VSRA News - Virginia State Reading Association

VSRA News
Virginia State Reading Association
Fall 2015
Dates to
Board of Directors 2015-2016
Remember
President
October 15
Deadline for submitting a proposal to
present at the 2016 Annual Conference in
Norfolk
Nominations for VSRA Board of Director
positions due to Sherry Edbauer
VSRA Technology and Reading Award
applications due to Joan Rhodes
October 18-24
Read Aloud to a Child Week
October 20
National Day of Writing
Tiffany Brocious
President-Elect, 2016 Conference Chair
Chynita Turner-Pryor
Vice President
Charles Richards
Past President
Kim Lancaster
Treasurer
Diane Tsioutsias
Recording Secretary
Connie Herman
Corresponding Secretary Stephanie Fidler
State Coordinator
Judith A. Dierker
Membership Development Anne Perdue
Julie Gray
November 13
Ofie T. Rubin Reading Teacher of the Year
applications due to Leah Baggett and
Heather Walid
Board of Directors meeting
November 14
Membership
Leadership Meeting—Statewide Initiative
Focus
Local council insurance requests due
Scan the QR code to
November 15
Exemplary Reading Award applications
due to Martha Reish
access the membership
website or click on the link
below
Membership
but ct or A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT
Dear VSRA Members!
Welcome to the 2015-16 VSRA Year! This is going to be a fabulous year full of excitement and enthusiasm from every corner of Virginia! We have an outstanding Board of Directors, 19 phenomenal Local Council Presidents, and 33 remarkable Leadership Chairs and Liaisons who are full of energy and ideas and are ready to stomp out illiteracy in the state of Virginia!
We have so much to offer our mem-­‐
bers. We have awards, scholarships, and grants applica ons, opportuni-­‐
es to present at our annual state conference and to publish in our an-­‐
nual journal, ac vi es in our local council areas, and networking ses-­‐
sions and resources based on our new statewide ini a ve, “Got Nonfic on?” These are just a few of the many benefits of becoming a VSRA Member. The professionalism and collegiality of our organiza on is one of high standards and merit. Please feel free to peruse our website at www.vsra.org to learn about all things excep onal that VSRA offers.
Continued next page
TIFFANY BROCIOUS
VSRA
PRESIDENT
but ct or President’s Message, Continued
This year’s annual conference will be held March 3-5, 2016 at a brand-new venue in Norfolk, Virginia. We are thrilled to follow up on a record-number of conference a endees (1311) from last year who rep-­‐
resented over 100 school divisions in Vir-­‐
ginia! Norfolk is known as the Mermaid City and is home to the US Naval Base. Did you know it also has a 3
-story mall in walking distance from the ho-­‐
tel, a transporta on ve-­‐
hicle named FRED, and cool things called parklets? There will be so much to see and do both inside and outside of the VSRA Conference Venue. Make plans now to a end this remarka-­‐
ble conference!
website, there is a President’s Blog, which will provide informa on, as well as, a newsle er link to help you keep current on VSRA happenings. There is a Calendar of Events link on the front page that in-­‐
cludes local council events. We also have a Facebook Page (Virginia State Reading As-­‐
socia on) and a Twi er Page (@vsratoday). We are work-­‐
ing on other media sites and will share them with you as we add them. I am proud to represent this organiza on as President! The members of this organi-­‐
za on are bright, vibrant, caring individuals who want to provide the most pre-­‐
cious gi of all to everyone in our state- the ability to read! We believe in our mission and we Since taking the office of VSRA President in would love to have you become part of May 2015, I have found myself reflec ng our team! Join in and become a member on what we, as educators, need to do to to spread the word…WE ARE VSRA!
stomp out illiteracy in Virginia. In my mind, communica on and collabora on are key Sincerely,
elements in becoming successful with this mission. Throughout this year, there will Dr. Tiffany Brocious, NBCT
be many media sites to follow and to ac-­‐
2015-16 Virginia State
cess for informa on. Our website, www.vsra.org, has been recently updated Reading Association
and provides a wealth of informa on for President
educators, students, and parents. On the Call for Manuscripts:
Reading in Virginia
Journal of the Virginia State Reading Association
2015-2016 publication
You are invited to submit articles for consideration for publication in the forth-­
coming issue of Reading in Virginia, the refereed journal of the Virginia State Reading Association.
