Thank You!
Sharon Miller
#CCIRA20 Conference Chair
Thank you to everyone who contributed to CCIRA 2020 Innovation: Imagining the Future of Literacy, February 5-8! It was an amazing event, and we are so appreciative of everyone who attended, all the volunteers who helped make it possible to bring a quality conference to Colorado.
We were fortunate enough to have wonderful presenters and authors who innovate, inspire and inform us with their Literacy expertise. Thank you to all the non-profits and sponsors who help us achieve our mission and vision for Literacy in Colorado!
Please know that CCIRA local councils host events throughout the year all over the state of Colorado. When you are looking for professional community and/or to continue refining your craft, we can help you to find the group or event to meet your needs. We would also encourage anyone interested to consider CCIRA leadership opportunities at the local council or state level. It’s a way to give back and ensure that the powerful work of CCIRA continues.
Thank you again for your membership in CCIRA and your contributions to teaching and learning in Colorado! We appreciate having such an active and engaged community, and we look forward to seeing you next year at #CCIRA21—Literacy: It’s a Journey~not a race.
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If you have not yet shared feedback on #CCIRA20, please take a few minutes to do so
here
. Thank you!
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A Message from CCIRA President,
Jessica Rickert
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Self Care
The topic of self-care seems to be everywhere, leading me to think: To what extent do we focus on taking care of ourselves versus taking care of others? After all if we are not well, how can we give our time and energy to lift others?
At the conference, Tina Boogren’s session focused on self-care. In case you missed it or need a refresher, here are some helpful tips from the session of small changes you can make that can be used daily to help us be our best selves.
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Create daily habits and rituals that reduce the number of decisions you have to make on a daily basis
- Laying clothes out the night before
- Meal planning for the week
Drink more water
- Take your weight and divide it by two. That is the minimum number of ounces you should be drinking
Exercise: move every day
- Put on a favorite song and dance to it
- Do some type of movement for 30 seconds (jump up and down, stretch, squats)
Get more sleep
Have an anchor for anxiety
- Find your favorite picture on your phone and make it your screen saver, when you feel anxious look at the picture and breathe
Create a playlist of songs that are uplifting
Say what you are grateful for every day
- Get creative and make it unique so you are acknowledging something different every day
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What tips will you use to improve your health and wellbeing and be flawsome this month?
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For more self-care tips, check out Tina Boogren’s books.
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Meet CCIRA's Vice President Elect!
My name is Christi Walker. I am in my 11th year of teaching, focusing on middle school social studies for the last six years. I have always had a passion for literacy and work hard to make it a focus of my classroom, no matter the subject I am teaching.
I bring a wide range of leadership experience to the organization through my time with CCIRA, ACCIRA, and outside organizations that will be valuable not only when chairing the 2022 conference, but as a member of the Executive Committee.
CCIRA has been a large part of my life for more than six years. I have been the Creative Consultant on the Conference Committee for the past six years. While decorating has been my focus, I have had the opportunities to provide support to other aspects of the conference whenever needed, learning there are many moving pieces to keeping a conference of this magnitude running efficiently.
I also served on the board of ACCIRA for five years. I began as Secretary, then held the roles of Vice President and President. These roles within CCIRA provided opportunities to plan events, such as ACCIRA's mini-conference back-to-school event held regularly in late July or early August and quarterly meetings.
I have been a regular BOD member, participating in meetings and committees, such as the Past Presidents' Award Committee.
These roles and commitments have taught me the necessity of strong organizational skills, time management and interpersonal skills, all of which I take pride in possessing. I thrive on the opportunities to plan events, be creative, and bring fresh ideas to projects which I am involved. I look forward to the opportunity to use my skills and experience to plan an amazing conference and help move CCIRA forward as an organization.
We are delighted to welcome Christie to the Executive Committee of CCIRA! She will be an incredible Chair for the 2022 Conference!
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What's New on the CCIRA Blog?
CCIRA.blog features a wide variety of nationally renowned literacy experts, as well as talented practitioners from across Colorado. Check out our most recent posts:
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!
If you might be interested in submitting a guest post to CCIRA.blog, please contact Hollyanna Bates (hollyannabates@gmail.com).
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Upcoming Local Council Events: Fort Collins
The Missing Piece. . . Advanced Phonemic Awareness for Reading
March 26, 2020
4:15-5:45 pm
It is well-established that phonemic awareness is critical for reading development and that poor phonemic awareness is almost always associated with reading difficulties (e.g., Liberman, 1988; Scarborough & Brady, 2002; National Reading Panel, 2000; Raynor, Foorman, Perfetti & Seidenburg, 2001; Vellutino, Fletcher, Snowling & Scanlon, 2004).
