CCIRA August Newsletter 2021
News for Members
What is CCIRA doing for you in August...
  • Sharing a link for you to add input to CDE on how ESSER funds will be spent
  • Offering access to a trial program intended to help support learning recovery from COVID-19
  • Hosting and sharing a podcast with Colby Sharp
  • Offering ways to donate and give back to the literacy community
CCIRA is here to empower literacy educators. As you begin our annual back-to-school preparations, look no further than CCIRA's PD to support your planning for the school year.
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.
CCIRA Upcoming Professional Learning Offerings
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Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed an effective web-based reading comprehension program called Intelligent Tutoring System for the Structure Strategy (ITSS). The university and research partners at WestEd are applying for a U.S. Department of Education EIR Expansion Grant and are looking for districts interested in using the supplemental literacy program and its supporting teacher professional learning. ITSS can help support learning recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and help close achievement gaps. It is a web-based, adaptive tutoring intervention focused on reading comprehension for Grades 4 & 5. 

ITSS is intended to develop the literacy skills that are needed to understand all types of texts. The system teaches children how to select important ideas, generate a main idea, extend the main idea to a summary, and extrapolate inferences when reading narrative and expository texts. Vocabulary instruction is also provided in the web-based tutor. The software uses modeling, practice tasks, assessment, and scaffolding feedback and includes supports for Spanish-speakers.
Click on....CCIRA Reads to find out how you can get involved in an amazing book study!
Remember to check out the CCIRA Blog!

Reading CCIRA.blog every week—perhaps over lunch or a cup of coffee—builds a quick dose of professional learning into your routine. Who knows what ideas or inspiration this might spark!

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/


If you might be interested in submitting a guest post to CCIRA.blog, please contact Hollyanna Bates (hollyannabates@gmail.com).
CCIRA Conference 2022!
We are SO excited to feel this energy with you all again!
Highlight on Featured Speakers!
CCIRA is happy to offer a variety of speakers and sessions for the 2022 conference on literacy. To ensure that we empower literacy educators, we will be hosting from top left, Lucy Caulkins, Gordon Korman, and Troy Hicks. Click on each picture to learn more!
Meet the Executive Council
Meet Anne Folsom! CCIRA's newest Executive Council member!
Anne Folsom has recently joined our team, however she is no stranger to CCIRA! She lives and works in Jefferson County and currently serves Jeffco Schools as an Elementary ELA TOSA. Her love of the organization began after attending her first conference 20 years ago. Meeting and learning from great speakers and the amazingly talented members of CCIRA is inspirational every day! She has served on her local Jeffco council for many years and decided it was time to step up and do more for the organization by joining the EC. Anne has been such an asset to our organization already. Her drive and passion for educators is unmatched!
Financial Opportunities
Shop Year Round!
Make sure you check out the Shop With Scrip website and do some shopping online for a gift
card.... and benefit CCIRA
at the same time! *
Do you buy gift cards for your friends and family? Give a card to Starbucks or Amazon as a thank you to your favorite aunt? What if at the same time you could support CCIRA without spending an extra cent? That’s what you can do now by participating with Shop with Scrip, an online fundraising site. Since 1994, ShopWithScrip has been supporting schools and other non-profits in this unique way to fundraise. Just buy a gift card at one of the 750 retailers and know that a percentage is sent to CCIRA. It’s an easy way to support our work with literacy while you shop. For more information, visit https://www.shopwithscrip.com/ and then sign up to become a supporter of our organization.

When you are ready to make your purchase please use this enrollment number:
 A34A3B6D69223  

*CCIRA endorses this fundraising activity.
CCIRA Featured Partner
The Public Education & Business Coalition (PEBC) is a Denver-based nonprofit organization that collaborates with schools, districts, legislators, and communities nationwide to recruit, train, develop and support educators who, in turn, support learners at all levels. Learn more at www.PEBC.org.preparation program.



We want to hear from you!
Contact Us!
CCIRA Executive Committee

Jessica Rickert, President: jessrccira@gmail.com
Pam Minard,Conference Chair 2022: pam.minard@gmail.com
Michele Warner, State Coordinator:
warnermichele4@gmail.com
Corina Kaskey, Secretary: Corina.Kaskey@summitk12.org
Jessie Meeks, State Membership Coordinator: jessie.meeks@jeffco.k12.co.us
Emily Goldenstein, Marketing Coordinator: ccira.emily@gmail.com
Stevi Quate, Partnership Chair: steviq@gmail.com
Cathy Lynskey, Treasurer: clynskey2000@gmail.com
Lisa Kahn, Administrative Assistant: lisakahnccira@gmail.com
Anne Folsom, Member at Large:
Anne.Folsom@jeffco.k12.co.us
Sarah Lindholm, Member at Large:
slindholm1002@gmail.com
Is your local council, state committee, school, or community doing something extraordinary for literacy in Colorado? Do you have a great idea to share with other educators on how to enhance literacy in the classroom? Do you know of a conference or event that CCIRA members might be interested in attending? If so, please contact Emily Goldenstein (ccira.emily@gmail.com) to submit information for publication.