Submit articles that highlight successful literacy programs in schools, share strategies that work, re-­
port teacher research, explore the issues of literacy across the curriculum, reflect on the im-­
pact of educational technology and the Virginia Standards of Learning, and/or review books and websites of special interest. Commentaries are also welcome.
Use the Following Guidelines for Manuscript Submission:
Send your manuscript via email to [email protected]
Subject line: READING IN VIRGINIA SUBMISSION.
All submissions should be composed using Microsoft Word.
Use American Psychological Association (APA) format for all articles. For more information on APA format, see www.apa.org.
Identifying information should not appear within the manuscript to assure impartial review.
Include a coversheet within your document containing:
Author’s name and affiliation
Position
Preferred mailing address
Telephone number(s)
FAX
Email address
Deadline for Submission: October 31, 2015
Questions: Contact Dr. Tisha Hayes via email at [email protected]
VIRGINIA READERS’
CHOICE
2014-2015 Winners
Primary:
Again by Emily Gravett
Elementary:
The Sasquatch Escape by
Suzanne Selfours
Middle:
One for the Murphys by
Lynda Mullaly Hunt
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Positions Open
Please remember that the dead-­‐
line for applica ons for Board of Director nomina ons is due Octo-­‐
ber 15. This is the me to consid-­‐
er applying for nomina on to a posi on on the BOD for next year. Three of the posi ons don't come around regularly, so don't wait another year to submit your applica on and make sure your name is on the ballot.
The applica ons can be found online or through the links in the newsle er. The Member-at-Large posi on is actually a two-year commitment (as stated in our bylaws). The Treasurer posi on is also two years. The ILA Coordina-­‐
tor posi on is three years. The VP is a four-year term commitment. Some people have asked about BOD mee ngs. BOD members are expected to a end 75% of the mee ngs. As an example of mee ng commitments, the fol-­‐
lowing are mee ngs we've had and will have for the rest of the year:
August- 3-4 day mee ng (usually at Conference ven-­‐
ue)
Fridays in the early a er-­‐
noons prior to the Leader-­‐
ship Mee ngs in September, November, and May (in Rich-­‐
mond). One Saturday & Sunday in January
Wednesday prior to annual Conference (at Conference venue)
Virtual Mee ngs if needed between live mee ngs. We had two in the summer and two are planned in October.
We do put addi onal me into the VSRA BOD outside of mee ng mes and everyone is extremely dedicated to our mission and vision. Being on the VSRA BOD is an awesome experience and be-­‐
ing part of it could be one of the best professional experiences of your life!
We hope you will consider submi ng your applica on for nomina ons to Sherry Edbauer by October 15, 2015. Don't let this opportunity pass by as you'll have to wait an en re year for another chance just to apply to be on the ballot. [email protected]
TO APPLY
Use the links or scan the QR code
Vice President
Treasurer
ILA Coordinator
High School:
Every Day by David Levithan
At-Large Board Member
VSRA Membership Value
www.vsra.org
Promote Literacy
Support and disseminate knowledge of best practices in literacy instruction
Support and disseminate literacy research
Foster interaction on literacy issues through collaboration, networking and partnerships
Advocate for policies and legislation that advances literacy
Provide quality professional development opportunities in the area of literacy education
Promote lifelong literacy habits
Promote VSRA Statewide Nonfiction Initiative
Professional Organization
Automatic membership in a Local Council
Professional development opportunities
Access to a network of resources
Opportunity to attend the Virginia State Reading Conference
Option to join the International Literacy Association (ILA)
Members Only portal on website with electronic copy of Journal
Work with others who share your passion for promoting literacy
Email updates;; electronic newsletter;; hard copy of Journal
Members are Eligible for:
Reduced registration fee for VSRA Conference
Undergraduate/Graduate Scholarships Ofie T. Rubin Reading Teacher of the Year James D. Mullins Leadership Award (administrator)
Adult-Intergenerational Award
Foundation Grant for Community Service
International Scholarship
