President's Message 2017-2018

Welcome from the Rochester Area Literacy Council's President 2017-18!

Lee Ann Townsend

June 18, 2018

Dear RALC Colleague,

What an exciting time of year! Summer’s right around the corner and many educators take a break from the daily grind. It’s a great time to catch up on professional reading and reenergize our passion for teaching! This year was a whirlwind to say the least, but I am proud of our accomplishments and can honestly say that we continued our commitment to positively impact literacy education in the Rochester area. Just take a look at our website, especially under our events tab! https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/past-ralc-events.html

Our new Executive Board will meet this summer to plan for next year’s events, and please know that all of you are welcome to join us. I know the incoming RALC Executive Board will continue the tradition of providing Rochester with strong literacy leadership. Please welcome Jan Marchette and Lynne Keefer as Co-President Elects; Stephanie Smyka as President Elect; Christine Treasure as Vice President; Linda Gillette-Smith as Secretary; Maryanne Bennett and Dr. Kristen Driskill as Membership Co-Chairs. We must sadly bid farewell to Jenn Sweeney, as she and her husband embark on their new life in Florida. Pat Martin has graciously agreed to assume the duties of Treasurer, so approved by the board.

Coming soon…

PUBLISHING PROJECT – Beyond Our Horizons: We have over 350 friends and family attending our annual celebration at the Rochester Zoo in honor of our young authors on the evening of MONDAY, JUNE 25. This year’s anthology of students is impressive! If you would like to attend to help out or just see what it’s all about, please know that you are welcome to do so!
LAUNCHING LITERACY LEARNING with DONALYN MILLER! This is a must attend event on Saturday, September 29 from 9:00 – noon. Donalyn, the author of The Book Whisperer will share her expertise from her new book on leveling, diversity, matching kids with books, and forming library partnerships. https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/launching-literacy-learning-wdonalyn-miller-saturday-sept-29-2018.html
NYSRA CONFERENCE 2018 - Exploring Literacy, Growing Creative Minds: Gear up to join NYSRA at the Liverpool Holiday Inn, Syracuse on Oct. 28-29. The confirmed presenters and authors include Enrique Feldman, Gravity Goldberg, Jason Chin, Commissioner Elia, Bruce Coville, Bryony Williams Sheppard & Gina Cascone, and Dr. Marcelle Haddix. Highlighted events include: Keynote and Author Presentations, Charlotte Dinner, Yoga and Literacy Event, Trivia Night, Lunch with Commissioner Elia, Special Events in the Vendor Hall, Sessions on Mindfulness & Growth Mindset and more!!! https://www.nysreading.org/Conference/2018
MEETINGS: The RALC Executive Board WELCOMES YOU to all of our meetings. This year’s annual retreat board meeting will take place on Friday, July 20 at 10:30 am, Bill Gray’s Seabreeze. Please consider joining us! Every member is welcome and this is a great way to get involved! Check out our calendar: https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/ralc-calendar-2018-19.html

Please continue to check our website (www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org) for more information about each item listed above or new opportunities that occur in the future. Thank you for your time and commitment to RALC! We look forward to connecting with you in the near future!

Sincerely,

Lee Ann Townsend
President, Rochester Area Literacy Council

April 13, 2018

Dear RALC Colleague,

“Is the spring coming?” he said. “What is it like?”… “It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine…”
~Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden.

This makes me wonder about experiencing the joy of spring. Will it really happen this year? Yea, I can finally see my lawn and the snow is totally gone, but am I seeing a touch of spring, or not? Did I actually see buds on my sonic bloom weigela, snow fountain weeping cherry tree, and crimson pygmy barberry? The forecast still makes me think not, as this is Rochester and spring comes when she’s ready. For me, it’s still curl up with a good book weather and that’s enjoyable!

