The Big Sky Literacy Summit - Language is Everything!
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August 6, 7, 8, & 9, 2025
Yellowstone Conference Center
Big Sky, Montana
Transformation Day Mentors
Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.
Danielle 'Nell' Thompson, Terrie Noland, Timothy Odegard, Theresa Owens, and Altheria Caldera
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“The more healthy relationships a child has, the more likely he will be to recover from trauma and thrive. Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is human love.”Â
Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.
Your whole world can change when you change who you listen to. Meet the Mentors, Mentor Leaders, and Mentor Teachers 2025:
Bruce D. Perry - Maggie Snowling - Charles Hulme - Anita Archer - Tiffany Hogan - Julie Washington - Hugh Catts - Sonia Cabell - Ola Ozernov-Palchik - Louisa Moats - Antonio Fierro - Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan - Claude Goldenberg - Julie VanDyke - Deb Glaser - Timothy Odegard - Danielle 'Nell' Thompson - Lucy Hart Paulson - Terrie Noland - Leslie Laud - Carol Tolman - Michelle Elia - Nancy Eberhardt - Theresa Owens - Laura Stewart - Amy Siracusano - Elizabeth Doherty - Carolyn Brown - Linda Farrell - Michael Hunter - Margaret Goldberg - Paul Black - Craig Buscher - Nickie Dubbs - Altheria Caldera - Andrea Setmeyer - Joan Kelley - MaryKate DeSantis - Justin Browning - Brittany Brewer - Shelby Damaskos - Jeanne Schopf - Ana Dodson - Judi Dodson - Claudia Ladd - Erin Pzinski - Sally Brown - Maya Goodall - Alison Teegarden - Natasha Smith - Genevieve Thomas
The Transformative Reading Teacher Group
Every person has a longing to be significant; to make a contribution; to be a part of something noble and purposeful. - John C. Maxwell
The 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 Summits were the beginning of change for 2,000 educators, literacy leaders, intentional partners, and research scientists in 48 states and three countries. These Summits collectively planted seeds of change that resulted in unprecedented results at the personal, child, school, and district levels for many who attended, including these voices from the field - Louisa Moats, Hugh Catts, Dawn Brookhart, Margie Gillis, Tanner Butterfield, T'Shaka Bailey, Christine Trcka, Julie Dinan, and Theresa Owens . Let their wisdom remind you of the power of knowledge when it empowers change and come join us for the 2025 Summit experience.
Learn more about The Summit
Language is Everything!
The 5th Anniversary Big Sky Literacy Summit - Language is Everything! is built for a collective impact in education that will elevate thinking related to:
- the oral language foundations of literacy,Â
- how understanding the oral and written language continuum and connections impacts how we build systems and instruction that address building language first,Â
- childhood exposure to stress and trauma changes how we teach and intervene,
- implementation science for a socially significant outcome, and
- the need for literacy leaders who know the way and are willing to go the way to create meaningful impacts in literacy outcomes.
Because we know that change in literacy outcomes depends on more than an educator knowing how to teach reading, and we are at a place in history where the science of reading is defined and has become the foundation for many of our literacy expectations, we are in a position as leaders to move towards searching for reasons why we might be wrong—not for reasons why we must be right—and revising our views based on what we have learned. After all, as Adam Grant notes, “The purpose of learning isn't to affirm our beliefs; it's to evolve our beliefs. We all have blind spots in our knowledge and opinions.”
We at Big Sky care more about evolving our thinking to understand why things are not working and how to create a more socially significant impact in your lives, your schools, your districts, and around the world! Â
August 6, 7, 8 and 9Â -Â The general program is as follows:
August 6 | 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM | Transformation Day
Experience a groundbreaking day with renowned neuropsychologist, Dr. Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D. As a leading voice in trauma, resilience, and healing, Dr. Perry will challenge and inspire us to rethink our approaches to these vital issues. Together, we’ll explore how our actions—both personal and collective—can drive meaningful transformation in our schools and communities.