Teachers As Readers Grant
Teacher Researchers Grant
Technology and Reading Award
Young Writers Grant VIRGINIA READERS’ CHOICE
VSRA CONFERENCE 2016
2015-2016 Elementary Selection
Submitted by Rosanna Myers
Flight of the Honey Bee by Raymond Huber; illustrated by Brian Lovelock
Candlewick Press, 32 pp; 9/13; 978-0-7636-67603; $18.99
Confirmed Speakers
Kelly Gallagher
Lester Laminak
Winter is on its way and Scout, a young bee, enters the world from the con ines of her hive. As yet un-­‐
tested as a scout, she lies out in search of the last lowers of fall. It takes a lot of honey for the hive to survive the winter. Her instincts take over as she lies helping her remember landmarks, while the sun and her excellent sense of smell help her navi-­‐
gate and locate a meadow of lowers. Scout is able to avoid the dangers of a hungry blackbird and the pelting hail of a thunderstorm as she gathers nec-­‐
tar and pollen. Returning to the hive, a wasp awaits her arrival, but the hive’s guard bees defend her so that she can get inside the hive and begin her map dance for her sister bees. They will use her directions and scent to ly out to collect more nectar and pollen for the hive. Scout unloads both the nectar and pollen she gathered and rests. Soon she will ly back to the meadow. Scout wants to be sure her family will make it through the winter. Told in a more narrative fashion, this non iction book is perfect for the younger reader. Beautiful, bright, large illustrations add to the understanding of the text. Small sidebars on each page share more scienti ic information about bees. The author, a former teacher and a hobby beekeep-­‐
er, is knowledgeable of both bees and kids!
Nell Duke
Laura Robb
Ruth Culham
Dinah Zike
Vicki Gibson
Kwame Alexander
Kathy Ganske
Exemplary Reading Program
Complete applica on by November 15
Exemplary Reading Program
Are you excited about your school’s literacy program—share it and get recogni on! Sponsored by the Interna onal Literacy Associa on to recognize outstanding reading and language arts programs at all grade levels (elementary, middle, and high school). Go to vsra.org and ill in the application—Get started now!
Got Nonfiction?
Virginia State Reading Association’s
statewide initiative focuses on supporting educators as they integrate various types of
nonfiction texts with the subject areas beginning in kindergarten and continuing throughout their school years. We seek to improve
students’ ability to navigate and compose
informational texts by improving their comprehension of how text features, graphics,
and text structures work. The statewide initiative will serve both parents and teachers by
providing resources for parents and communities as they help grow Virginia’s next gener-­
ation of readers who are motivated to read
a broad range of information in an everchanging world of information. We will provide teachers with professional development
support and resources including book lists
and lesson plans (aligned with K-5 science
and social studies SOLs) that support the integration of nonfiction literacy and the content
areas.
NOTES FROM THE ILA
COORDINATOR
Thanks to those Councils who filled out their Officer Report forms before the June 30 deadline. That means they are eligible to par cipate in the Honor Council program. The other Councils need to fill out the form, print, scan and email it to [email protected] as soon as possible. The form is available in the Leadership Team folder on Drop Box. Please email me a copy, too.
Many Councils have filled out their 990 form for the IRS. If Councils haven’t filled in their 990 it needs to be done soon! Link to IRS Website Judy Dierker
[email protected]
Nonfiction Spotlight
Submitted by Virginia Readers’ Choice Co-Chair Cicely Shelton-Barnes
Eat Like a Bear by April Pulley Sayre Illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Watch children become completely engaged as you read aloud this book and help them answer the ques on: Can you eat like a bear? This nonfic on book follows a brown bear as she finds foods to eat from April to November. Children will love learning about how the bear’s ea ng habits change each month. They will feel like they are ea ng right along with the bear. Short, detailed sentences make it a fun and easy book to read aloud. Enjoy this beau fully illustrated book this fall and find out...Can you eat like a bear?