SAIL into SUMMER – This year’s theme is supporting the literacy needs of our growing English language learner population. A panel of area experts will be leading this discussion and sharing ideas about how to best meet the literacy needs of this dynamic group of students. Come to the Rochester Yacht Club on May 16th from 4:30 – 7:30 for some professional inspiration on this topic in a relaxing environment, and NO NEED for BOOTS this year! https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/sail-into-summer---wednesday-may-16-2018.html
- Call for Poster Presentations: The Rochester Area Literacy Council invites our members and college students to present their research and scholarly findings during poster sessions before select events throughout the year. We are looking to create an authentic opportunity for current students and researchers to speak directly to our members about their findings, best literacy practices and research based instructional approaches. We will be hosting poster presentations at the Sail into Summer event on Wednesday, Mary 16th. If you are interested in presenting, please email Maryanne Barrett at [email protected].
EXECUTIVE BOARD: Our new Executive Board takes office July 1. Welcome to Jan Marchette and Lynne Keefer, Co-President Elects; Stephanie Smyka, President Elect; Christine Treasure, Vice President; Jennifer Sweeney, Treasurer; Linda Gillette-Smith, Secretary; Maryanne Bennett and Dr. Kristen Driskill, Membership Co-Chairs; and Lee Ann Townsend, Past President. https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/nominees-for-2018-19-ralc-executive-board.html
BYLAWS UPDATE: Please take a minute and review our updated by-laws. We will be voting on their approval at our May 16 event. https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/ralc-bylaws.html
RALC 2018 MINI GRANT Recipient: We would like to congratulate Megan McCormick and Janeen Pizzo from Merton Williams Middle School, Hilton, for the successful submission of their digital literacy project! Please check out their proposal on our website at https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/2018-mini-grant-winner.html
SPRING SPEAKER: Matt Glover was fantastic! We had about 60 dedicated educators attend his session on key instructional practices that influence writers.
PUBLISHING PROJECT – Beyond Our Horizons: We are in the process of evaluating our submissions and notifying the young authors of their selection for our next anthology of Rochester area writers. Our zoo celebration for the selected young authors will be on the evening of Wednesday, June 13.
NYSRA CONFERENCE 2018 - Exploring Literacy, Growing Creative Minds: Gear up to join NYSRA at the Liverpool Holiday Inn, Syracuse on Oct. 28-29. The confirmed presenters and authors include Enrique Feldman, Gravity Goldberg, Jason Chin, Commissioner Elia, Bruce Coville, Bryony Williams Sheppard & Gina Cascone, and Dr. Marcelle Haddix. Highlighted events include: Keynote and Author Presentations, Charlotte Dinner, Yoga and Literacy Event, Trivia Night, Lunch with Commissioner Elia, Special Events in the Vendor Hall, Sessions on Mindfulness & Growth Mindset and more!!! https://www.nysreading.org/Conference/2018
MEETINGS: The RALC Executive Board WELCOMES YOU to all of our meetings. This year, we will be meeting at Brighton CSD District Office, 2035 Monroe Avenue at 5:00 p.m - 7:00 p.m on the following Mondays: May 14, & June 11. Please consider joining us! Every member is welcome and this is a great way to get involved! https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/calendar-2017-18.html

February 28, 2018

Dear RALC Colleague,

Winter for RALC has been packed with opportunities – old and new! Our first Barnes and Noble Book Fair raised about $1,500 and highlighted NYSRA’s Charlotte Book Award nominees. The Cat in the Hat made an appearance and many children enjoyed story time and our craft table, both facilitated by RALC members. Our annual Live Local Literacy event on February 4 was well attended and led by exemplary area educators. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and many educators walked away with new ideas and teaching strategies to recharge their instruction. But don’t fret! We have more great opportunities coming soon, so please take a peek below to see what might be of interest to you.

