Act quickly! Visit http://www.famlit.org/conference/register/ to register.

The nomination form, which should be completed online, is due no later than Feb. 1.

In addition to winning $20,000 for his or her program, the winner will receive a free trip to the 2012 National Conference on Family Literacy to be held March 25 through March 27 in San Diego. One runner-up will receive a $2,500 grant for his/her program and a scholarship to the conference.

The award will honor high-performing teachers who serve parents and children with a strong intergenerational approach to help them learn together and/or use innovative ways to engage parents in their children’s education.

The nomination form must be completed by the nominee’s principal, director or program coordinator/supervisor, and the nominee must answer the final question.

For more information and guidelines, visit here http://www.famlit.org/toyota-teacher-of-the-year-award-selection-criteria/.

And a note to all of the great libraries out there with a passion and big ideas for working with families: The Dallas Public Library video project was made possible by a recent Libraries and Families Award available from NCFL and Better World Books. So don’t forget to submit your library’s application for the 2012 Libraries and Families Award by February 6, 2012!

In the interview, Falls speaks with Katrina Allen, program director of 21st century learning at St. Philip’s Academy in Newark, N.J. He stresses the need for educators to embrace social media in the classroom to expand learning opportunities.

Since September, the Thinkfinity Education Speaker Series has also featured retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson, basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson and learning technologies expert Dr. Chris Dede weighing in with their thoughts on the future of education.

The interviews are available as videos on demand exclusively to members of the Thinkfinity Community. (Not a member? Register for free today — in addition to access to this great series, you’ll also be able to connect with more than 25,000 fellow educators!)

Falls also authored a post published on Verizon’s Responsibility Blog about how constantly changing technology means that successful education depends on teaching children how to teach themselves — and that begins with schools embracing the power of technology.

With the holidays fast approaching — and New Year’s resolutions looming — what better time to start focusing on adopting healthy habits in your household? Becoming more healthy can be a great family goal in 2012.

For the past nine weeks, Wonderopolis has focused on health and wellness topics every Wednesday. This health literacy Wonder of the Day^® series is sponsored by The Humana Foundation.

Health and wellness is a multifaceted discipline. Teaching our families (and ourselves!) to live a more healthy life means covering a variety of angles — from eating right and exercising regularly to managing stress and getting enough rest to taking care of yourself when you get sick.

These nine Wonders of the Day are a great way to start instilling healthy habits in your family!

• #367 Can an Apple a Day Chase the Doctor Away?
• #374 Do You Need To Study For a Stress Test?
• #381 What’s Your Favorite Way To Exercise?
• #388 When Is Sugar Too Much Of a Good Thing?
• #395 Why Can’t All Medicine Be Swallowed?
• #402 Do Growing Pains Hurt?
• #409 What Causes Asthma Attacks?
• #416 What Should You Feed a Cold?
• #423 How Does Medicine Know Where You Hurt?

But that’s not always as easy as it sounds. The holidays can also bring travel hassles, money concerns and other worries.

How do you make the most of your time with your family? Rather than rely on the expected “What have you been up to?” or “How’s school going?” questions, try out these Wonders of the Day^® to get the conversation going.

#15 What Is Your Secret Superhero Identity? Even those family members who aren’t into superheroes have a hidden talent or two. Use this question to find out which person has a really good memory or who can do the perfect cartwheel.

#201 Where Is the Best Place On Earth? This question is a great catalyst to reminisce over past family trips and discuss dream vacations for the future. It’s also a great way to focus on the charms of your hometown.

#249 What Movie Would You Play At Your Drive-In? Some movies are almost universal, while others speak specifically to a generation. Use this question to see how grandparents’ picks compare with their children’s and grandchildren’s favorites.

#341 What Is Your Favorite Mascot? Bring the sports fanatics into the conversation with this question about team mascots. Delve beyond the initial question to see who can remember his elementary school mascot or who was her high school mascot.

#394 What Can Children Teach Their Parents? Make this one as sentimental or funny as you like! Focus on the practical technology tips you’ve gotten from your teen, or talk about how your baby taught you about work-life balance. And don’t forget to make sure all parents get their turn — even your own!

