Provincial Council of the International Literacy Association
2025 Update
The British Columbia Literacy Association is off to a running start this year. BCLCILA executive members, Courtney Jones and Stacey Joyce from the Surrey School District, led the charge to host our first offering of the year, a 90 minute online session on oral fluency featuring Dr. Jan Hasbrouck. The session, Making Sense of Fluency Data: What Does ORF Really Tell Us? was attended by over 300 people and 5 BCLCILA members won the draw of The Reading Fluency book by Jan Hasbrouck and Deborah Glaser. Congratulations to Brandy Gibb, Carol Walton, Erin Jones, and Sara Strocel who have already claimed their prizes. Special thanks to Gareth Poon of SD 36 for his help in facilitating the session.
This year we will continue a number of the BCLCILA initiatives spearheaded in the 2024-2025 school year. If you are a member of the International Literacy Association and live in British Columbia, Canada then you are automatically a member of the B.C. Literacy Council ILA.
Draw for BCLCILA members to win honorarium cost for a one-hour presentation by a BC author or illustrator via CWILL BC – Children’s Writers and Illustrators of British Columbia Society (Value $250.00 – $350.00).
- To enter email bcliteracyila@gmail.com
- In the subject line: I love Children’s Literature by BC Authors
- Include your Name, School, and ILA membership number in the message
- You will be asked to share a few lines about the experience via social media or email.
- Deadline to apply Feb.1, 2026
Draw for BCLCILA members in the Lower Mainland (Vancouver to Abbotsford) to win a Singing with Sandy (Song experience games to promote literacy) session for primary students with music educator Sandy Murray from Songworks.
- To enter email bcliteracyila@gmail.com
- In the subject line: Music Literacy Connections
- Include your Name, School, and ILA membership number in the message
- You will be asked to share a few lines about the experience via social media or email.
- Deadline to apply Feb. 1, 2026
Literacy Kits to support Outdoor Learning at Wild About Outdoor Learning Festivals in up to 5 British Columbia school districts.
To enter email bcliteracyila@gmail.com
- In the subject line: Literacy Kit Draw – Select fall or winter or summer
- Include your Name, School, and ILA membership number in the message
- You will be asked to share a few lines about the experience via social media or email
- Deadline to apply Feb. 1, 2026
To that end, we invite you to submit proposals for literacy-focused projects that align with our commitment to fostering lifelong learning and equitable access to literacy opportunities.
The wealth of the research, professional learning and opportunities to grow professional networks continues to be inspirational. Although the once iconic in-person conferences have been limited since covid, there are still a wealth of online professional development opportunities available.
All members of the International Literacy Association in British Columbia are automatically BC Literacy Council of the ILA members (BCLCILA). As always, the best way to draw in new members is through personal connection. I recently had the opportunity to connect with Gloria Ramirez in Kamloops and have gotten to know Guofang Li on social media, and Joanie Crandall via phone. I’m happy to connect via phone, Zoom, or in person with individual members or small groups at your request. Feel free to contact me. I have retired from the public school system and now have flexibility as an educational consultant.
Guidelines for Literacy Project Proposals:
When crafting your project proposals, please include the following elements for clarity and to indicate alignment with our goals: Purpose / Objectives/ Budget: up to $500.00 / Steps to Implementation / Evaluation / Community Impact:
Please send your proposals to bcliteracyila@gmail.com with personal information that includes your name, ILA membership number, school or organization, contact information that you check regularly.
I’m thrilled to celebrate our BCLCILA members willing to serve as volunteers on on our executive council. Please reach out to the executive member nearest you with ideas, questions and comments.
Past President – Mike Bowden – Kamloops
President – Carrie Froese – Victoria
Treasurer – Gloria Ramirez – Kamloops
Secretary – Courtney Jones – – Surrey
Membership Officer – Guofang Li – UBC campus in Vancouver
Members at Large:
Joanie Crandall – Prince George
Stacey Joyce – Surrey
Larkyn Froese – Burnaby
Let’s make 2025-2026 another year of creativity, collaboration, and meaningful impact in literacy. We look forward to your contributions and to working together for a brighter future.
Warm Regards,
Carrie Froese
President – B.C. Literacy Council ILA
| BRITISH COLUMBIA LITERACY COUNCIL
INTERNATIONAL LITERACY ASSOCIATION www.readingbc.ca @BCLitCoun1 Instagram @bcliteracy bcliteracyila@gmail.com |
The mission statement of the International Literacy Association continues to unite members with a collective voice:
“ILA connects research and practice to improve the quality of literacy learning across the globe in ways that are respectful, responsive, and ethical. We advocate for equitable access to literacies among individuals of all ages and diverse communities as a basic human right and a matter of social justice.”