FVRC Fall Newsletter
October 26, 2015
FVRC 2015-16 Board of Directors
President-Elect-Denise Mitchell
Co -Presidents-Jean Kindelin (Books for Babies), Karin Lewis (Pencil Project)
Membership-Karen Ringas
Secretary-Katina Kastrantas
Treasurer-Teresa Thompson
Illinois READS-Ryan Schaeffer
Publicity-Dawn Lutz
Past President-Beth Herrig
* Be sure to scroll all the way down to see previews of our upcoming events!
2015 Illinois Reading Council Council of Excellence Award
IRC Preservice Pizza Party- New FVRC Members
Jensina Miller won the FVRC Read-Aloud Book Basket Raffle!
IRC Preservice Pizza Party- New FVRC Members
2015 Fall Event Recap
Dr. Camille Blachowicz shared evidence-based information on current practices in vocabulary instruction. She provided details for 6 basic understandings of vocabulary learning, which support in planning instruction, and creating effective strategies for students. Strategies were tested for developing word conscious learners. Participants can integrate these techniques into their classroom instruction!
Check out her book, No More "Look Up the List" Vocabulary Instruction.
Bobette Dodson
Congratulations to our lucky raffle winner Dr. Deb Brotcke, Professor of Education at Aurora University and IRC member. FVRC presented Deb with a $250.00 gift certificate from Anderson’s Bookshop at our Camille Blachowicz event at NLU! Dr. Brotke teaches methods courses and trains future reading specialists at AU. She specializes in children’s and young adult literature and plans to donate all books purchased with this certificate upon retirement. We were thrilled to present this certificate to Deb and look forward to future opportunities to help and support our members. We appreciate you! Picture below.
Karin Lewis
2015 IRC Conference Recap
October 1-3, IRC hosted its annual highly successful literacy conference in Peoria, Illinois.
Fox Valley Reading Council is proud to announce we earned the Council of Excellence Award, as well a second place in the Wall of Councils contest for our display. As always, the conference was excellent, and many of the FVRC board members had the opportunity to attend!
FVRC members attended the IRC Preservice Pizza Party on Friday October 2. We were thrilled to learn we added 26 members in September! Thank you Benedictine University and Judson College for encouraging your students to join the council.
FVRC raffled off a Read-Aloud book classroom basket. Congratulations to Jensina Miller who was the lucky winner! Pictures below.
Bobette Dodson
2015 Illinois READS Family Reading Night
Family Reading Night is sponsored by Jesse White, Secretary of State and State Librarian. It is a statewide event that encourages families to spend quality time reading together. It is celebrated annually in Illinois on the third Thursday in November. This year it is on November 19, 2015.
Come join Fox Valley Reading Council (FVRC) for a fun and exciting night of reading! Bring your entire family, as FVRC educators will be reading aloud from Illinois Reads books. Illinois Reads is a program that spotlights great books written by Illinois authors. Books from all age categories are represented. Therapy dogs will be at the event as well! The therapy dogs love being read to by children and adults alike.
Location: Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin (Youth Center-West)
Date: Thurs, November 19
Time: 6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Age: Children and Family
Ryan Schaefer
About us
The Fox Valley Reading Council, servicing Kane County, is a non-profit organization whose members are dedicated to improving literacy for learners of all ages.
Mission
The mission of the FVRC is to promote lifelong learning, literacy development and the love of reading through professional development, collegial collaboration and community outreach.
Website: http://www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org/localcouncils/foxvalley.html
Blog Page: foxvalleyreadingcouncil.blogspot.com
Publicity- Dawn Lutz
The Fox Valley Reading Council is starting to branch out into social media. We have a Facebook page (Look for Fox Valley Reading Council Community,) a new email address (illinoisfvrc@gmail.com,) and we're even spreading our wings and beginning to Tweet (@FoxValleyReads)! If you haven't taken a look to see what we do, please do! The council is local and brings in fantastic speakers. Camille Blachowicz was our last speaker at National Lewis and was a wealth of information about vocabulary. FVRC also awarded a $250 classroom books certificate from Anderson Bookshop! You won't want to miss "Write Guy" Jeff Anderson in February speaking on writing strategies! What will FVRC give away next? And don't forget that you can receive CPDU's!
We also support causes locally as we collect and donate Books for Babies at Delnor/Cadence Hospital in Geneva. Dawn Lutz is collecting board books at Williamsburg Elementary in Geneva (1812 Williamsburg Ave) to support new babies and their families as they spend time at the hospital. Drop them off any time! You may also contact Jean Kindelin at kindelinj@gmail.com for more information.
Finally, be sure to join us at Illinois Reads Family Literacy Night at the Elgin Public Library from 6:00-7:00 on Nov. 19. Look at our Facebook page or join us on Twitter to keep up with our latest activities!
Email: illinoisfvrc@gmail.com
Location: Kane County, Illinois
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fox-Valley-Reading-Council
Twitter: @FoxValleyReads
Karin Lewis congratulates Dr. Deb Brotcke, winner of our $250.00 gift certificate from Anderson’s Bookshop!
Heinemann at our Fall Event with a variety of professional books.
Participants enjoying a continental breakfast while listening to Dr. Blachowicz!
Books for Babies bins- One of FVRC's Community Projects
Dr. Blachowicz in action! She was outstanding and relevant.
Beth Herrig manning the registration table at National-Louis University, Lisle.
FVRC display board
Bert Crossland and his colleague. We love having them come to our events.
FVRC 2015 Family Reading Night at Gail Bordon Public Library
Thursday, Nov 19, 2015, 06:00 PM
Gail Borden Public Library, North Grove Avenue, Elgin, IL
Winter Event 2016 with Jeff Anderson-The Write guy
Jeff Anderson provides effective writing strategies for students and teachers, and has done so for more than 25 years. He presents at national conferences such as ASCD, NCTE, as well as in classrooms. He authors books for teachers and middle school writers, as his love for grammar and writing is an inspiration for us all! He lives in San Antonio, Texas and spends his time talking, walking, and delivering professional development throughout the United States. Admission is $35 for non-members, $25 for members, and $15 for students.
Wednesday, Feb 24, 2016, 05:00 PM
Pending Approval- Kane County Regional Office of Education, North 1st Street, Geneva, IL 60134
Spring Event 2016: Featuring Pam Allyn presenting, "A New Story for a New Era of Readers: 10 Best Practices for Readers & Writers."
FVRC will PARC and co-host our Spring Event on Thursday April 14, 2016. Featured is Pam Allyn presenting "A New Story for a New Era of Readers: 10 Best Practices for Readers & Writers." Registration and dinner begin at 4:45 pm, and the presentation commences at 5:30 pm. Admission is $35 for non-members, $25 for members, and $15 for students.
Thursday, Apr 14, 2016, 04:45 PM
Marquardt School District 15, 1860 Glen Ellyn Road, Glendale Heights, IL, 60139
Design your own PD!
Have you ever wanted to delve deeper into a subject or topic? For me, that topic is teaching students how to become better writers. In my many years of learning and teaching, I believe this is my area of weakness. So I’m taking matters into my own hands. I have seen these authors over the years at the Illinois Reading Council and have created my own “text set” as you will. So here I go! Does anyone want to join me?
Beth Herrig, Past President