Save the Date!

2026 Professional Development Hours

Get your PD hours from the 2026 Conference!

If you haven't done so already, make sure to click the button below and fill out the 2026 conference survey to get your certificate of participation. The deadline to get your certificate documenting your PD hours is March 4th!

2026 CCIRA Conference Notes of Appreciation

For Our Attendees

To everyone who joined us for the 2026 CCIRA Conference, Hit Refresh, we are so grateful for you! Your energy, curiosity, and commitment to learning made this event incredibly meaningful. Whether you attended thought-provoking sessions, listened to inspiring keynotes, or connected with colleagues and vendors, your presence helped create a powerful shared experience.

We know the time and dedication it took to step away from your classroom, and we didn’t take that lightly. Thank you for choosing to invest in yourself and in our learning community. We hope you left feeling renewed, recharged, and ready to hit refresh in your practice.

Thank you for being part of the CCIRA community—we look forward to continuing to learn, grow, and refresh together!

For Our Speakers

Our 2026 CCIRA Conference, Hit Refresh, would not have been the same without our incredible speakers! CCIRA is deeply grateful for the wisdom, inspiration, and expertise they shared with our attendees. From engaging sessions to meaningful conversations and book signings, their voices helped educators reflect, recharge, and reimagine their practice.



It was truly an honor to host such a talented group of presenters, and we hope they found the experience as refreshing and rewarding as we did.

For Our Sponsors & Donors

CCIRA sincerely thanks our sponsors and donors for their generous support of the 2026 Conference, Hit Refresh. The success of our organization depends on partnerships like theirs, which make it possible for us to continue promoting literacy and educational excellence across Colorado.



Their generosity helped educators step away, recharge, and return to their classrooms renewed and inspired. Because of their commitment, we are able to provide meaningful resources, scholarships, and opportunities that move our mission forward. We are deeply grateful for their partnership—it truly made a lasting impact.

Lauren Kerstein

Mackenzie Osborne

Mary Fanyo

Marcie Haloin

Keith Adams

Anne Cook

Steve Quate

Sue Goodnow

Jan Killick

Victoria Nissen

Mary Jo Ziegman

For Our Vendors

CCIRA sincerely appreciates our vendors for being an integral part of the 2026 Conference, Hit Refresh. Their participation, creativity, and engagement enriched the experience for all attendees—especially through their involvement in our Goosechase missions!



We recognize the time, energy, and innovation they brought to this event, helping educators discover new resources and fresh ideas to take back to their classrooms. We are truly grateful for their partnership and support and look forward to welcoming them back for another inspiring year.

Become a CCIRA Ambassador

CCIRA Ambassadors are passionate, lifelong learners who bring our mission and vision to life. We’re looking for classroom teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators who are eager to connect, inspire, and support literacy education.

By volunteering just six hours of your time, you’ll receive free registration to the 2026 conference as a thank-you for your service. Join us in advancing literacy through research-based instructional practices and helping ensure every learner has access to the power of reading and writing.

Visit CCIRA.org to sign up today and make a difference in literacy education!

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/  

📢New Blog Alert!!📢

Read our newest blog posts, Teaching Students What To Do Instead of Asking the Chatbot, by Sarah Zerwin, School Morning 2026, by Louise Borden, and Writing Ideas: Keeping it Real by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater. You can also read The Weight We Carry, the Hope We Hold: Building Resilience and Renewal by Ashlee Saddler, and Purposeful Read-Alouds to Build Comprehension by Katie Kelly.

We were excited to have these amazing authors and educators presenting at the 2026 CCIRA Conference!

Additional posts by previous and upcoming speakers include:

• We Are Teaching Writers by Jen Vincent
• Ice Cream, Penguins, and Other Thoughts on the Growth Mindset by Cara Mentze
• Digging Deeper with Sentence Level Instruction: Teaching the Reading and Writing Connection by Amy Buckner Haisten
• Respond to the Creativity Crisis by Teaching Fantasy Writing by Carl Anderson
• Boost Student Comprehension Through Intentional Movement by Gravity Goldberg
• True Student Voice: Helping students be better speakers by Erik Palmer

Please also take time to read this poignant tribute to an amazing educator and fierce advocate for teachers: In Honor of Karen Hartman

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

Did you know that CCIRA does more than just host an excellent conference? We provide funding for literacy initiatives around the state!

Star Grant - Due March 30

Do you want to try new reading/writing experiences with your students?

CCIRA has developed the STAR Grant Program just for you! Successful applicants will receive up to $500 to develop and implement reading

projects that will directly impact students. Click the button below to go to the

grants page of the CCIRA website. Contact Sarah Iversen with any questions.

Teacher as Literacy Learner Grant - Due March 30

Are you interested in promoting literacy by encouraging the teachers in your district to become active readers and/or writers? Apply for CCIRA’s Teacher as Literacy Learner Grant to cover materials to make this professional growth opportunity a reality in your school. Proposals should focus on the use of literature to build teachers’ professional knowledge, the power of participating in a book club as a means of building one’s love for reading, or the development of teachers’ writing skills as they take risks to find their own writing voice. Click the button below to go to the grants page of the CCIRA website. Contact Michelle Tillotson with any questions.

Local Activity Grant - Due April 1

Do you have a great idea for an activity involving reading or 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). This grant is awarded three times a year. Due dates for applications are August 1, February 1, and April 1. Click the button below to go to the grants page of the CCIRA website. Contact Jessica Endres with any questions you may have.

Make a Difference in Literacy Education - Volunteer With CCIRA!

CCIRA is always looking for passionate volunteers to help support literacy education in meaningful ways! There are many opportunities to get involved, including:

📌 Executive Committee & Board of Directors – Help shape the future of CCIRA through leadership roles.

📌 Annual Conference – Assist in running one of the most impactful literacy conferences in the country.

📌 Local Councils – Engage with your community to promote literacy initiatives.

📌 Ambassador Program – From outreach to event coordination, there’s a place for everyone!

Volunteering with CCIRA is a fantastic way to connect with fellow educators, develop leadership skills, and contribute to a cause that transforms lives through literacy.

Interested? Contact CCIRA President, Michele Warner, today!

CCIRA is looking for a treasurer!

We are looking for someone to fill the role of treasurer within our organization. The ideal candidate will be team-oriented and comfortable working with budgets and QuickBooks. Assistance is provided to our treasurer by a highly qualified bookkeeper when needed. Please contact CCIRA President, Michele Warner, for more information.

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

Raise Funds for CCIRA!

CCIRA Partners in Empowering Literacy Educators

TOP REASONS TO PARTNER WITH CCIRA

• Over 600 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.

CCIRA.inc. | ccirainfo@gmail.com | ccira.org