It’s August, that time of year when teachers are preparing their classrooms, putting artwork on the walls, and finalizing lesson plans. At the Missoula Writing Collaborative, we are also putting the finishing touches on our back to school plans. In 2016-2017, we are excited to be back in the Missoula Public Schools, in newly refurbished schools at Rattlesnake Elementary and Paxson, in temporary schools at Franklin Elementary as the construction projects at Missoula County Public Schools are underway. At Big Sky High School, we are thrilled to open the year welcoming Putlizer-Prize winning Greg Pardlo on Thursday, September 22.
Our poets are also hitting the road, head south to Florence and Lolo Elementary Schools, and northwest to Seeley-Swan high school. In schools in Dixon, Pablo, St. Ignatius, Arlee, and Ronan, our poets have worked with students to write poems about place, memory, and mountains.
This promises to be a spectacular year for the Missoula Writing Collaborative. Start by visiting our reading at Fact & Fiction, September 22, at 5:30 as part of the Montana Book Festival. See montanabookfestival.org for panels with our teaching artists and our young poets.