The vision for the 2024 conference, Branching Out, Staying Rooted, is to help teachers explore, grapple with, and maybe reconcile their literacy roots with all of the changes that are happening in education today.  We are offering a balance of sessions that will encourage teachers to explore their beliefs, but also challenge them to branch out - try new things, explore a new perspective, or reach their audiences just that much better.  There are three main branches that we are exploring at the conference, and the speakers will each be connected to a branch. In this Communicator, we'd like to share with you the technology branch:

To learn more about the branches, go to ccira.org!

Pam Muñoz Ryan 

There is nothing more exciting than meeting the author of books you've loved and shared with children for years. Pam Muñoz Ryan epitomizes our literacy roots with greats like Esperanza Rising and When Marian Sang. She is the author of Echo, a Newbery Honor book and the recipient of the Kirkus Prize. She has also written Becoming Naomi León, Riding Freedom, Paint the Wind, The Dreamer, and Mañanaland. Additionally, Esperanza Rising is now a play being performed in many venues around the U.S. We are excited to hear what Pam has to share at the conference!

Wiley Blevins

We are thrilled to announce Wiley Blevins will be at the upcoming conference!! Wiley Blevins is well known for his work around phonics instruction. Many of us have referenced his Teaching Phonics and Word Study books for decades! Look for Wiley's newest book, Differentiating Phonics Instruction for Maximum Impact, coming out soon! Did you know that Wiley is also a part of Reycraft Books - a children's trade book imprint focused on publishing books by authors and illustrators from under-represented communities? Some other children's books Wiley has written are the Scary Tales Retold Series, Trevor Lee and the Big Uh Oh!, and Dolley Madison, The White House, and The Big Tornado. Attend Wiley's conference sessions to branch out with ideas for phonics instruction in your classroom and discover diverse texts to enhance your classroom library.

InnEdCO, Innovative Education Colorado, is a non-profit that focuses on supporting educators to innovate in their workplaces, upgrade their always-evolving teacher toolkit, and design the most hands-on, engaging, and equitable lessons. In addition to sharing technology with 2024 conference attendees, InEdCO will be hosting a happy hour and trivia night!

Would you like to exhibit, sponsor, or advertise

during the 2024 CCIRA Conference?

The layout at the Westin Hotel ensures vendors' exposure to hundreds of conference attendees throughout the three days. Booths will line the spacious hallways where attendees will have easy access. Based on feedback, the sessions will be staggered to give attendees more access to your booth. As in the past, we will make announcements throughout the day, encouraging attendees to visit our vendors. 

Additional details for our 2024 Exhibits:

• Costs for renting a space will be based on exhibit location. Tier One is $800 in the main hallway. Tier Two is $600 in the hallway leading to the Westminster Ballroom’s main entrance. 

• Everyone will have a tablecloth, Wifi, and electricity included in the cost of the registration, along with free parking.

• The Exhibit Hall will only be open on Thursday and Friday from 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. In the past some vendors have also chosen to stay open during Saturday sessions.

• We will have drawings for prizes based on attendee visitation to vendor booths throughout the conference. We would appreciate any donations you may be willing to give for those prizes. There will be two levels of prizes for attendees visiting vendor booths: hourly drawings throughout the day and a grand prize given by the conference chair. 

• There will be a vendor happy hour on Thursday night allowing exhibitors the opportunity to converse with attendees in a more relaxed atmosphere. Vendors can purchase drink tickets to promote their exhibit and encourage attendees to visit.

• Please consider sponsoring an event during the conference - something as small as cookies for the attendees to as big as a hosted Happy Hour. Contact Lisa Kahn, Executive Director, to discuss opportunities and sponsorship details.

• Advertisements in the conference program can be purchased at the time of registration.

• We remain committed to making the Exhibits a part of the conference experience that is relevant and valuable for both attendees and exhibitors.

We have limited exhibit space this year so please book early! Registration is open now!! Just click the button below!

Local Activity Grant

Does your council have a great idea for an activity involving reading/writing instruction or promoting literacy in schools? If so, you can fill out the application for the Local Activity Grant (formerly the Council Development Grant). Click the button below to go to the grants page of the CCIRA website. This grant is awarded three times a year. Due dates for applications are August 1, February 1, and April 1. Contact Jessica Endres with any questions you may have.

CCIRA Literacy Conversations

Learn from some of our 2023 conference speakers and more in our library of podcasts! There are episodes from Cornelius Minor, Charles R. Smith, 

Whitney La Rocca, Krista Griffin, Melanie Conklin, Pernille Ripp,

Gordan Korman, and more! Click the button below and listen in!

