No Going Back

Patrick Flores-Scott was a long-time public school teacher in Seattle, Washington. He’s now a stay-at-home dad and early morning writer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Patrick’s first novel, Jumped In, was named to the 2014 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults list, a Walden Award finalist, a Washington Book Award winner, an NCSS/CBC Notable Book for the Social Studies, and a Bank Street College Best Books of 2014. His second novel, American Road Trip, ​received multiple starred reviews and is a 2019 Best Fiction for Young Adults pick, and was nominated for state lists and awards in Texas, Arizona, Washington, Connecticut and Georgia.

Katherine Higgs-Coulthard headshot

Dr. Katherine Higgs-Coulthard, Author of Junkyard Dogs

Katherine Higgs-Coulthard graduated from the University of Nebraska,  Omaha with a bachelor’s in education and earned a master’s from Indiana University, South Bend, before completing her doctorate in education through Northeastern University. She has taught kindergarten, third, and fifth grades. Now she trains teachers at Saint Mary’s College and offers writing camps and classes for children and teens through Michiana Writers’ Center. She lives in Michigan and loves spending time with her family.
University of Michigan-Dearborn