Passports and Passages
"Passports and Passages" brings together Idaho high school and college English teachers from around the state to discuss how we teach writing and to consider innovative ways for promoting literacy and writing - across grade levels and in all corners of the state.
We have long been called upon to teach language and grammar, creative and critical thinking, reading, writing, literature, and of course poetry, too. We are also expected to grade our students’ work and inspire in them a love of learning, reading, writing, and thinking. In short, we are uniquely positioned to recognize the challenges inherent in such a broad mission.
This year’s Passports & Passages Symposium, “Making the Grade from Creative Writing to Creative Assessment,” proposes to take us from reading and writing poetry to the nuts and bolts of assessing student writing. We will hear poets read from their work, then learn from them how we can teach poetry to inspire our students (and ourselves) to foster that love of reading and writing. Later in the day, we’ll explore creative methods of assessment that promise to give students clarity and engage them in celebrating their own skills and recognizing their own opportunities to grow. We hope to end the day with new poetry and a reinvigorated sense of what it means to purposefully and practically assess the work of the broad range of students we serve.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Keveren Foundation. Additional support for "Passports & Passages" is provided by the generous contributions of the College of Southern Idaho.
Please join us this April 24, 2026, for the 21st annual Passports and Passages symposium.
Register Now Professional Development Credit 2026 Schedule
2026 Registration Information
Cost and Credits
| Type | Deadline | Cost |
| Early Bird | Feb 27, 2026 | $60 |
| Full Price | April 03, 2026 | $70 |
| Late Registration | April 24, 2026 | $75 |
| *Registration includes the cost of lunch. | ||
| *Optional professional development credit through CSI is available for an additional fee. (Within registration instructions) | ||
Date & Location
This full-day conference takes place on Friday, April 24, 2026 from 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Blaine County CSI Community Campus, Queen of the Hills Room
1050 Fox Acres Rd
Hailey, ID 83333
Accommodations
The Wood River Inn will be offering discounted rooms for the event, please use the discount code provided at checkout (Discount Code: TBD). You can reach The Wood River Inn at (208)-578-0600.
Thoughts & Comments From Previous Attendees
- “I am so happy to be back in this beautiful valley with these inspiring presenters and co-teachers. It was the boost I needed to push through the rest of the blah year. Thank you so much!”
- “I really appreciated that this symposium reaches college and high school teachers to try and bridge the gap. Thank you for a great day!”
- “I love this Conference!!”
- “Great presentations! I have garnered much to share w/ both students and colleagues. Love this gathering!”
Questions?
If you have any questions or concerns please call 208-732-6800 or email passportconf@csi.edu