CCIRA Professional Development Blog

All Things Literacy

The CCIRA blog features a wide variety of nationally renowned literacy experts, as well as talented practitioners from across Colorado. Check out the posts on https://ccira.blog/  

Have you read Carl Anderson's Teach Writing With Mentor Texts! or Look After Your Twisted Ankles: Professional Development in Troubled Times by Kate and Maggie Roberts? If not, take some time to read these great additions to CCIRA's blog. There are also several other great posts including Re-Imagining RtI / MTSS: Putting Students Back at the Center of Instructional Designs by Julie Wright and Mark Bazata and Nawal Qarooni's Breathing Life Into the Syllabus: How Teaching Preservice Educators Hones My Practice.

📃If you are interested in submitting a guest post to the CCIRA blog, please contact Hollyanna Bates.📃 hollyannabates@gmail.com

August BOD Meeting!

Our next BOD meeting is August 19th from 9-1 at the Lone Tree HUB, 8827 Lone Tree Parkway. Lunch will be provided!! Local council board members are expected to attend. An RSVP form will be emailed to you soon. If you are not part of a local council, but are interested in becoming more involved with CCIRA, please feel free to attend. Contact Lisa Kahn at lisakahnccira@gmail.com if you think you'll be joining us!

Attend PPIRA's Coaching Consortium!

Connect with coaches from around the Pikes Peak Region as they share specific ideas and examples that have led to effective teacher development and student learning. Learn innovative coaching techniques and leave with coaching tools that can be immediately implemented.

Our Keynote Speaker this year is Rebecca Frazier, PhD, author of Joy of Coaching.

We welcome all educators, especially

• Instructional Coaches
• Building Leaders
• Educators interested in becoming instructional coaches

Topics for this event include:

• Characteristics of Effective Coaches
• Coaching Cycles and Roles
• Tips for Implementing New Programs
• Classroom Management
• Coaching Teachers to Differentiate Instruction Using ELA Data

A light lunch buffet will be served.

CDE Licensure Credit: 4 hours

For questions, email ppirareading@gmail.com.

CCIRA is a non-profit organization that works to empower literacy educators. As a non-profit organization, we appreciate support in a variety of ways:

• Donate
• Support a Conference Scholarship Opportunity
• Leverage fundraising programs to earn CCIRA money
• Volunteer with CCIRA

This Month's Featured Fundraiser

CCIRA Partners in Empowering Literacy Educators

TOP REASONS TO PARTNER WITH CCIRA

• Over 2000 conference attendees will learn about your partnership with CCIRA.
• Our educator community will see your support on our webpage.
• Visitors to the CCIRA website will learn about your organization and its events.
• Our combined support of literacy will impact students across our state and neighboring states.

CCIRA collaboratively encourages, supports, and advances literacy through research-based instructional practices to increase literacy access to all.

All people will be empowered to critically engage in our changing world by developing and utilizing literacy skills throughout life.

We've had a few changes within the executive council and a new addition that we would like to make you aware of! If you are interested in becoming more involved with CCIRA, please reach out to our President, Michele Warner, at warnermichele4@gmail.com.

Molly Rauh, formerly a Member-At-Large, has stepped into the role of Treasurer.

Lori Conrad has agreed to take on the role of Council Development Chairperson. Many of you may remember Lori as one of the conference chairs from last year.

Corina Strickland

Hello, everyone! I’m Corina Strickland and I am so excited to begin my first year as a Member-At-Large on the Executive Committee for CCIRA. I’ve been co-president of our local chapter, Johnstown Milliken CCIRA (JMCCIRA) since its founding in 2018. I’ve been an educator for a long time; I taught pre-kindergarten for five years, one year in 1st grade, seven years in 4th grade, and 13 years in 5th grade. I am currently an assistant principal in the Weld Re5J school district. Being a voracious reader my entire life, I adore reading aloud to kids and recommending books. I am so lucky to be able to do that in classrooms across my school. I am a board trustee at my local public library and love connecting my school with my library.

My daughter Abigail attends CU Denver and daughter Paige the University of Northern Colorado beginning in August. When people ask my husband Mike and I what we’ll do as empty nesters, we respond by saying, “Nothing!” but in reality will still enjoy camping, paddling on lakes, and playing games, especially when our daughters can join us. I also enjoy gardening, playing horseshoes on a rec league, and reading anywhere, but especially outside.

CCIRA is a fantastic organization for educators to come together, share ideas, and promote effective literacy practices. I love being a part of CCIRA and am excited to be able to contribute in a bigger way.