The John Updike Childhood Home board of directors last week created a new position of Education Director and appointed Maria Mogford to the post.

Mogford, who has taught as an instructor at Albright College since 2006, earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at Alvernia University and has been serving as docent and primary contact person for tours of The John Updike Childhood Home. John Updike Society members may also remember her from the 3rd Biennial John Updike Society Conference in Reading, for which she served as program director.

Mogford will focus on working with area teachers. She intends to a) create curriculum guides meeting Common Core standards for specific works by Updike as a resource for high school teachers, b) develop and host teacher workshops with Pa. Act 48 professional credit, and c) create customized school tours of the house with assigned readings and/or activities. Teachers wanting to work with her should contact her by email: mmogford@alb.edu.

Mogford will also coordinate and supervise such board initiatives as the implementation of reading groups and staged readings during Banned Books Week and on Updike’s birthday. In the photo she’s pictured relaxing after the 3rd conference with keynote speaker Adam Begley, Updike’s biographer.