RALC BALLOT for the EXECUTIVE BOARD: Our annul elections will take place at our spring speaker event with Matt Glover. Please review the list of nominees attached to this email, and note that we are looking for someone to fill the secretary position. If you are interested, please contact me and I will forward your name to our nomination committee. https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/nominees-for-2018-19-ralc-executive-board.html
Don’t forget about MINI GRANTS (due right now!): We have two mini grants available – RALC Teacher Mini-Grant and the new Dr. Fairbrother Multicultural Classroom Library Mini-Grant. If you are interested, please email us to say your application is on its way! The applications and rubrics are on our website: https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/teacher-mini-grant-application.html
SPRING SPEAKER: You don’t want to miss this event on Thursday, March 15 because Matt Glover is coming to town and will speak to a RALC audience at St. John Fisher Cleary Auditorium from 4:30-7:30 about key instructional practices that influence writers. This will be a fantastic opportunity to hear one of education’s well-respected professionals.

https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/speaker-event---matt-glover-thurs-march-15.html

PUBLISHING PROJECT – Beyond Our Horizons: Do you have students who love to write and/or illustrate and would like to be published? Then this year’s opportunity is for them! Please encourage these students to consider submitting their work to be placed in this year’s publication. Please check our website for updates about this year’s publishing project, as it will be coming soon: http://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/publishing-project.html
SAVE the DATE for SAIL into SUMMER – This year’s theme is supporting the literacy needs of our growing English language learner population. A panel of area experts will be leading this discussion and sharing ideas about how to best meet the literacy needs of this dynamic group of students. Come to the Rochester Yacht Club on May 16th from 4:30 – 7:30 for some professional inspiration on this topic in a relaxing environment, but bring your boots! The water is already 2 inches higher at this time last year! Those of you who attended in 2017 may remember the flooded parking lot!
- Call for Poster Presentations: The Rochester Area Literacy Council invites our members and college students to present their research and scholarly findings during poster sessions before select events throughout the year. We are looking to create an authentic opportunity for current students and researchers to speak directly to our members about their findings, best literacy practices and research based instructional approaches. We will be hosting poster presentations at the Sail into Summer event on Wednesday, Mary 16th. If you are interested in presenting, please email Maryanne Barrett at [email protected].
MEETINGS: The RALC Executive Board WELCOMES YOU to all of our meetings. This year, we will be meeting at Brighton CSD District Office, 2035 Monroe Avenue at 5:00 p.m - 7:00 p.m on the following Mondays: March 12, April 9, May 14, & June 11. Please consider joining us! Every member is welcome and this is a great way to get involved!

January 12, 2018

Dear RALC Colleague,

We have two events coming soon including Live Local Literacy! This event offers area educators a venue to share their best practices and teaching ideas. The flyer and registration form for LLL are attached. Please share with your coworkers! And don’t forget to attend our Barnes & Noble Book Fair to learn more about the Charlotte Award nominees. This award recognizes outstanding literature for students. It’s also Educator Appreciation Day at Barnes & Nobles with great discounts given to educators!

LIVE LOCAL LITERACY: We have a number of talented educators presenting this year, so check out our flyer (attached & website) to find out more information. https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/live-local-literacy---saturday-feb-3-2018.html
BARNES & NOBLE EVENT: RALC is partnering with Barnes and Noble to focus on the Charlotte Award nominees on Saturday, January 20, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. Please consider attending at any time throughout the day. Go to the NYSRA website to learn more about the Charlotte Award: https://www.nysreading.org/content/nysra-charlotte-award-2017
Don’t forget about MINI GRANTS (due March 2): We have two mini grants available – RALC Teacher Mini-Grant and the new Dr. Fairbrother Multicultural Classroom Library Mini-Grant. The applications and rubrics are on our website: https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/teacher-mini-grant-application.html
PUBLISHING PROJECT – Beyond Our Horizons: Do you have students who love to write and/or illustrate and would like to be published? Then this year’s opportunity is for them! Please encourage these students to consider submitting their work to be placed in this year’s publication. Please check our website for updates about this year’s publishing project, as it will be coming soon: http://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/publishing-project.html
SPRING SPEAKER: You don’t want to miss this event on Thursday, March 15 because Matt Glover is coming to town and will speak to a RALC audience at St. John Fisher Cleary Auditorium from 4:30-7:30. This will be a fantastic opportunity to hear one of education’s well-respected professionals.
MEETINGS: The RALC Executive Board WELCOMES YOU to all of our meetings. This year, we will be meeting at Brighton CSD District Office, 2035 Monroe Avenue at 5:00 p.m - 7:00 p.m on the following Mondays: February 12, March 12, April 9, May 14, & June 11. (We post a greeter or easel at the front door to show the way to our meeting room.) Please consider joining us! Every member is welcome and this is a great way to get involved!