JAMES D. MULLINS LEADERSHIP AWARD
2015 AWARD WINNER MICHELE PICARD
JAMES D. MULLINS
LEADERSHIP AWARD
Michelle Picard, who represented the Greater Washington Reading Council, has an unwavering dedi-­‐
ca on to her vision of a school system that guaran-­‐
tees that all students be-­‐
come profi-­‐
cient readers. She has shown her commit-­‐
ment to read-­‐
ing instruc on through the crea on of ex-­‐
plicit system wide docu-­‐
ments that support reading instruc on. In addi on to her exper se in read-­‐
ing, she is an excep onal profes-­‐
sional mentor. She puts theory into prac ce by not just empha-­‐
sizing that teachers hold high ex-­‐
ELIGIBILITY
The candidate must be a
member of the local reading
council for at least one year
prior to selection.
Candidates should be
administrators at least three
years and consistent in their
support of reading during
that time.
pecta ons while providing an abundance of support but by do-­‐
ing the same with her staff. She has also authored an award winning online workshop for teachers and administrators to learn to effec ve-­‐
ly implement de-­‐
velopmental spelling also known as word study.
Michelle was the recipient of the James D. Mullins Leadership Award in 2015. Please submit your applica on for the 2016 award. Addi onal infor-­‐
ma on on this award may be found online at the VSRA web site (www.vsra.org) TO APPLY
Please go to the VSRA web site
(www.vsra,.org) and download the
application and instructions for
applying for this prestigious award.
Applications are due
ELECTRONICALLY to Rochelle at
[email protected] no later than
December 15, 2016. The winner of
this award will be notified by
February 1 and will be recognized
at the annual conference to be
held in Norfolk on March 3-5, 2016.
This
award
was
established in 1994 to
r e c o g n i z e
administrators
who
show
exceptional
support of reading.
The nominee is a
strong advocate for
reading, teachers and
children; has a vision
for a school or school
system;
consistency
makes
decisions
based on a belief
system, is creative in
finding resources to
support
reading
programs, and is a
strong supporter of
reading and/or VSRA
or
other
readingoriented organizations
or groups. In keeping
with the 2015-2016
VSRA
Statewide
Initiative
which
focuses on supporting
educators as they
integrate
various
types of nonfiction
t e x t s ,
t h e
administrator
is
a
supporter
of
this
statewide initiative.
OFIE T. RUBIN READING TEACHER OF THE YEAR Chair: Leah Baggett Co-Chair: Heather Waild Guidelines /Application Form Description/Overview: Award recognizes a teacher (Reading or teacher teaching reading 1/3 of each school day (K-12) whose commitment to literacy is exemplary/
unparalleled.) Each local council may nominate one teacher for this award. The Reading Teacher of the Year Committee will review all candidate applications using a scoring rubric to determine the State Reading Teacher of the Year. All candidates will be expected to participate in an informal round table discussion session to be scheduled during the VSRA conference. All candidates will be recognized during the VSRA Conference Banquet. The candidate selected as the Ofie T. Rubin Reading Teacher of the Year will receive a $750 Professional Development Award at the conference banquet. Eligibility/Instructions: The candidate must be a member of the local reading council for at least one year prior to submitting application, must teach reading a minimum of one-third of each school day to students in grades K-12, and must be verified by their local reading council Required Items- Due November 13, 2015 SUBMIT IN THIS ORDER Verification form completed by the local council president Candidate’s vitae ( 2 pages / 28 points) Include: educational background / professional experience (last 5 years) (4 points) professional affiliations, achievements, education/community involvement (26 points) Two letters of recommendation Principal / Supervisor letters must be on letterhead (5 points) Colleague / parent (5 points) LETTERS MUST HAVE SIGNATURES The candidate’s reading philosophy- (1 page / 25 points) Candidate’s proposal for using the $750.00 Ofie T. Rubin Reading Teacher of the Year Professional Development Award-(1 page/35 points) A digital photo (jpg file) of the candidate with name, address, and local council (2 points) ANY OMITTED ITEM WILL FORFEIT APPLICATION Timeline: Applications Due November 13, 2015 Selection Date: January 8, 2016 Noti ication of TOY: January 22, 2016 Announcement/Presentation of Award: March 2016 at the VSRA 49th Annual Conference in Norfolk, Virginia Send your application form to: Leah Baggett Cedar Road Elementary 1605 Cedar Road Chesapeake, VA 23322 [email protected]
