Take advantage of this networking opportunity and attend your local council activities! Share your expertise with other members in your area.

April

April 1, 2020: IRC  Committee Chairs - Submit chair reports to the IRC Office.

April 14, 2020:  MID-State Reading Council will host a Book Study on Gamechanger by Colby Sharp and Donalynn Miller at 4:30 pm on Zoom.  To join, please click here for more information.

April 15, 2020: IRC Council Officer and Committee Representatives are due to the IRC Office.  Please note that the deadline has been extended to May 15, 2020.

April 15, 2020:  IRC will sponsor the Wired Wednesday Webinar with Barb Rosenstock on Beyond the Biography Project:  Using Picture Books Biographies Through the Curriculum.  IRC will be offering the 2019-2020 Webinars Series for members only.  Each webinar begins at 7:00 p.m. Members who watch the live or recorded webinar can earn one PD clock hour.  Current members will receive the webinar registration link by email each month.  If you are not a current member, join online and email the IRC Office for webinar link.

May

May 1, 2020: IRC Literacy Support Grant applications are due.  Please note that the deadline has been extended to June 1, 2020.

May 1, 2020: IRC International Literacy Grant applications are due. Please note that the deadline has been extended to June 1, 2020.

May 1, 2020:  IRC Early-Career Teacher Recruitment Program applications are due. Please note that the deadline has been extended to June 1, 2020.

May 1, 2020: IRC Council Relief Grants are due. Please note that the deadline has been extended to June 1, 2020.

May 6, 2020:  IRC will sponsor the Wired Wednesday Webinar with Georgia Heard on Growing Readers and Writers Who Love Poetry.  IRC will be offering the 2019-2020 Webinars Series for members only.  Each webinar begins at 7:00 p.m. Members who watch the live or recorded webinar can earn one PD clock hour.  Current members will receive the webinar registration link by email each month.  If you are not a current member, join online and email the IRC Office for webinar link.

May 7, 2020:  Macon County Reading Council will participate in the 5K Fun Run/Walk at 6:00 pm at Fairview Park Pavilion, 2095 W Eldorado Street, Decatur, Illinois.

May 16, 2020: Illinois Language and Literacy Council (ILLC) will host the Illinois Young Authors Conference at Normal Community West High School, 501 North Parkside Road, Normal, Illinois. 

May 19, 2020:  MID-State Reading Council will host a book study, Gamechanger by Colby Sharp and Donalynn Miller at 4:30 pm at Gill Street Sports Bar, 3002B Gill Street, Bloomington, Illinois.  The fee is simply the cost of the book. A board meeting will be held following the book study at 5:30 pm.  For more information, please see the detailed plans for the Book Study.

June

June 1, 2020: IRC Council Program (Speaker) Grant applications are due.

June 8, 2020:  MID-State Reading Council will host a Summer Conference with Colby Sharp at the Illinois State Alumni Center, 1101 North Main Street, Normal, Illinois.  Check the MID-State Facebook and website for more updates.

June 9, 2020: Southern Illinois Reading Council will hold a board meeting from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm at Blue Sky Winery, 3150 Rocky Comfort Rd, Makanda, Illinois.

June 10, 2020:  IRC will sponsor the Wired Wednesday Webinar with Sunday Cummins on Students Writing in Response to Informational Sources.  IRC will be offering the 2019-2020 Webinars Series for members only.  Each webinar begins at 7:00 p.m. Members who watch the live or recorded webinar can earn one PD clock hour.  Current members will receive the webinar registration link by email each month.  If you are not a current member, join online and email the IRC Office for webinar link.  THIS WEBINAR HAS BEEN MOVED FROM JUNE 3RD TO THE NEW DATE ON JUNE 10TH!

June 11, 2020: Suburban Council of IRA (SCIRA) will host a Summer Conference on Patterns of Power featuring Jeff Anderson from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm at the Holiday Inn & Suites, Chicago North Shore, 5300 W Touhy Ave, Skokie, Illinois.  Cost is $145.

June 15, 2020: IRC Prairie State Award nominations are due.

June 15, 2019:  Illinois Reading Council will close registration for the IRC Book Club.

July

July 1, 2020: IRC Officers take office.

July 7, 2020: IRC Executive Committee Meeting is scheduled. For more information, please contact the IRC Office by email or phone at 1-888-454-1341.

July 8, 2020: IRC Board of Directors Meeting, Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort, Utica, Illinois.  For more information, please contact the IRC Office by email or by phone at 1-888-454-1341.

July 8-9, 2020: IRC Leadership Retreat at the Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort, Illinois. Local Council Officers, State Committee Chairs, Regional Directors, and Executive Officers will attend a comprehensive training and team-building workshop.  Please watch your email for registration materials.  Contact your local council leaders for information on how you can be more involved in your local council.

August

September

September 1, 2020: IRC Councils submit the Membership Grant to the IRC Membership Director.

September 1, 2020: IRC Councils order supplies for the Illinois Reads Family Literacy Night.

September 1, 2020: IRC deadline for submitting information for the Fall IRC Communicator.   Please send your information to the IRC Office.

September 8, 2020: International Literacy Day is being celebrated by IRC.

September 14, 2020:  College Instructors of Reading Professionals (CIRP) is accepting applications for Student Conference Stipends for education majors who attend the 2020 IRC Conference.  Applicants must be full-time education majors attending a college or university in Illinois.  Up to ten $100 stipends will be awarded.  Winners will be notified by email by September 21st.

September 15, 2020: IRC Councils - Sign up for the Hall of Councils Display at the annual IRC Conference.