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – This month we honor Pat Martin, a longtime literacy advocate and educator extraordinaire. Please read the wonderful tribute given to Pat by viewing the attached document or going to our website:
https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/member-spotlight.html

Please continue to check our website (www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org) for more information about each item listed above or new opportunities that occur in the future. Thank you for your time and commitment to RALC! We look forward to connecting with you in the near future!

Sincerely,

Lee Ann Townsend
President, Rochester Area Literacy Council

January 3, 2018

Dear RALC Colleague,
Welcome to the New Year! As we reflect on our past and resolve to make changes for the future, why not include RALC? We have many opportunities for members to become more involved in literacy education in our area. Please consider the following:

BARNES & NOBLE EVENT: RALC is partnering with Barnes and Noble to focus on the Charlotte Book Award nominees on Saturday, January 20, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. Please consider attending at anytime throughout the day, or volunteer to help with the event. We need volunteers to host our event table, to do a read-aloud, or to provide the Charlotte Book Award information. Please go to this site & sigh up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0d4da8a92eabfb6-charlotte
WE NEED YOUR HELP! Our annual Live Local Literacy (LLL) event held on Saturday morning, February 3 is an event where educators like yourself offer hour long sessions about relevant literacy topics. If you are interested or know of someone who would make a great presenter, then please submit the attached form (date extended to Jan. 8) or go to our website for the form: https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/call-for-proposals-live-local-literacy---saturday-feb-3-2018.html
MINI GRANTS (due March 2): We have two mini grants available – RALC Teacher Mini-Grant and the new Dr. Fairbrother Multicultural Classroom Library Mini-Grant. The applications and rubrics are on our website: https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/teacher-mini-grant-application.html
PUBLISHING PROJECT – Beyond Our Horizons: Do you have students who love to write and/or illustrate and would like to be published? Then this year’s opportunity is for them! Please encourage these students to consider submitting their work to be placed in this year’s publication. Please check our website for updates about this year’s publishing project, as it will be coming soon: http://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/publishing-project.html
SPRING SPEAKER: You don’t want to miss this event on Thursday, March 15 because Matt Glover is coming to town and will speak to a RALC audience at St. John Fisher Cleary Auditorium from 4:30-7:30. This will be a fantastic opportunity to hear one of our industry’s well-respected professionals.
MEETINGS: The RALC Executive Board WELCOMES YOU to all of our meetings. This year, we will be meeting at Brighton CSD District Office, 2035 Monroe Avenue at 5:00 p.m - 7:00 p.m on the following Mondays: January 8, February 12, March 12, April 9, May 14, & June 11. (We post a greeter or easel at the front door to show the way to our meeting room.) Please consider joining us! Every member is welcome and this is a great way to get involved!

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – This month we honor Pat Martin, a longtime literacy advocate and educator extraordinaire. Please read the wonderful tribute given to Pat by viewing the attached document or going to our website:
https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/member-spotlight.html

Continue to check our website (www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org) for further information about each item listed above or new opportunities that occur in the future. Thank you for your time and commitment to RALC! We look forward to connecting with you in the near future!

Sincerely,

Lee Ann Townsend
President, Rochester Area Literacy Council

November 27, 2017

Dear RALC Colleague,

As the days seem to hurl by, I am often reminded of Mrs. Whatsit’s remark from A Wrinkle in Time, “Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You’re given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself.” And writing the sonnet is what makes life exciting and keeps the sparks flying, right? So, why not get more involved with what makes the sparks fly for you? And may we suggest RALC? We are a wonderful organization basically run by a small number of energetic and friendly members who truly believe that collaboration, involvement, and support can improve literacy education in our area. We always welcome new faces at our board meetings, so come and join us!