August 7 | 7:45 AM - 6:00 PM | Literacy Grand Rounds - Day 1
Start your day with breakfast at 6:00 AM before diving into an engaging program of mentor and breakout sessions. Morning sessions run from 7:45 AM to 11:45 AM, followed by lunch from 11:45 AM to 1:30 PM. The afternoon sessions continue from 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM, with a refreshing snack break from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM. On this day, we do a special event for the SOR Partners called Stroll & Learn, which will happen after the main program from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.
August 8 | 7:45 AM - 5:00 PM | Literacy Grand Rounds - Day 2
Begin with breakfast at 6:00 AM, followed by mentor and breakout sessions from 7:45 AM to 11:45 AM and 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM. Lunch is served from 11:45 AM to 1:30 PM, with an afternoon snack break from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM.
August 9 | 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Implementation Science Symposium
Enjoy breakfast at 6:00 AM before the Symposium kicks off at 8:00 AM. Sessions run until 12:00 PM, with a mid-morning snack break.
 Once registered, you'll receive more information around the second week of July, including summit session descriptions.
If you haven't said "yes" yet, it's time to up-level your learning and join us at the 2025 Big Sky Literacy Summit where we honor the work of the great leaders, mentors and teachers who know the way and will show the way to a brighter and more loving future.
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Hosts of The Big Sky Literacy Summit 2025
Sharing knowledge, inspiring change
Diamond Level Sponsors
Platinum Level Sponsors
Gold Level Sponsors
Silver Level Sponsors
Value Adding Partners
SOR Partners
The Mentors, Leaders & Teachers of the Sciences of Reading, Teaching, and Leading
The Summit is addressing the Science of Reading (SoR), leading, and teaching through the perspectives of four groups of teachers: mentor scientists and influencers who have shaped the field and the work we do; the translators and leaders of SoR into complex school ecosystems; and practitioners and school leaders applying their knowledge of the sciences of literacy transformation. Learn more about the mentors, mentor leaders, and teachers you will learn from by reading about who they are and what they believe.
The Summit Session Program and Agenda
Planning for The Summit is nearing completion and we are grateful you are joining this remarkable experience. All the sessions are being curated and planned for the collective effect that will take you from Transformation Day to Literacy Grand Rounds and a comprehensive session on Implementation Science with the Mentor Scientists, Mentor Leaders, and Mentor Teachers. The initial outline of the schedule is posted from February - July and then a final session schedule will be posted in July via the link below.
Hotel and Location
Because The Summit has a world-class lineup of speakers, we thought you should enjoy it in an epic location, the Yellowstone Conference Center at Big Sky Resort, Montana. Please get your on-site discounted rooms at the below link, or look at other room options. Also, learn more about the adventures that await you at Big Sky by clicking on the Big Sky Logo.
The Summit Parking & Transportation
The Summit will be held in Big Sky, Montana. Planning where you are staying and how you are getting there is important! PLEASE PLAN your transfers from the airport by linking below.  The daily events are at the Yellowstone Conference Center in Big Sky Mountain Village. The Center is attached to the Shoshone Condominium Hotel and Huntley Lodge and is close to the Village Center, Summit Hotel, or The Lodge at Big Sky.  Big Sky Meadow Village is the next closest option, but will require a 10 min drive.
"I wanted to write to say thank you. I was thinking about how much you've impacted me and my instruction since I came to the first Structured Literacy Summer Institute. I remember feeling like I knew my instruction and our systems at Hawthorne needed improvement but, I also felt so overwhelmed and like I didn't know where to begin. Your teaching, articles, book clubs, and events like the Summit have been so powerful. I loved leaving on Saturday feeling like I knew some things that were going great in my classroom, some simple things to make my instruction better on Monday, and some big thoughts on long-term instructional goals. Thanks for all you do to make us better!"