All nominees will be recognized at the March 2016 VSRA Annual Banquet in Norfolk, VA All nominees will receive a memento for their Ofie T. Rubin award application. The cost of the banquet is courtesy of the nominee’s local council. Everyone who attends the banquet must have a ticket. OFIE T. RUBIN READING TEACHER OF THE YEAR $750.00 Professional Development Reading Teacher of the Year Award Local Council Membership Verification I verify that our candidate ______________________________________ has been a member of ________________________________ for one year prior to this school year. (Local Council) Candidate:_____________________________________________ Home Address:___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Home Phone: __________________ Work Phone: _____________________ E-Mail:__________________________________ Position:_____________________________________ Local Council President’s Signature________________________________________ Local Council President’s Printed Name_____________________________________ Local Council President’s Contact Phone Number_____________________________ Local Council President’s Email___________________________________________ TECHNOLOGY SPOTLIGHT
Things To Know When Getting Started
With Twitter
Submitted by Jen Floyd
Twitter is a great tool for connecting with other
educators who are passionate about literacy. Twitter
enables educators to expand their professional
learning communities and to be share ideas. In
addition, many children’s and young adult authors
and illustrators are active on Twitter and are connect
with their readers.
If you don’t already have a Twitter account, you
can create one at twitter.com. We recommend
using a professional e-mail to sign up since you’ll
be using this account for professional purposes.
Upload a profile picture. People are more likely to
interact with you when there’s an actual picture
linked to your account instead of the generic egg
that appears when you sign up.
Make sure that you’re following @vsratoday and
@ilatoday!
For suggestions of other people and organizations
to follow, check out the list at https://
www.vsra.org/resources-4/social-mediaresources/. This page also houses PowerPoint
slides that address the educational uses of Twitter
and a YouTube video that explains how to get
started on Twitter. More resources will also be
posted on this page in the coming days!
You can also check out http://svreading.weebly.com/
authors--illustrators-on-twitter.html for a list of authors
and illustrators who are on Twitter.
Think about participating in Twitter chats. Twitter
chats are usually announced in advance and
questions are sometimes provided before the chat
so that you can see what topics will be discussed.
At first, you might want to be a “lurker,” just to see
what the chat is all about, but don’t hesitate to
jump into the conversation (make sure to use the
chat’s hashtag-#). You have a lot to share with
your fellow educators!
If you have any questions about getting started with
Twitter, contact any of the following: @debbybriscoe,
@jen4literacy, @jansongray, or @drjar44. We’ll be
happy to help you!
The messages that you send and read are
called tweets. Twitter usernames are
followed by the @ symbol.
@vsratoday
@ILAToday
Hashtags
Place the # in front of the topic-helps you
locate and chat about topics that are
important to you.
#bookaday
#titletalk
#literacy
#kidlit
#bproots
#reading
Favorites
Star—Allows you to identify tweets that are
your favorite. This is great if you come
across a lesson idea
Follow
When you follow someone, you will get his
or her tweets. Just click the follow button,
unless their tweets are protected-then
you’ll have to make a request to follow
them. A follower is someone who receives
your tweets. They just click on the follow
button to do so.
However, if you’ve protected your tweets,
potential followers have to send a request
for you to approve.
RT
Retweet a message that has already been
posted When you see something that you
want to share with others, you’ll want to
retweet it!
Direct Message (DM)
Allows for private communication.
However, the person you’re trying to
contact must follow you on Twitter.
Mentioning
Including another person in a tweet.
For example, I could mention that I’m
“Attending a conference session where
@donalynbooks is presenting.”
LOCAL COUNCIL EVENTS
Greater Washington Reading Council
through an exibit model then engage with Dr. Duke on a panel exchange. Par cipants will have the op-­‐
portunity to engage with Nell Duke and network with educators in the Northern Virginia Area.
