Minnesota Reading Association

Not logged in.

The Minnesota Reading Association is a dynamic and diverse organization that includes classroom teachers, reading specialists, consultants, administrators, supervisors, college teachers, researchers, psychologists, librarians, media specialists, students, and parents. The Association has more than 500 members in Minnesota and is affiliated with the International Reading Association.

We support the goals of the International Reading Association in professional development, advocacy, partnerships, research, and leadership in global issues.

Mission Statement: The Minnesota Reading Association actively promotes lifelong literacy for all citizens. We encourage professional interaction among all organizations involved with literacy and provide resources for exemplary literacy practices and habits.

The Minnesota Reading Association is an affiliate of the International Reading Association.

Our Goals

Promote networking and collaboration in the area of literacy:

	Maintain a website of resources and professional connections

	Create and maintain partnerships to broaden current knowledge in literacy to schools, home and community

	Publish a newsletter four times a year


	Connect with our membership through E-Buzz

Provide resources and opportunities for professional growth and leadership development:

	Present a yearly conference for membership

	Organize Leadership meetings for local and state council members

	Offer Seasonal Symposiums of collaboration and professional growth

Support literacy efforts across the state of Minnesota:

	Maintain Legislative Advocacy efforts

	Recognize outstanding members through the Celebrate Literacy Award

	Recognize outstanding young authors through the Writers are Readers Celebration

	Provide Grant opportunities


	Recognize local Honor Councils

Printable brochure (PDF)

Legislative Update

Meeting with Outread Director, Joe Campbell

Julie Goldsmith, Stephanie Brondani, Jennifer McCarty, Sue Klund, Eva Boehm, Joe Campbell, and Julie Scullen

Recently, members of MRA visited with United States Senator Amy Klobuchar’s Outreach Director, Joe Campbell. Our members, representing educators working with children from birth through adolescence, discussed current legislation, funding for literacy initiatives, and offered to partner with the Senator on literacy issues.

The group left the room eager to take a larger role in the political process.

MRA Professional Book Club, May 27, 2009

MRA members are cordially invited to a book study featuring the new book, Readicide: How Schools are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It, by Kelly Gallagher (Stenhouse, 2009).

We will gather in the meeting room at Davanni's in Roseville (near the 35W/Hwy 36 interchange) on Wednesday, May 27 at 6:00 pm. The event is free of charge to our members, as Davanni's is providing the room free of charge if participants purchase food or beverages.

Click here for RSVP details and additional information.

2009 MRA State Conference: August 13, 2009

Click for a preview of breakout sessions details.

2009 MRA Conference
August 13, 2009
Ramada Mall of America in Bloomington

“MAKING CONNECTIONS”

Join us for our first summer conference day, featuring keynote
speakers Kelly Gallagher and Greg Tang



Kelly Gallagher, author of Reading Reasons and Deeper Reading		Greg Tang (right), author of Math Potatoes and The Grapes of Math

Get all the program details and registration info here.
CEU certificates available!

Special Grant Opportunity for MRA Members!

Are you interested in promoting literacy and family involvement at your school? Make this the best I LOVE TO READ month EVER with
ICE CREAM FOR BOOKS!

Ice Cream For Books (ICFB) is a perfect event for I LOVE TO READ month! Students & their families are invited to participate in activities that celebrate books & reading.

MRA Members who are selected for an ICFB grant will receive 350 FREE books, materials for publicizing ICFB events, as well as handouts, activity sheets, books and labels acknowledging contributors, and $100 for the cost of ice cream.

Click here for more information.

Book Recommendations

Congratulations to the following MRA Members for sharing book recommendations and winning a FREE book pack! Here are the winners and what they’ve been reading this summer…

Beth Laudenbach, Central MN Reading Council Member

All Ralph Fletcher books, but especially A Writer's Notebook.
Best Practices in Writing Instruction by Steve Graham, Charles A. MacArthur and Jill Fitzgerald
Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
Code Talker: A Novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac

Ruby Eiden, Central MN Reading Council member

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Amber Van Hale, Arrowhead Reading Council member

Knots in My Yo-yo String: The Autobiography of a Kid by Jerry Spinelli

Becky Poturica, South East Reading Council member

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back by Stanley Gordon West

Margie Fraser, South East Reading Council member

The Star Garden by Nancy Turner.

Summer 2009 Newsletter

The MRA Summer 2009 newsletter is available online as a downloadable PDF. Click here to go to the Resources page. You'll need to be logged in to access the newsletter.

2008-2009 MRA Officers Announced

The Executive MRA Board for the coming year includes:

Maurna Rome, President
Ilene Rutten, President-elect
Julie Scullen, Vice President
Anne Redfern, Past President & IRA Coordinator
Kristen Thomas, Director of Membership
Sarah Haskett Rutledge, Secretary
Neva Stoebner, Treasurer

Join or renew your membership online.

Our online membership system has been enhanced. You can now join or renew your membership online automatically with our secure payment system.

Downloadable Resources

Click here to jump to the Resources page.

FRED Factor, Current MRA Business, Advocacy Resources, and Updates from Local Councils