Although it is becoming more common to practice phonemic awareness activities with children in the younger years, current research shows that unless students attain advanced phonemic awareness skills, beyond basic segmenting and blending sounds in words, they will not become fluent readers (e.g., Hulme, Bowyer-Crane, Carroll, Duff & Snowling, 2012; Kilpatrick, 2015).
Join us with instructor Janet Kline in learning about the most important scientific discovery you have never heard of and help your students find the path to proficient reading.
McGraw Elementary
4800 Hindsdale Dr. Fort Collins, Co 80526
Experience Dyslexia:
A Learning Disabilities Simulation
April 14 or April 21, 2020
5:00-7:00 pm
This simulation lets participants experience some of the challenges and frustrations faced by people with language-based learning differences. Participants are guided through six learning tasks commonly encountered in the classroom or workplace. These activities are followed by a group discussion focusing on experiences shared and lessons learned, as well as practical tips, accommodations and interventions for the classroom.
The Fort Collins Reading Council partnered with CSU Education department so that both undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates will join us in building empathy in our community of educators. This session is open to teachers, parents and community members as we all benefit from this shared community experience. Please spread the word to parents in our community.
Colorado State University, (Canvas Stadium Classroom)
751 W Pitkin Street, Stadium Classroom: #1204
Fort Collins, CO, 80521
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March Teaching Tip
from TPS
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Understanding Environmental Impacts on Mark Twain's Writing
Many writers, including Mark Twain, were heavily influenced by their environment. Before Huck and Jim decide to travel along the Mississippi River in
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
, for example, the book starts in St. Petersburg, Missouri, which was based on his hometown, Hannibal, in the same state. Even where Huck and Jim meet, Jackson’s Island, is a real island resting in the middle of the Mississippi River. Learning about the real places where a piece of writing is set in deepens student understanding of the historical context and perspective of the author.
As a class or in small groups, use the
Primary Source Analysis Tool
to analyze a
Bird’s eye view of Hannibal, Missouri from 1869
. Guide students towards connecting the novel’s setting with the map. How might features from the map of Hannibal show up in Twain’s St. Petersburg? How might life in Hannibal compare or contrast with life in St. Petersburg? What might Twain have left out from his depiction of Hannibal, and why might he have done so?
There are thousands of images, maps, sheet music, newspapers, and other resources on the Library of Congress website having to do with
Hannibal, Missouri
,
Mark Twain
, and
Huckleberry Finn
that can extend the learning as well.
Like these Teacher Tips from the TPS Western Region? We want to hear from you! Please fill out this short
Google Form
with your honest reflections.
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Upcoming CCIRA Grants
(Pssst! These are easy to write, we promise!)
Foreign Affiliate Grant: Due March 15
Award: Up to $500
Purpose: To support literacy projects and to promote professional exchange with colleagues in foreign countries.
STAR Grant: Due March 30
Award: Up to $500
Purpose: To provide encouragement and support for CCIRA members who want to try new reading/writing experiences with their students.
Teacher as Reader Grant: Due March 30
Award: Up to $500
Purpose: To encourage CCIRA members to be involved in a Teacher as Reading Reading Group
Check out a complete list of CCIRA's
Grants
and
Awards
on our website.
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Thanks to everyone who filled out the #CCIRA20 session evaluation. Congratulations to the winners of the drawing!
Jennifer Shewey
Rose Montoya
Nissa Kochevar
Leighann Browne
Melissa Miller
Laureen Pascal
Cara Warren
Michaela Heath
Jennifer Malwitz
Meghann Evans
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CCIRA Executive Committee
Jessica Rickert, President
:
jessrccira@gmail.com
Sharon Miller, President Elect:
slmiller90@gmail.com
Pam Minard,
Vice President:
pam.minard@gmail.com
Christi Walker,
Vice President Elect: christimwaker@gmail.com
Amy Ellerman
, Immediate Past President: ellermanamy
@gmail.com
Michele Warner
, State Coordinator:
bmwarner1227@comcast.net
Corina Kaskey
, Secretary:
Corina.Kaskey@summitk12.org
Sue Goodenow
, State Membership Coordinator:
smg970@gmail.com
Emily Bradley, Marketing Coordinator:
emily.bradley@weldre4.org
Stevi Quate, Partnership Chair
: steviq@gmail.com
Cathy Lynskey
, Treasurer:
clynskey2000@gmail.com
Lisa Kahn,
Administrative Assistant:
lisakahnccira@gmail.com
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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 Amy Ellerman (ellermanamy@gmail.com) to submit information for publication.
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