Nell K. Duke, Ed.D., is a professor of literacy, lan-­‐
guage and culture and a faculty affiliate in the com-­‐
bined program in educa on and psychology at the University of Michigan. She is also a member of the Interna onal Literacy Associa on Literacy Reasearch Panel. Duke's work focuses on early literacy develop-­‐
ment, par culary among children living in poverty. Her specific areas of exper se include development GWRC Presents Dr. Nell K. Duke
of informa onal reading and wri ng in young chil-­‐
dren, comprehension development and instruc on in Inside Informa on: Developing Powerful Readers and early schooling, and issues of equity in literacy educa-­‐
Writers of Informa onal Text Through Project-Based on.
Instruc on
Duke is the author and co-author of numerous jour-­‐
October 21, 2015
nal ar cles and book chapters as well as her own 8:30 AM—3:30 PM
publica ons including our focus book for the 2015 Please join fellow teachers and administrators for a GWRC annual conference, Inside Informa on: Devel-­‐
day of learning about project based instruc on as Dr. oping Powerful Readers and Writers of Informa onal Nell K. Duke outlines the process from her newest Text Through Project-Based Instruc on.
professional text.
The morning informa on session will be followed by an a ernoon project-based learning fair. Teachers from the surrounding area will present their experi-­‐
ences in the classroom with project based learning More informa on about the GRWC Conference New River Valley Reading Council
September/ October: Gave Celebrate Literacy Award at Fall Conference
Awarded Empowering Children Through the Power of Books Grant at Conference
Completing Little Free Library at Dublin Elementary
November:
Fall Members' Meeting
December:
Award The Anita Corey Scholarship to a member
LOCAL COUNCIL NEWS
Southwest Virginia Reading Council
We have our Fall Reading Conference coming
up on Oct. 24 at the Higher Education Center in
Abingdon. We are excited to welcome our keynote speaker, Mr. Wade Whitehead. In 2014 he
was appointed as a charter member of the Virginia Standards of Learning Innovation Committee. Wade has been a National Board Certified
Teacher since 1999. He has received dozens of
recognitions and awards, including the Milken
Family Foundation National Educator Award, the
McGlothlin Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, the Virginia Lottery Super Teacher Award,
the Virginia Lottery Excellence in Education
Award, and the Sam's Club Teacher of the Year
Award. He was named to the 2001 USA Today All
-USA Teacher Team and was the 2000 Roanoke
The Southwest Virginia
Reading Council began our school year
by attending the
opening convocations in Bristol and Lee
County to promote
our Council and encourage VSRA membership.
In July, Janie Hull, Past
President, presented
a workshop for teachers on energizing think
-alouds.
City Public Schools Teacher of the Year. In 2013
he was voted "Most Inspiring Teacher" by readers
of The Roanoker magazine. He is certified in Gifted Education and in Grades PreK-8 by the Commonwealth of Virginia and is endorsed as a
school
administrator.
http://wadewhitehead.com
Our council will also be attending various Fall Festivals in our regional schools throughout the
month of October and providing reading and
crafts. LOCAL COUNCIL NEWS
Chesapeake Reading Council
The Chesapeake Reading Council has
had a great start to the 2015-2016 school
year! The superintendent of Chesapeake
Public Schools, Dr. James T. Roberts, was
their first member and membership has
continued to grow as teachers, administrators, and community members join to promote literacy. To encourage support of
the CRC and the VSRA, members of the
Executive Board greeted school administrators at General Conference as well as
welcomed new teachers at the New
Teacher Walkabout—one lucky new
teacher even won a CRC t-shirt! Although
there are many benefits to being a member of the CRC such as celebrating those
who promote literacy, being a part of a
professional organization, and having the
opportunity to earn scholarship and grant
money, most members join the Chesapeake Reading Council to promote litera-
cy. The CRC has many events planned to
do just that. For example, Reading Specialist Cathy Collier, an IRA Executive
Board member, will emcee a K-5 “Dive
Deeper in Literacy” Family Literacy Night
at the Central Library which will be the first
of many family literacy nights. Another literacy event will be held at Barnes and Noble and will also serve as a CRC fundraiser
(as members of the community buy books,
the CRC will earn money that will be used
for scholarships). Other events include
sponsoring the Virginia Readers’ Choice,
Young Authors (K-5), and Literacy Jam (612). The CRC, once again, will be a sponsor of the Chesapeake Regional Medical
Center Baby Fair and promote early literacy with expectant parents. The Chesapeake Reading Council has a great year
ahead of them!