September 15, 2020: IRC Officers, Committee Chairs, Regional Directors - Submit Officer, Committee Chair, and Director reports for Annual Meeting to the IRC Office.

September 26, 2020: Chicago Area Reading Association (CARA) will host Strengthening the Core with Fluency, Vocabulary, and Language featuring Tim Rasinksi followed by breakout sessions on Vocabulary Instruction with Char Cobb and Literacy Instruction for English Learners with Kristin Lems.  This event will be from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm at Chicago Literacy Alliance, 641 West Lake Street, Suite 200, Chicago, Illinois.

October

November

November 1, 2020: IRC Committee Chairs - Submit chair reports to the IRC Office.

November 1, 2020: IRC nominations for Hall of Fame Award and IRC Service Award are due.

November 1, 2020: IRC applications for Barack Obama Library Award are due.

November 1, 2020: IRC deadline for Family Literacy Award and R.E.A.D. Grant applications. 

November 1, 2020: IRC deadline for Jerry Johns Reading Educator of the Year Award application. 

November 1, 2020: IRC deadline for Pamela J. Farris Rural Library Award application.

November 1, 2020: IRC deadline for Taglieri Boys Classroom Library Award application.

November 1, 2020: IRC deadline for submitting information for the Winter IRC Communicator. Please submit your information to the IRC Office.

November 13, 2020: IRC Executive Committee Meeting at the IRC Office.

November 14, 2020: IRC Board of Directors Meeting, Destihl, 1200 Greenbriar Drive, Normal, Illinois.  For more information, please contact the IRC Office by email or by phone at 1-888-454-1341.

November 15, 2020: IRC Councils deadline to submit the Council Audit Form.

November 15, 2020: IRC Councils deadline to submit the IRS e-Postcards.

November 19, 2020:  Family Reading Night is an annual statewide event sponsored by Jesse White, Secretary of State and State Librarian, and the Illinois Center for the Book at the Illinois State Library that encourages families to spend quality time reading together.  Free bookmarks and posters are available to participating organizations. The IRC’s ILLINOIS READS Program has partnered  with the Secretary of State’s Family Reading Night since 2013.  Plan now to create a Family Reading night program in your area.  For the annual theme, material order forms and programming ideas, visit the Family Reading Night webpage.

November 28, 2020: ILA Exemplary Reading Program Award deadline.

December

December 1, 2020: IRC Program Proposals for IRC Conference due to IRC Office.

December 1, 2020: IRC deadline for Council Program (Speakers) Grant applications.

December 15, 2020: ILA Honor Council materials are due electronically to ILA. 

December 15, 2020: ILA Local Council Community Service Award submissions are due.

 January

January 15, 2021: IRC election ballot sent to IRC members.

January 15, 2021:  Illinois Reading Council will close registration for the IRC Book Club.

January 15, 2021:  Illinois Council for Affective Reading Education (ICARE) and IRC are accepting submissions for the Static Stick Decal Design Contest.  Students in grade 4, 5, and 6 are encouraged to create an original design promoting reading.  The winning design is printed on static stick decals.

January 15, 2021:  Illinois Council for Affective Reading Education (ICARE) is accepting nominations for the Gene Cramer ICARE for Reading Award to honor an outstanding educator who shows concern for the affective domain of reading and who strives to promote lifelong reading habits among students.  The award will be given at the annual IRC conference.

January 29, 2021: IRC Executive Committee Meeting at the IRC Office.

January 30, 2021: IRC Board of Directors Meeting will be held online via Go to Meeting.  For more information, please contact the IRC Office by email or by phone at 1-888-454-1341.

February

February 1, 2021: IRC Committee Chairs - Submit chair reports to the IRC Office.

March

March 1, 2021: ILA Celebrate Literacy Award verifications are due.

March 1, 2021: IRC Officers, Committee Chairs, Regional Directors - Submit Officer, Committee Chair, and Director reports for Annual Meeting to the IRC Office.

March 11-12, 2021:  Illinois Reading Council will host the 54th Annual IRC Conference in Springfield, Illinois.  Please watch for the online Conference Preview, Registration and Housing to open online on December 15, 2020.

March 11-12, 2021:  Illinois Council for Affective Reading Education (ICARE) will host the ICARE Strand at the IRC Conference at the Peoria Civic Center, 201 SW Jefferson Avenue, Peoria, Illinois.

March 11-12, 2021: Secondary Reading League (SRL) will host an IRC Strand at the IRC Conference at the Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, Illinois.

March 11, 2021:  College Instructors of Reading Professionals (CIRP) will host the CIRP Reception and Board Meeting from 5:15 - 6:15 pm at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, 501 Main Street, Peoria, Illinois.

March 12, 2021:  Illinois Reading Council will hold the Annual Membership Meeting at the IRC Conference.  The election results will also be announced. 

March 12, 2021: Illinois Title 1 Association (ITA) will host the ITA Strand from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm and Annual ITA Meeting from 3:45-4:45 pm at IRC Conference.

March 13, 2021:  Illinois Reads Book Festival will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Springfield, Illinois.  Everyone is invited to the celebration of the 2021 Illinois Reads Program.  Many authors will be present, bring your books, and have them autographed at this event!  Books will also be available for purchase from Anderson's Bookshops.

Submit your activities to the Illinois Reading Council at:  webmaster@illinoisreadingcouncil.org.  

If you host an event and would like to share IRC informational brochures and/or other materials, please contact the IRC at:  IRCmaterials@illinoisreadingcouncil.org.