The 2024 conference will be here before you know it and

the list of speakers below is so exciting!!

We can't wait to learn from these amazing experts!

Conference Committee Volunteers Needed!

The CCIRA Conference Committee is seeking volunteers to serve with us as classroom teacher representatives. This role would include providing input on potential speakers for future conferences, helping to develop a theme, and keeping the committee informed about the professional development literacy teachers are looking for. Volunteers must be current teachers or instructional coaches and willing to participate in monthly virtual meetings. If interested, please fill out the form linked below by May 31st.

Want to present at the 2024 Conference?

Fill out the form below to submit a presentation proposal for the 2024 CCIRA Conference, Branching Out, Staying Rooted. We are seeking to provide opportunities for attendees to explore their roots and identities and to branch out in their literacy practices in these three areas: technology, diverse texts and topics, and teaching and pedagogy. Do you have an idea for a presentation that fits with this theme? Submit a proposal by May 31st!

Funds Available!

CCIRA has recently received a National Honor Society grant making funds available for advances in literacy instruction. The grant money can be used for a range of purposes, including professional development opportunities for educators, literacy events to engage students and their families, as well as purchasing classroom materials that support literacy instruction. These funds provide an excellent opportunity to enhance literacy instruction, and educators are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to promote literacy development among their students. Anyone interested in obtaining more information can contact Lisa Kahn at lisakahnccira@gmail.com.

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

Jeffco Literacy Association

Jeffco Literacy Association hosted an event with Steph Harvey, author of Inquiry Illuminated, Intervention Reinvention, and many other titles. Steph reminded the group of the importance of fostering wonder and curiosity in classrooms every day. The strategies she shared were easy to implement and didn't take a lot of time out of the school day. JLA would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Steph for her support!

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 1300+ members 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.

From Our Partners at InnEdCO

InnEdCO Returns to Breckenridge this summer! This year's conference is focused on continuing to support educators to innovate in their workplaces, upgrade their always evolving teacher toolkit, and design the most hands-on, engaging, and equitable lessons. This summer... it's time to Press Start and Play!

Our in-person conference last year highlighted 150+ different workshops, featured speaker sessions, and round-tables with more than 200 different presenters and co-presenters, primarily classroom teachers, all attended by over 600 educators and sponsored by almost 100 unique sponsors.

InnEdCO is also going to be at this year's CCIRA Conference as well!!

We want to express our sincere gratitude to these three amazing women for their outstanding service to the CCIRA community!

Jessie Meeks has made contributions as a member of the Conference Committee since 2019 coordinating awards and grants, and on the Executive Committee beginning in 2020 as Membership Chair and State Coordinator. She has also been a consistent member of the Jeffco Literacy Association. We thank Jessie for all that she has done and wish her all the best in her next adventures in North Carolina. We are so happy that she's promised to return for the 2024 CCIRA conference!

CCIRA is so appreciative of Stevi Quate's invaluable contributions to our community. As the conference planner for the 2005 conference, A Symphony of Voices, she played a crucial role in its success. Stevi also strengthened the relationship between CCIRA and CLAS, as well as the South African Reading Council. Since 2020, as the Partnership Chairperson on the Executive Committee, she has been instrumental in gathering donations to support our mission and vision. We have valued Stevi's commitment to CCIRA's goals and objectives and will miss her greatly.

Last, but not least, CCIRA is especially thankful for the dedicated service Cathy Lynskey has provided to CCIRA. Her invaluable contributions as a former president of her local council, as well as her service on the Executive Committee as Membership Chair and Treasurer, have been instrumental in the success of our organization. We deeply appreciate Cathy's attention to detail, financial expertise, and advice that has kept us on track. Her unwavering commitment to the success of CCIRA has been deeply appreciated, and she will be truly missed.

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.