Chesapeake Reading Council Executive
Board members with Dr. James T. Roberts,
Superintendent, Chesapeake Public Schools.
The Chesapeake Reading Council
is “Exploring the Depths of Litera-­
cy” with their mascot, a mermaid
named, “Ima Reader.”
Legislative Issues Committee
Fall 2015
Sue Hirsh, Chair Marilyn Schempf, Co-Chair
Our commi ee has grown! We welcome Beth Davidson, Peter Dewitz, Nancy Guth, Elizabeth Hoard, Colleen Lyston, Jacqueline Roberts, and Edith Rudd. We are all eager to promote legisla ve issues that impact literacy in Virginia, but all VSRA members can be legisla ve advocates and collec vely make a greater impact on legisla on that will affect educa on in the Commonwealth. Advocacy 101 ps follow.
What is Legisla ve Advocacy?
Legisla ve advocacy refers to the introduc on, enactment, or modifica on of legisla on. The most common means is of legisla ve advocacy is direct lobbying which entails contac ng a legislator, sharing your views on an issue, and asking him/her to vote a specific way on a bill. This can be done with a phone call or le er or by a mee ng with the legislator or staff person.
Why advocacy?
One of the most important aspects of our system of government is that it is representa ve – those who make our laws represent us. They can best represent us if they know what we are thinking.
Does Advocacy Work?
Advocacy does make a difference. Hearing from individual cons tuents can influence a legislator’s decision on an issue.
What You Can Do?
Write your legislator. Handwri en or typed, mailed or electronic are acceptable ways to communicate with legislators. Lead or par cipate in local council literacy advocacy efforts.
Visit your legislator. A face-to-face visit with an elected official or his/her staff is the most influen al form of advocacy. Although possibly me consuming, it can be fun, interes ng and rewarding. Group visits to legislators are par cularly effec ve and increase the chances of ge ng an appointment, so plan on joining VSRA in Richmond for Legisla ve Day, January 27-28, 2016. In addi on to mee ng with legislators, the day(s) may include si ng in on an educa on commi ee mee ng. Watch for more details in the next newsle er.
Do You Know Who Represents You?
Go to: h p://virginiageneralassembly.gov/ and click on: Who is my Legislator?
_______________________________________________________
The VSRA FRIEND OF LITERACY AWARD is presented when there is an individual or en ty that has made an outstanding contribu on to literacy in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We are looking for nomina ons from you. The approved guidelines state the following:
The candidate is an individual or en ty who has made a significant contribu on to impact literacy in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The recipient is most likely, but not limited to, an appointed or elected official.
The award is granted based on the individual’s or en ty’s contribu ons to literacy regardless of poli cal affilia on.
The award shall be given only when there is an outstanding candidate. It does not have to be given each year.
Nomina ons for the 2016 award will be accepted un l Monday, October 19, 2015. Please send your nomina ons to Sue Hirsh at [email protected] or Marilyn Schempf at [email protected] .
THE 49TH ANNUAL VSRA CONFERENCE
Call for Proposals
Due October 15
The Virginia State Reading Association is pleased to announce the Call for
Proposals for the 49th Annual VSRA Conference, which will be held at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott and the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotels. As a professional organization actively engaged in promoting literacy throughout Virginia, we strive to provide members access to current research and best
practices in the field of literacy. We want to support our local councils and
members of our community with current information on literacy instruction
and provide direction to meet the needs of our 21st century learners. If you
share our vision, you are invited to submit a proposal to share best practices
in the area of literacy. Proposals are due by October 15, 2015 and selected
speakers will be notified via email by December 1, 2015.
Click here to access the proposal form.
Chynita Turner-Pryor
2016 VSRA Conference Chair
[email protected]
Exploring the Depths
of Literacy
March 3-5, 2016
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk Waterside Marriott
Sheraton Norfolk Waterside
Submissions for upcoming VSRA newsletters may be sent to Julie Allen at [email protected]