With fall quickly slipping to winter, my thoughts reflect upon all that RALC has accomplished in a short few months. We’ve sponsored a number of successful events including a social gathering at ROC Brewing Co., Launching Literacy Learning with Amy VanDerwater, Writers and Illustrators Workshop for Children, sponsorship of Christine Green to attend the NYSRA Conference, Every Child A Super Reader book study, Children’s Book Festival, and our special guest speaker, Ernest Morrell, who energetically spoke on leveraging 7 specific elements to foster positive reading experiences for students. But we are not done! Please take a moment and review what’s to come…

BARNES & NOBLE EVENT: RALC is partnering with Barnes and Noble to offer two exciting opportunities.
- Our first event is a gift wrapping fundraiser on Saturday, December 9. We are looking for volunteers to help wrap when B & N patrons come by our table. If you are interested, go to this site and sign up for a time slot: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0d4da8a92eabfb6-barnes
- The second event is focused on the Charlotte Book Award nominees on Saturday, January 20. We will need volunteers host our event table or to do a read-aloud or to provide the Charlotte Book Award information. Please go to this site & sigh up
NEW GROUP MEMBERSHIP FORM! If you know colleagues who are interested in getting a group together to join RALC, then our new group membership form is for them! Please go to… https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/membership-forms.html
WE NEED YOUR HELP! Our annual Live Local Literacy (LLL) event held on Saturday morning, February 3 is an event where educators like yourself offer hour long sessions about relevant literacy topics. If you are interested or know of someone who would make a great presenter, then please submit the attached form or go to our website for more information.https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/call-for-proposals-live-local-literacy---saturday-feb-3-2017.html
PUBLISHING PROJECT – Beyond Our Horizons: Do you have students who love to write and/or illustrate and would like to be published? Then this year’s opportunity is for them! Please encourage these students to consider submitting their work to be placed in this year’s publication. Please check our website for updates about this year’s publishing project. http://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/publishing-project.html
SPRING SPEAKER: You don’t want to miss this event on Thursday, March 15 because Matt Glover is coming to town and will speak to a RALC audience at St. John Fisher Cleary Auditorium from 4:30-7:30. This will be a fantastic opportunity to hear one of our industry’s well-respected professionals.
DATE CHANGE: Sail into Summer is moved to Wednesday, May 16 from May 9. The program for that evening is yet to be developed, so stay tuned.
MEETINGS: The RALC Executive Board WELCOMES YOU to all of our meetings. This year, we will be meeting at Brighton CSD District Office, 2035 Monroe Avenue at 5:00 p.m - 7:00 p.m on the following Mondays: December 11, January 8, February 12, March 12, April 9, May 14, and June 11. (We post a greeter or easel at the front door to show the way to our meeting room.) Please consider joining us! Every member is welcome and this is a great way to get involved!

Please continue to check our website (www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org) for further information about each item listed above or new opportunities that occur in the future. Thank you for your time and commitment to RALC! We look forward to connecting with you in the near future!

Sincerely,

Lee Ann Townsend
President, Rochester Area Literacy Council

October 20, 2017

Dear RALC Colleague,

Does anyone have thoughts of teaching literacy flooding your every stirring moment? Do you wake in a cold sweat wondering how you’re going to meet the new literacy standards? Have you found yourself lost in deep thought about your next literacy lesson on your way home from school and wondered how you got there? If this is the case, than it sounds like you are a literacy educator in need of some remedies from the Rochester Area Literacy Council! How about…

Writing Day: RALC is putting the finishing touches on this very special workshop for children interested in writing and/or illustrating on Saturday, Oct. 21st. We have about 50 students committed to attending this event with 15 volunteer educators facilitating sessions about writing. If you have a student or a group of students interested in coming at the last minute, please contact Christine Treasure at [email protected] ASAP.

Fall Speaker: It’s NOT too late to sign up for our Fall Speaker and book club! Renowned educator, Ernest Morrell will be speaking on Thursday, November 2 from 4:30-7:30 at Cleary Auditorium. As a lead-in to this event, we are offering a book study opportunity to anyone interested. We will dig into Ernest Morrell’s book, Every Child a Super Reader: Seven Strengths to open a world of possibilities. The first 20 people to sign up will receive a free book AND a few books are still available! Please see the attached flyer or go to our website. https://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/speaker-event---ernest-morrell-thur-nov-2.html

NYSRA Conference – Literacy for ALL: Full STEAM Ahead: This year’s New York State Reading Teacher’s Association Conference is a “must see” event. The conference features renowned educational speakers such as Richard Allington and Laura Robb as well as area professionals. It will be held on November 12-14 at the Saratoga Hilton, Saratoga Springs, NY. For more information, go to http://www.nysreading.org/Conference/2017 .