From all of us at the National Center for Family Literacy, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. We are so very thankful for all of your support!

Part of the 2012 National Conference on Family Literacy in San Diego, California, the Literacy Showcase Poster Session will take place Monday, March 26, 2012, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This valuable opportunity offers participants the chance to interact with conference attendees and discuss their initiatives and practices that are making an impact on family success.

And in 2012, we’re raising the stakes: All attendees of the Literacy Showcase Poster Session will have the opportunity to vote on their choice for the best presentation! The presenter who receives the most votes will win a $100 prize!

Start planning your presentation today! We’ve even extended the deadline to give you more time: Applications are now due by Friday, December 2, 2011. Selected applicants will be notified by the beginning of January 2012. Apply today!

Three library literacy programs that serve families will win $10,000 each and scholarships to the National Conference on Family Literacy in 2012 and 2013.

This is the third year for this recognition. Get to know the 2011 winners of the Libraries and Families Award.

Then, review the award selection criteria, and submit your application today! Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, February 6, 2012. Winners will be notified in late February or early March of next year.

We can’t wait to learn about all of the innovative literacy programs libraries all over the country are using to serve families!

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, parents and teachers from the Toyota Family Literacy Program, and NCFL staff at a town hall meeting convened by Parenting’s Mom Congress and the U.S. Department of Education in Cincinnati.

U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan and family literacy parents from Louisville, Ky., had a special opportunity Wednesday night to learn and speak out about education issues.

During a town hall meeting convened by Parenting’s Mom Congress and the U.S. Department of Education in Cincinnati, each parent heard Duncan discuss concerns and present new ideas for education. This group of parents also participated in a smaller private forum for parents hosted by the Department of Education following the town hall meeting.

The opportunity arose when Parenting asked NCFL to participate, and NCFL invited parents from the Toyota Family Literacy Program (TFLP), a 30-city program that focuses on meeting the educational needs of Hispanic and immigrant families.

One of the family literacy parents contributed an important question during the standing-room-only town hall. The woman asked about finding ways to help her child attend college — and described her challenges in doing so as a Hispanic parent.

Duncan called this issue a very important one in education and used it as an opportunity to point out the intense need to raise Hispanic college graduate rates and share available resources. The parent’s question was among others raised by teachers, superintendents, business leaders, doctors, students and teachers of other cultures.

U.S. Department of Education's Robert Gomez participates in the education town hall meeting in Cincinnati.

During the town hall, the parents learned more about several other educational priorities as well as specific ways they can make a difference. These priorities included:

• The critical need for Hispanic parents to be very involved in their children’s education and to have high expectations and support for higher education for their children
• How parent advocacy, involvement and challenging of the status quo is needed
• The need to raise rigor and attendance rates in our schools, build a strong education support network for children and engage children in extracurricular activities
• The need to educate our way to a better economy

Secretary Duncan greeted the TFLP parents after the meeting and shared his appreciation for their attendance.

Immediately following the town hall meeting, the TFLP parents had the chance to share more of their concerns with the Department of Education in a more intimate setting. The department sent a clear message that parent voices in forums like this have had and will continue to have an influence on upcoming federal education legislation.

The TFLP parent group enthusiastically contributed to the parent forum conversation, spoke up about their concerns and offered suggestions. One mother suggested that the scheduled school day activities be a little more flexible for her son, specifically when he is working to get a concept but is interrupted by the next scheduled school day activity.

Another mother wondered why new methods of learning must take the place of ones she learned as a child — such as school approaches in math that seem to run counter to her own education and make it more difficult for her to help her child.

The parents also spoke up for the continuation and expansion of more programs like TFLP and the specific ways it helps families like theirs (e.g., reading help, English speaking instruction, tutoring). During the session, common education concerns were raised that clearly cut across cultures, language and socioeconomic status.

The Pennsylvania Wine Association has narrowed down the submissions to seven finalists, and now it’s your turn to vote! Read through the brief stories, and vote for your favorite. (You can even read through each of the more than 150 submissions to see if you agree with the judging!)

NCFL thanks the Pennsylvania Wine Association for its support of family literacy and for its celebration of the art of storytelling!