Children’s Book Festival: Each year, RALC hosts a table at the Children’s Book Festival of Rochester, and we love to have members help! The day is always packed with activities, presentations, and opportunities to meet authors and illustrators of books. This year’s festival is Saturday, November 4th at 10:00-4:00 p.m. at MCC. Please grab some kids or come alone, but do come! Make sure you stop by the RALC table to say hello or stay awhile to help share the message of RALC. If you are interested in helping at our table, please contact Maryanne Barrett at [email protected]. For more information about this event, go to https://www.rcbfestival.com/

Barnes & Noble Events: RALC is partnering with Barnes and Noble to offer two exciting events. Our first event is a gift wrapping fundraiser on Saturday, December 9. The second event is focused on the Charlotte Book Award nominees on Saturday, January 20. We will need volunteers for both days, so mark your calendars and look for more details to follow!

Publishing Project – Beyond Our Horizons: Do you have students who love to write and/or illustrate and would like to be published? Then this year’s opportunity is for them! Please encourage these students to consider submitting their work to be placed in this year’s publication. Please check our website for updates about this year’s publishing project. http://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/publishing-project.html

Spring Speaker: You don’t want to miss this event on Thursday, March 15 because Matt Glover is coming to town and will speak to a RALC audience at St. John Fisher Cleary Auditorium. This will be a fantastic opportunity to hear one of our industry’s most respected authorities on early childhood education.

Past Events Review:

A handful of RALC members and potential members joined us for a purely social networking gathering at ROC Brewing Co., 56 S. Union Street on Sept. 15. It was a great event, as we enjoyed the warm sunshine on the patio, each other’s company, and some good old fashion cheer! Stay tuned for RALC’s next social outing sometime soon!
Launching Literacy Learning: We welcomed Amy VanDerwater present her strategies for supporting writers with a writer’s notebook on Saturday, September 30. It was a smashing good time with about 60+ area educators hanging on Amy’s every last word! Amy is such a wonderful speaker and knowledgeable literacy educator.

Congratulations:

RALC would like to congratulate Christine Green as our 2017 NYSRA Conference Fellowship Award winner! Christine is a very familiar face within the RALC community, as she attends many of our events and has presented at Live Local Literacy and Sail into Summer in the past. We know she will enjoy this fantastic conference!
RALC would also like to congratulate members Katrina Hatch and Courtney Wilson! They are recipients of a $500 grant from NYSRA for literacy education!

Final Notes:

New Partnerships: Recently, NYSRA entered into a limited non-group affiliation with ILA, basically becoming more independent. RALC had to choose to completely affiliate with either ILA or NYSRA. After considerable review, it was demeaned in our best interest for RALC to continue our affiliation with NYSRA. In another twist of partnerships, RALC has enthusiastically embraced connecting more deliberately with SUNY Geneseo literacy leaders in an effort to expand our influence to their campus.
Niagara Frontier Reading Council is offering a unique experience! They are partnering with their children’s book festival and providing a workshop just for educators. For more information, go to http://www.monkeysread.com/ctle-workshop. For more info about their events, including a brunch/STEAM speaker, go to http://www.thenfrc.org/.
DATE CHANGE: Sail into Summer is moved to Wednesday, May 16 from May 9. The program for that evening is yet to be developed, so stay tuned.
Meeting Dates/Times/Location: The RALC Executive Board WELCOMES YOU to all of our meetings. This year, we will be meeting at Council Rock Primary School. New location! We will be meeting for the remainder of the year at Brighton CSD District Office, 2035 Monroe Avenue at 5:00 p.m - 7:00 p.m on the following remaining Mondays: November 20, December 11, January 8, February 12, March 12, April 9, May 14, and June 11. Please consider joining us! Every member is welcome and this is a great way to get involved!

Please continue to check our website (www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org) for further information about each item listed above or new opportunities that occur in the future. Thank you for your time and commitment to RALC! We look forward to connecting with you in the near future!

Sincerely,
Lee Ann Townsend
President, Rochester Area Literacy Council

September 6, 2017

Dear RALC Colleague,

It’s time to celebrate the beginning of a new school year and take advantage of exciting opportunities to grow and learn as practitioners of literacy! This is a time to start fresh, be creative, and explore new teaching strategies and ideas to try in your classroom. The Rochester Area Literacy Council would like to partner with you to help make your new school year professionally rewarding. As a valued past or present member, we would like to extend a welcome and share some highlights of our events for this coming school year!

Back to School Celebration! Join fellow RALC members for a purely social networking gathering at ROC Brewing Co., 56 S. Union Street on Sept. 15, 3:00-5:00 & enjoy $1 off drinks. http://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/back-to-school-celebration.html
Launching Literacy Learning: Please welcome Amy VanDerwater as she presents strategies for supporting writers with a writer’s notebook on Saturday, September 30, 9:00-12:00 at French Road Elementary School. This is a great event to network with area colleagues, too. http://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/launching-literacy-learning---sat-sept-30-2017.html
Fall Speaker and ALL of RALC Reads: Renowned educator, Ernest Morrell will be speaking on Thursday, November 2 from 4:30-7:30 at Cleary Auditorium. As a lead-in to this event, we are offering a book study opportunity to anyone interested. We will dig into Ernest Morrell’s book, Every Child a Super Reader: Seven Strengths to open a world of possibilities. The first 20 people to sign up will receive a free book! Flyer will be coming soon.
Writing Day: RALC is preparing a special workshop for children interested in writing and/or illustrating on Saturday, Oct. 21st. If you know any children who might be interested, please share the attached flyer with them. If you would like to help facilitate writing/illustrating, please contact Christine Treasure at [email protected]
NYSRA Conference – Literacy for ALL: Full STEAM Ahead: This year’s New York State Reading Teacher’s Association Conference is a “must see” event. The conference features renowned educational speakers such as Richard Allington and Laura Robb as well as area professionals. It will be held on November 12-14 at the Saratoga Hilton, Saratoga Springs, NY. For more information, go to http://www.nysreading.org/Conference/2017 .
RALC - NYSRA Conference Fellowship Award: Please consider applying for this RALC grant of $500 to attend the NYSRA Conference in Saratoga, NY on Nov. 12-14. This grant will help cover expenses, and the application form can be located on our website. http://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/nysra-fellowship-award.html
Children’s Book Festival: Each year, RALC hosts a table at the Children’s Book Festival of Rochester. The day is always packed with activities, presentations, and opportunities to meet authors and illustrators of books. This year’s festival is Saturday, November 4th at 10:00-4:00 p.m. at MCC. Please grab some kids or come alone, but do come! Make sure you stop by the RALC table to say hello or stay awhile to help share the message of RALC. For more information, go to https://www.rcbfestival.com/
Publishing Project – Beyond Our Horizons: Do you have students who love to write and/or illustrate and would like to be published? Then this year’s opportunity is for them! Please encourage these students to consider submitting their work to be placed in this year’s publication. Please check our website for updates about this year’s publishing project. http://www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil.org/publishing-project.html
Meeting Dates/Times/Location: The RALC Executive Board WELCOMES YOU to all of our meetings. This year, we will be meeting at Council Rock Primary School in Brighton at 5:00 p.m - 7:00 p.m on the following Mondays: September 11, October 16, November 20, December 11, January 8, February 12, March 12, April 9, May 14, and June 11. Please consider joining us! Every member is welcome!

Please continue to check our website (www.rochesterarealiteracycouncil) for further information about each item listed above or new opportunities that occur in the future. Thank you for your time and commitment to RALC! We look forward to connecting with you in the near future!

Sincerely,

Lee Ann Townsend
President, Rochester Area Literacy Council